Since our founding in 1969, the Coronado Historical Association has celebrated the historic homes and architecture of our special village. Our focus on historic preservation is a defining aspect of CHA as we work to embody the historic small-town character of Coronado evident throughout the community in our architecture and built landscape.
In 1972, concerned about the changing landscape in the community, CHA began a Landmarks Program to bring awareness about Coronado’s historic structures. Between 1972 through the 1990s, CHA designated 66 historic structures as “landmarks.” Later, CHA’s leadership and members were instrumental in the passing of the City’s Historic Preservation Ordinance, which helps to protect historic properties. While CHA discontinued the Landmarks Program once the City Ordinance was enacted, the importance of recognizing the Coronado community’s historic preservation activities remained a core part of CHA’s work.
Each year CHA celebrates National Preservation Month with a month-long festival of events. This year the Coronado City Council proclaimed May as Preservation Month. Preservation Month began as National Preservation Week in 1973. In 2005, the National Trust extended the celebration to the entire month of May and declared it Preservation Month. We’re proud that Coronado recognizes the importance of preservation in the fabric of our community!
CHA will host the team from the San Diego County Archives on Thursday, May 25, to speak about archival records in the County’s new state-of-the-art archives facility in Santee. They will speak about how to research the history of your home at the Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk. The County Archives include an estimated 65,000 recorded maps, 250 cubic ft. of historic birth, death, and marriage records, 600 cubic ft. of official records, and around 40,000 rolls of microfilm. CHA will also welcome City of Coronado Preservation Program Planning Associate Tricia Olsen. Tricia will share how to research your home’s history at City Hall, including the digital permit station and the Clerk’s vault.
Michael Pallamary, the president of Pallamary & Associates, of La Jolla, is this year’s Preservation Symposium featured speaker. On Wednesday, May 31, he will share Coronado’s map history and the complicated legal issues involving location, ownership, and littoral boundary lines of the past that still impact development today. One topic he’ll touch on is the development of the Coronado Shores, a story heaped with controversy and political intrigue that was the catalyst for the adoption of the Coastal Commission. Pallamary is the author of several books, and he is a frequent lecturer around the country. One of his more popular books is “Lay of the Land,” detailing the history of San Diego County from military occupation to modern times.
Tickets to these Preservation Month events are available at coronadohistory.org or at the Coronado Historical Association museum store at 1100 Orange Avenue. We hope you can join us and look forward to celebrating Coronado’s historic places with you!
