Triangle Park, which is bounded by F Avenue, Palm Avenue, and Fourth Street, would be renamed Pendleton Park in honor of Major General Joseph Pendleton.
The Third and Fourth Streets Neighborhood Association (TAF) is seeking to rename the two triangular parks on Palm Avenue: Triangle Park, which is bounded by F Avenue, Palm Avenue and Fourth Street; and Palm Park, which is defined by I Avenue, Palm Avenue and Third Street. The parks received their present names by a resolution of the City Council in January 1976. If approved by the council, Triangle and Palm Parks would be renamed Pendleton Park and Glenn Curtiss Park, respectively.
City Council member Richard Bailey plans to place the topic of renaming the parks on the agenda of the council’s April 7 meeting and expects that the proposal will be considered at the council’s meeting on either April 21 or May 5.
Toni McGowan of TAF and a proponent of renaming the parks offed the following, “the designation of the Avenue of Heroes on Third and Fourth Streets certainly makes our parks candidates for proper names. With Glenn Curtiss’ historic home on Third, renaming Palm Park a tribute to Coronado’s aviation history seems an obvious good choice. Pendleton Park at Fourth Street and F Avenue would recognize other service branches that helped to establish NASNI, such as Pendleton’s Marines’ modernization of North Island in 1914. Let’s not forget “Uncle Joe” Pendleton’s service as Coronado mayor.”
The effort to rename the parks began with TAF consulting with other community groups including Barrio Logan that sought and achieved changes in the names of parks based on neighborhood values. Local residents were consulted, an on-line survey was used to identify the most widely supported names for the parks, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars was advised of the effort.
Renaming Triangle Park for Major General Joseph Pendleton would recognize the general’s role in the establishment of a military presence on North Island and his contributions to the City of Coronado. In 1914 then Colonel Pendleton’s Fourth Marine Regiment established Camp Howard on North Island. The colonel had his men layout roads, string telephone lines, erect tents, and pipe fresh water from across the Spanish Bight, which at the time separated North Island from Coronado. The general bought a home in Coronado on A Avenue. He served as the mayor of Coronado from 1928 to 1930, after the untimely death of the sitting mayor.
Pendleton served 46 years in the Marines. He graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1884 and participated in the Spanish American War and the following Philippine-American War. For his service in the Dominican Republic in 1916 he was awarded the Navy Cross. He died in San Diego in February 1942 at the age of 81.
Palm Park, which is bounded by I Avenue, Palm Avenue, and Third Street, would be renamed Glenn Curtiss Park.
Similarly, renaming Palm Park for Glenn Curtiss would recognize Curtiss’ contributions to naval aviation. At his flying school on North Island he instructed the Navy’s first naval aviator LT Theodore Ellyson. His planes were used to demonstrate the ability to land and launch aircraft from ships and to drop bombs and shoot at ground targets from aircraft. In February 1911 he made the first flight of an “amphibian” aircraft when he took off and landed his plane on both water and land at North Island. He went on to sell the Navy its first airplane in July 1911.
House constructed by Glenn Curtiss and his wife in 1912 and recently restored by the Burgos Family.
In 1912 Curtiss and his wife built a home at the corner of Third Street and Alameda Boulevard, which was then known as K Street. Its location afforded him easy access to his aviation school on North Island. The residence, which still exists, has been designated a Historic Resource of Coronado. It has been restored by the Burgos family, which received the 2012 “Going the Extra Mile” (GEM) award from the Coronado Historical Association for their efforts to preserve the residence.
For his pioneering aviation work with the Navy he is considered “The Father of Naval Aviation.” By Act of Congress in 1933 he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
The Third and Fourth Streets Neighborhood Association is a community organization dedicated to “honoring Coronado military, residents, pedestrians, bicyclists, children, and pets through cooperative and creative neighborhood planning. In keeping with its mission, TAF has been pursuing initiatives that engender pride and a sense of place along Third and Fourth Streets.” Its efforts led to the designation of these streets west of Orange Avenue as the Coronado Avenue of Heroes and the associated Hometown Heroes Banner program. (See the eCoronado article of October 10, 2014, “Resolution Passed: Third and Fourth Streets Designated The Coronado Avenue of Heroes.'”)
The Third and Fourth Streets Neighborhood Association meets monthly. Its next meeting is scheduled for March 30 at 6:30 pm in the Winn Room at the library. Assistant City Manager Tom Ritter will be the featured speaker. His presentation, City Hall 101, will explain the functions of the city’s boards and commissions and how topics get on the agenda of the City Council. If you are interested in attending the meeting you can contact Eva Yakutis at 951-206-1402.
John Tato
Staff Writer
eCoronado
