1880-1890
In the 1880s there was a boom of opportunity and growth for San Diego. The California Southern Railroad connected San Diego to the East Coast. Within a week products (honey, oranges, lemon, butter, and salt) could reach the West Coast.
Two gentlemen who came west about this time were entrepreneurs looking for opportunities for building cities, infrastructure and making money. Elisha Babcock, a retired railroad executive from Evansvillle, Indiana, and Hampton L. Story, a piano manufacturer from Chicago, used to row across the San Diego Bay to go rabbit hunting together on the nearby island. They dreamed of building a seaside resort that would be the talk of the western world.
Elisha Babcock
Hampton L. Story
They established the Coronado Beach Company in 1885 and purchased the entire 4185 acres for $110,000. In 1886 they brought to Coronado two brothers who were architects, James and Merritt Reid, to design what they had envisioned. To raise money, the Coronado Beach Company had a land auction after dividing up the sage brush covered land into lots. They sold 350 lots the first day, enough money earned to finance the building costs of $600,000. The Hotel del Coronado opened in 1888.
Next week will feature 1890-1900.
The 125th year anniversary of the incorporation of Coronado as a city is an opportunity to learn more about our history as a community. We will post a few interesting moments of the past 125 years along with some interesting historical photographs from the archives of the Coronado Historical Association, the Coronado Public Library, and the Kingston Trio legacy Project. Thanks to these organizations and to Susan Enowitz, coordinator of this project, along with Mary Beth Dodson.
