THIS MONTH IN CORONADO HISTORY

Feb. 15, 1913

The Curtiss tractor biplane was unveiled at the Curtiss Aviation School on North Island. The new plane was said to be the heaviest successful American tractor plane. The body of the plane was completely enclosed and carried two people as in an automobile. It was designed for military use.

Feb. 3, 1923

Lifeguard Eugene Estoppey organized the Coronado Beach Boys’ Club with a starting enrollment of 20 members. Among the first to join was Frank Spreckels, grandson of John D. Spreckels. To join the club, a boy had to be able to run 50 yards, swim 50 yards and row a boat. The club planned scout work in preparation for the September convention of the Municipalities of California in Coronado. The goal was to show California that Coronado was the perfect place to raise boys.

Feb. 3, 1923

City trustees accepted a proposal made by the J. D. and A. B. Spreckels Security Co. to finance a new fire and police station at a cost of $23,000. The agreement included the city selling Spreckels the lot for $2,400 at 6th Street between Palm and Orange avenues. Upon completion by July 1, 1923, the city would lease the property for 10 years at an annual rate of one-tenth the cost of the building, along with interest, and after 10 years, purchase it for $1. The new station was built in a Spanish-California style.

Feb. 10, 1923

Popular teacher Miss Port was leaving the Coronado School District to get married. Elizabeth Floyd, representing the Coronado High School student body, presented Port with an electric toaster, a rolling pin and a can opener as farewell gifts.

Feb. 14, 1933

Five Coronado members of the San Diego Racing Pigeon Club entered birds in the World’s Fair Convention Futurity Race, between Ames, Iowa and Chicago, a distance of 300 miles. Twenty birds were flown by Luther Kennett, Ernest Davy, W. Ball, B. N. Gladding and Charles Rink. It was estimated that at least 10,000 young pigeons competed in the World’s Fair race.

Feb. 25, 1943

Coronado residents stood in line at the high school to obtain War Ration Book No. 2, used to purchase canned vegetables, fruits, soups, frozen foods and several items of dried foods.

Feb. 5, 1953

The Board of Education purchased 11 lots in the new Country Club Estates Annex subdivision to build a school near 6th Street and Coronado Avenue.

Feb. 22, 1953

An estimated crowd of 40,000 came to see the recently reassembled Blue Angels perform at the Naval Air Station North Island. This was the precision flight team’s first appearance before the Southern California public. The new Blue Angels team made their first appearance June 18, 1952, at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas. Originally organized in 1946, the group disbanded for Korean combat duty in July 1950.

Feb. 26, 1953

The final match of the local yo-yo contest was held. Winners were awarded medals, emblems and trophies. The match was a qualifier for the state and national yo-yo contests. National contestants competed for $17,500 in prizes.

Feb. 11, 1993

Calling affordable housing the “issue of the ’90s,” Assistant City Manager Pamela Willis said that Coronado’s Community Development Agency (CDA) could lose its funding if the city fails to meet state housing requirements. The state mandated that the city needed to make a clear effort to provide new affordable units and develop a longterm plan for meeting state requirements. ■