CROWN CITY HISTORY: Celebrating the Fourth of July over the years

Crown City History

IN COLLABORATION WITH CORONADO HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

The 4th Of July In Coronado

By CAROL PASTOR, CORONADO HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEER

uly in Coronado means vacation time has returned. Visitors are enjoying our beaches, and our hordes of children are free from school. It also marks the return of the most anticipated holiday over the past 100 years—the Fourth of July in Coronado.

The year the Hotel del Coronado opened, 1888, was also the year of the first Fourth of July celebration. It took place even before the incorporation of the city itself in 1890. The residents celebrated with decorations, a parade, and fireworks. It was said that every merchant along Orange

The Coronado Marching Band performing down Orange Avenue during a parade in the mid-1970s (between ’73 and ’76). (Courtesy of Lisa Krause.)

Avenue entered a float in the parade. People came from as far away as Los Angeles to see the festivities. Some said it was possible that about 11,000 people were there, even in that day and age. That first event was not too dissimilar to our current celebrations, except for a key difference: our parade and Independence Day events today draw nearly 200,000 people.

From that simple first parade, we evolved into the two-hour current event with floats, marching bands, military displays and the many school groups representing Coronado. As far back as the mid-1970s, the Navy Leap Frogs joined in with demonstrations performed in the skies over waters near the Naval

A convertible passes in front of Glynn’s Liquor Store during a 1950s parade. (Courtesy of Lisa Krause.)

Amphibious Base Coronado. Their performance was enjoyed by many pectators on the Coronado Golf Course. Independence Day has become the one day of the year when the golf course is closed because spectators take over the site; the course also becomes the picnic area for many. Plus, there are others who come early to

The Newcomers Club's Cake Float is pictured during the parade in 1963. Lisa Krause's mother, Clare Krause, was Club President. Lisa and her brother helped build the float for the club. (Courtesy of Lisa Krause.)

stake out their spot for the evening fireworks, which are launched from this same area over Glorietta Bay.

Over the years, we have had many celebrities who joined the festivities including Ronald Reagan in 1970 before he was president. In recent years, the day began with an early morning walk/run, followed by the parade, then the afternoon performance of the Leap Frogs and topped off with fireworks—amounting to an exhausting but fun-filled day. Unfortunately, in the early 2000s, the Leap Frogs had to bow out because so many were deployed. The pandemic canceled the parade for 2020, which was the first time since WWII that the parade didn’t occur. Although 2020 was extraordinary due to the lack of a parade, there were community celebrations that reminded us of the past. Houses were decorated, families enjoyed intimate barbecues and kids played in their yards. Enjoy your Fourth of July and stay safe.

A photograph of a man in Native American regalia riding a horse during the Fourth of July parade. The man is likely Joe Galvin, a member of the Paiute tribe of Nevada who lived in San Diego and participated in local parades and rodeos. He started participating in Coronado's 4th of July parade in 1949 and was a crowd favorite throughout the 1950s. There is a crowd alongside the street enjoying the parade. The reverse side of the photo reads, "4th July Parade '56."

A historical photo of a woman and her children in a small car decorated with American flags. It appears to be a part of the Fourth of July parade. The image reminds us of modern-day Coronado parents driving through town in a decorated golf cart with their kids in tow.

A photograph of a crowd watching a performance on a makeshift stage on the beach outside of Tent City in Coronado. The photo is an individual photograph that was made into a postcard. The reverse side of the postcard includes a personal, hand-written message from the sender. The front of the postcard reads, "This was taken 4th of July 1912 Tent City Coronado, Cal."