Coronado High School on D Ave 1923-1960
Written by Lisa Krause
Images courtesy of Coronado Historical Association and Lisa Krause
For the last 73 years, hundreds of Coronado High School students have passed by the Donal Hord reliefs on the corner of Seventh & D, and probably didn’t know anything about them. Have you ever walked by the carved panels on the corner of the old High School building and wondered what they represent? The panels are called “The Legend of California”. They are a set of seven incised relief panels carved from Indiana limestone for the outer Library wall of Coronado High School in 1938. The Federal Government Works Progress Administration “Federal Arts Project” commissioned Donal Hord to design and install the seven panels. They were dedicated on February 14, 1941.
The Federal Arts Project operated from 1935-1943. They paid artists to produce works of art that were to be placed in public buildings like libraries, schools and hospitals.
The following are descriptions of each panel which were found at the Coronado Historical Association in their photo archives:
Above: The panel represents the desert guardian of California holding the key, which designated the entrance to the state by land. The tortoise he rides, with the buzzard on his shoulder and the serpent presented, complete the desert environment. The other half of the panel represents an engineer and a scholar.
Above: These four figures signify the Foreign Nationals bringing their worthy contributions to California. From the Orient the Japanese bring rich brocade; the Chinese, a shou bowl, a cherished art treasure; the Italian brings his fine grapes and wine; the Basque Shepard brings his sheep.
Above: This panel represents the Spanish bringing a horse and some grain; important to the agricultural growth of the State. The figure at the extreme left symbolizes “Ceres” Greek Goddess of Grain.
Above: The center panel is Queen Calafia, the Mythical Amazonian ruler, after whom California was named. She is clutching a string of pearls and is holding court with her attendants. One bears a crown of peace; the other a helmet for war.
Above: This panel shows the Spaniards bringing their cattle, for the treasury of the Queen. The padre is bringing Christianity through the establishment of the Missions.
Above: This panel reveals more Nationals. The first figure is a Diegueno Indian tending his swine. The center figure represents a Brazilian woman bringing the first naval orange tree. The third figures are an immigrant, with his wife and child; he is equipped with an axe and spinning wheel of pioneer days.
Above: This panel is showing the acknowledgment of music and dance, symbolized by the two figures, one a man with a violin, representing cultural growth. To the right is the guardian of California, also guardian of the sea. The guardian holds the key, which indicates the entrance by way of the ocean. He is riding a sea tortoise. The pelican and the sea horse complete the waterways motif.
In 1941 the panels were installed in the niches built for them in the wall of the 1938 library building, which was added to the first D Ave. Coronado High School. Even though Coronado High School was demolished in 1960 and 2005 to make way for a new high school, the artwork remains.
*Descriptions of panels are from the digital collection of Coronado Historical Association
