Crown City History

I N C O L L A B O RAT I O N WI T H H OT E L D E L C O RO N A D O & C O RO N A D O H I STO R I CA L A S S O C I AT I O N

William L. Kneedler: U.S. Army Major and Cherished Physician

B y MARY GRACE BRAUN W illiam L. Kneedler, a native of Pennsylvania, had an illustrious career in the military and as a Coronado doctor. Born in Philadelphia on Jan. 9, 1856, he attended the University of Pennsylvania and earned his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in 1879. He served as a surgeon in the U.S. Army for more than two decades, beginning in 1883 as assistant surgeon and climbing the ranks to major brigade surgeon.

During the Spanish-American War in 1898, Kneedler was the executive officer of the hospital ship Missouri. For several years, he filled the role as President William H. Taft’s personal physician,

June 6, 1914

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The city’s first twins were born to R.M. Whitney, editor at the San Diego Union. Twin girls arrived on a Saturday morning at 1110 Isabella Ave. Dr. Kneedler, the officiating doctor, said they were the first twins out of 840 babies he had delivered.

accompanying him on travels to Japan, China and the Philippines. He also served as post surgeon at West Point and Fort Rosecrans.

In 1902, Kneedler came to Coronado. Following his military retirement in 1906, he began his civilian medical practice at his home. Kneedler played a vital role in the Coronado community, serving as one of only two doctors for a population of about 3,000 people. In The Coronado Story, J. Harold Peterson writes, “We [the Peterson family] lived at 810 Adella, and Dr. Kneedler was our family physician. I can recall calling him at midnight to attend our daughter when she had the croup!”

Kneedler commissioned San Diego architect William Sterling Hebbard to build his home at 1007 Ocean Blvd. in 1902. When a massive ocean storm nearly washed away the street in 1905, Kneedler decided to move his home inland. The house was rolled via logs and horsepower to its current location at 1000 Adella Ave. It was named a historical landmark by the Coronado Historical Association in 1978 and a designated historic resource by the city of Coronado in 2012.

Fittingly, the current homeowners, Jill and Bernard Esrock, were awarded the 2015 GEM Award by the Coronado Historical Association for their efforts to restore this home to its original charm. Coming full circle, the Esrocks discovered a large medical chest tucked away in the attic containing Kneedler’s precious medical books from the turn of the 20th century.

An election was held deciding whether Coronado should be a separate governing community from San Diego. With a majority of voters in Coronado and San Diego voting yes, Coronado was officially incorporated and governed by a board of trustees until 1926 when government transitioned to a city council and appointed mayor. June 3, 1890

President Bill Clinton arrived on Air Force One at North Island and rode a motorcade to the Hotel del Coronado to spend the night. During his stay, he took a morning jog on the beach with Navy SEALS, visited with well-wishers and fit in a quick round of golf at the North Island Sea’N Air Golf Course. June 14, 1996

The Coronado Beach Company grew a lot of agriculture on North Island before aviation moved in. It was reported on this date that potatoes were plentiful and a surplus was sent to market in San Francisco. June 15, 1890

June 20, 1986 Groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the Old Ferry Landing, a $6.5 million commercial-retail project on the bayside waterfront, which had been mostly vacant lots.

June 22, 1915

Ordinance No. 357 was passed prohibiting any person older than 12 from wearing a bathing suit on public streets. Punishment for the misdemeanor was a maximum fine of $25 or 10 days in jail, or both.

First Mid-Air Refueling

Two army planes refueled in midair for the first time while over Rockwell Field. The de Havilland DH-4B tanker dangled a hose for the DH-4B receiver to grab. In the tanker, 1st Lt. Frank W. Seifert held the hose in the rear cockpit while the pilot, 1st Lt. Virgile Hine, was in the front. Capt. Lowell H. Smith flew the receiver and 1st Lt. John P. Richter handled the hose. June 26, 1923

June 26, 1888

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

June 27, 2002

The last Coronado-San Diego Bay Bridge toll was collected from David Lisl of El Cajon. This ended 33 years of tolls, collected since the bridge opened on Aug. 3, 1969.

Hotel Del’s First Wedding — June 9, 1887 H otel del Coronado’s first wedding was officiated before the hotel officially opened in February 1888. May Barnes married Harold Scott on The Del’s beachside pavilion. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Scott were both children of building supervisors at the hotel. The bride wore a white Victorian wedding dress and was serenaded by “the lively music of two violins” during the ceremony. According to the Coronado Mercury newspaper, the couple said their vows beneath a “beautiful arch of evergreens in the company of “nearly every man, woman and child on Coronado Beach.”