Coronado History Coronado is Spanish for "the crowned one," and thus it is nicknamed The Crown City. Coronado history began on September 28, 1542 when a Portuguese explorer, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo sailed to the shores in what is now called San Diego Bay. Cabrillo's ships sailed north, reaching the coast of southern California. During his voyage he made the first known European contact with the natives of that area. His accounts contain the first European observations of such places as San Diego Bay, Santa Catalina Island, and Santa Barbara. Cabrillo's major contribution was the discovery and claiming of a rich new land for Spain. Until he traveled the coast of California, the Spaniards had no real idea of the enormity or the outlines of the lands they claimed to the north. The inaccuracies of his cartographical observations have not diminished the importance of his discoveries. During an attack by hostile natives, Cabrillo fell and broke his leg; he died on Jan. 3, 1543, from complications. In 1900 a tourist/vacation area just south of the Hotel del Coronado was established by John D. Spreckels, the son of Claus Spreckels the founder of the Spreckels Sugar Co. In 1887, Spreckels visited San Diego on his yacht Lurline to stock up on supplies. Impressed by the real estate boom then taking place, he invested in construction of a wharf and coal bunkers at the foot of Broadway (then called D Street). That boom ended soon but Spreckels' interest in San Diego would last for the rest of his life. The city became a major resort destination in 1888 with the opening of the Hotel Del Coronado. Spreckels acquired control of the Coronado Beach Company, the Hotel Del Coronado and Coronado Tent City; he bought the San Diego street railway system, changing it from horse power to electricity, in 1892. In the next decades Spreckels became a millionaire many times over, and the wealthiest man in San Diego. At various times he owned all of North Island, the San Diego-Coronado Ferry System, Union-Tribune Publishing Co., San Diego Electric Railway, San Diego & Arizona Railway, Belmont Park in Mission Beach. He built several downtown buildings, including the Union Building in 1908, the Spreckels Theatre and office building, which opened in 1913, the San Diego Hotel and the Golden West Hotel. He employed thousands of people and at one time he paid 10% of all the property taxes in San Diego County. |