» LOOKING BACK
LESLIE CRAWFORD COLLECTION PHOTOS
The toll plaza on the newly opened San Diego-Coronado Bridge in 1969.
THIS MONTH IN CORONADO HISTORY Aug. 1, 1887 The Coronado Beach Co. deeded land between 6th and 7th streets and E and F avenues to the Coronado School District after a bond for $40,000 was passed unanimously by the eight legal voters in a bond election.
Aug. 2, 1969 Gov. Ronald Reagan and San Diego Mayor Frank Curran dedicated the 2-mile-long San Diego-Coronado Bridge. At 12:01 a.m. the following day, the San Diego-Coronado Bridge officially opened, ending the Coronado Ferry’s 83-year operation.
Aug. 7, 1962 The First Methodist Church on the corner of Seventh Street and D Avenue, designed
36 Coronado365.com
by architect Joseph Falkenham, was demolished to make way for St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, which stands on the site today.
Aug. 7, 2003 The aircraft carrier, USS Constellation (CVA/CV-64), was decommissioned during a ceremony at North Island Naval Air Station where it had been home ported since 1962. Dubbed “America’s Flagship” by President Ronald Reagan in 1981, the “Connie” served 41 years, 9 months and 11 days through multiple overhauls and 21 deployments. During the ship’s service, 436,000 “traps,” or aircraft landings, had been performed on the deck and nearly 120,000 sailors and Marines had worked on board.
Aug. 8, 1970 The new $4.5 million Coronado Hospital was dedicated. On hand for the ceremony was Frances Winzer from La Jolla. Her daughter, Frances G.
