Hotel del Coronado (Coronado, Calif.)

The Hotel del Coronado is a landmark in the history of Coronado, as well as the greater San Diego area since its groundbreaking, and has been a National Historic Landmark since 1977. Beginning with two visionary men, Elijah Babcock and H.L. Story, a mission to build one of the greatest hotel resorts in the world became a reality. Since its opening in 1888, the Hotel del Coronado has become one of the most world-renowned hotels. From its early cutting edge technologies, such as providing guests with telephone service as well as electricity, to the convenience of its ideal atmosphere for entertaining and conventions, to its Victorian elegance and charm, the Hotel del Coronado is truly one of a kind. The Hotel del Coronado has touched the lives of most San Diegans, as well as numerous people throughout the world, including Presidents such as Benjamin Harrison and Richard Nixon, world dignitaries, movie stars, and world figures such as Charles Lindberg. Throughout its history, the Hotel del Coronado has had numerous owners, including Elijah S. Babcock, Hampton Story, John D. Spreckels, John Alessio, and Larry Lawrence. Throughout the Hotel's history it has maintained its regal status through its constant upkeep and service. In the beginning, the Hotel del Coronado could be thought of as its own town. In a sense, it was Coronado. The Coronado Beach Company, which was created to help fund the construction of the Hotel, continued to own many of the facilities available to the public, as can be seen in the records of the Hotel del Coronado which detail its dealings with services, such as waterways and railroads.

From the description of Hotel del Coronado records, 1888-1995. (San Diego State University Library). WorldCat record id: 243958219

Biographical / Historical Notes

The Hotel del Coronado was established by Elisha S. Babcock of Indiana and Hampton L. Story of Chicago who were rabbit hunting in Coronado in 1884 and saw the potential for a grand seaside resort. Babcock and Story combined forces with Jacob Gruendike, president of the First National Bank of San Diego, to purchase the Coronado peninsula in 1885 for $110,000, and formed the Coronado Beach Company to finance Babcock and Story’s seaside resort vision. In 1888 their hotel, the Hotel del Coronado, opened to great national acclaim. Designed by James and Merritt Reid of Reid & Reid in a Queen Anne Victorian style, the Hotel del Coronado contained a dining room with a seating capacity of 1,000, 750 guest rooms, and a bowling alley, theater, and ballroom. The hotel was the first large structure in the country to utilize electricity for lighting. A hotel legend states that Thomas Edison himself directed the installation of its electrical wiring, although this remains unverified. Since the hotel’s opening, its guests have included members of royalty, eleven United States presidents, and a myriad of notable personalities and celebrities. Proposed property expansions in the late 1990s caused local controversy as owners made plans to develop and modernize amidst the protests of residents and longtime fans of the hotel. Despite this, the hotel continues to be extremely popular with tourists and locals alike. The Hotel del Coronado has been honored with numerous accolades and distinctions, including designation as a National Historic Landmark in 1977 and being named one of the Top Ten Resorts in the World by USA Today in 2008.

From the guide to the Hotel del Coronado Collection, 1888-1998, (San Diego History Center Document Collection)