Crown City History I N C O L L A B O R AT I O N W I T H H O T E L D E L C O R O N A D O & C O R O N A D O H I S T O R I C A L A S S O C I AT I O N
Pioneering Local Homebuilder CORONADO HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
By KIMBERLIE GUERRIERI, C O R O N A D O H I S T O R I C A L A S S O C I AT I O N VO LU N T E E R
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n 1919, recently divorced Ione Gilfillan Brown arrived in Coronado with her 4-year-old son and mother, Cora H. Gilfillan. Like many visitors, they came for a vacation and never left. Not only did Ione find a new home, she also found success in designing and building homes around town – 13 in just about as many years. Born in Kansas in 1889, Ione was the oldest child of Cora and William Gilfillan. The family moved to Carthage, Missouri, where her father was a prominent businessman. When Ione was 8 years old, her father was shot and killed by a neighbor who felt he was paying too much attention to his wife. A sensational trial followed. In 1899, Cora moved with her children to Los Angeles. Ione graduated from Notre Dame Academy in 1906 and studied architecture at the University of Southern California. In 1912, she married Andrew Jennings Brown and they had one son, Andrew Jennings Brown Jr. That same year, her brothers started Gilfillan Brothers, a smelting business. Ione and her mother were founding members. The brothers quickly expanded into manufacturing and were early radio pioneers. Within 10 years, the company was global, and a family fortune was made. It was an exciting time in Coronado when Ione and Cora arrived. The war was over, it was the start of the Roaring ’20s, and the island was a destination for celebrities and the elite, including Edward the Prince of Wales. The island's population was just over 3,300
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CROWN CITY MAGAZINE
| FEBRUARY 2020
Ione Gilfillan Brown became a real estate developer in the early 1920s.
and growing. Anticipating a demand for homes, Ione and her mother became real estate developers. They first purchased four vacant lots at 1015 to 1023 Encino Row in 1921. Ione designed and served as her own contractor for the building of four rental cottages. In 1924, she bought a lot at 947 Alameda Blvd. and
