LOOKING BACK

THIS MONTH IN CORONADO HISTORY

Fashionable bathing suit styles at the turn of the century.

LESLIE CRAWFORD COLLECTION

June 1, 1918

The Army-Navy causeway was completed across the Spanish Bight between Coronado and North Island. The causeway was 3,050 feet long, stretching from the west end of 4th Street to one block south of the Army-Navy dividing line on North Island. The causeway was designed for cars, wagons and utility trucks and included a spur for the San Diego and Arizona Railway.

June 3, 1890

An election was held to decide whether Coronado should separate from San Diego. A majority of voters in both Coronado and San Diego favored the proposal. On Dec. 9, 1890, Coronado was officially incorporated with a governing board of trustees.

June 4, 1887

Coronado held its first election for the trustees of the three-man school board. The board was elected unanimously with a grand total of five voters.

June 11, 1869

The claim to Coronado, North Island and the Silver Strand, known as the Peninsula of San Diego, was approved for Archibald Peachy and William Aspinwall.

June 14, 1890

Nearly 100 fine, new bathing suits were received at the Hotel del Coronado bathhouse. It was noted that “many of those for the ladies have long sleeves and are otherwise an improvement on the regulation suits.”

June 14, 1996

President Bill Clinton arrived at North Island on Air Force One and rode a motorcade to the Hotel del Coronado to spend the night. During his visit, he took a morning jog on the beach with the Navy SEALS and fit in a quick round of golf at North Island’s Sea’N Air Golf Course before flying out of town.

June 20, 1986

Groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the Ferry Landing, a $6.5 million commercial-retail project on 4 acres with a planned 30,000 square feet of commercial space.

June 22, 1915

An ordinance was passed by the Coronado Board of Trustees prohibiting any person above the age of 12 from wearing a bathing suit on a public street in the city. Anyone violating the ordinance faced up to 10 days in jail or a $25 fine, or both.

June 26, 1888

It was reported in the San Diego Union that a chicken ranch had been started by the Hotel del Coronado near the dormitory of the hotel. Five hundred fowl were housed with the expectation that there will be “enough eggs to keep all the hotel guests good-natured.”

June 26, 1923

Two Army planes refueled in midair for the first time. The operation over Rockwell Field on North Island was executed by Lts. F.W. Seifert, Virgil Hine, L.H. Smith and J.P. Richter.

June 27, 1917

Congress passed an act of condemnation giving the president the authority to take control of North Island. John Spreckels sued the U.S. government, eventually winning a settlement of $5 million plus interest.

June 27, 2002

The last $1 toll on the bridge was paid by David Lisl of El Cajon. This ended 33 years of toll collection on the San Diego-Coronado Bridge since its opening on Aug. 3, 1969. ■

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS The Army completes the first successful midair refueling over Rockwell Field.