Rancho San Diego Island
Encyclopedia
Rancho San Diego Island was a 4185 acres (16.9 km²) Mexican land grant
in present day San Diego County, California given in 1846 by Governor Pío Pico
to Pedro C. Carrillo. The grant consisted of the strip of land lying between the San Diego Bay
and the Pacific Ocean
, which was initially referred to as the Island or Peninsula of San Diego, and which included present day Coronado
and North Island.
, studied law in Boston
, where he had been taken by Captain William G. Dana, the husband of Pedro's sister, María Josefa Petra del Carmen. In 1846 Carrillo married Josefa Bandini, daughter of Juan Bandini
. Pedro Carillo and Josefa were given Rancho Peninsula de San Diego by Pio Pico, as a wedding present. Five months later, Carrillo sold the property to Capt. Bezer Simmons, the American captain of the trading ship "Magnolia".
Capt. Bezer Simmons (1810–1850) of New Bedford, Massachusetts
married Laura Billings (1820–1849) in 1845. Laura Billings was an older sister of Frederick H. Billings
, and he accompanied Capt. Simmons and his wife, to San Francisco in 1849. Laura Billings contracted a fever on the Isthmus of Panama
, and died soon after they reached San Francisco. In 1846, Bezer Simmons also bought Rancho Novato
from Jacob P. Leese
.
With the cession
of California to the United States following the Mexican-American War, the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
provided that the land grants would be honored. As required by the Land Act of 1851, a claim for Rancho San Diego Island was filed with the Public Land Commission
in 1852. Frederick H. Billings, James R. Bolton and Henry Wager Halleck
of the law firm Halleck, Peachy & Billings
represented Simmons. In 1851, Bezer Simmons sold to William Henry Aspinwall
, and the grant was patented
to Archibald C. Peachy and William H. Aspinwall in 1869.
In 1885, the entire property including North Island, was purchased by Elisha S. Babcock, Jr., Hampton L. Story, and Jacob Gruendike. Babcock then invited his brother-in-law, Heber Ingle, and Josephus Collett, a railroad stockholder, to become investors, and formed the Coronado Beach Company on April 7, 1886, and started construction on the Hotel del Coronado
.
The first development on North Island took place in 1893 when the US government secured about 18 acres (72,843.5 m²) through condemnation
proceedings. In 1917, the government took possession of the North Island through a bill of condemnation. On October 25, 1935, the entire area was reserved for the Naval Air Station
.
Ranchos of California
The Spanish, and later the Méxican government encouraged settlement of territory now known as California by the establishment of large land grants called ranchos, from which the English ranch is derived. Devoted to raising cattle and sheep, the owners of the ranchos attempted to pattern themselves...
in present day San Diego County, California given in 1846 by Governor Pío Pico
Pío Pico
Pío de Jesús Pico was the last Governor of Alta California under Mexican rule.-Origins:...
to Pedro C. Carrillo. The grant consisted of the strip of land lying between the San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay is a natural harbor and deepwater port adjacent to San Diego, California. It is 12 mi/19 km long, 1 mi/1.6 km–3 mi/4.8 km wide...
and the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, which was initially referred to as the Island or Peninsula of San Diego, and which included present day Coronado
Coronado, California
Coronado, also known as Coronado Island, is an affluent resort city located in San Diego County, California, 5.2 miles from downtown San Diego. Its population was 24,697 at the 2010 census, up from 24,100 at the 2000 census. U.S. News and World Report lists Coronado as one of the most expensive...
and North Island.
History
Pedro C. Carillo, son of Carlos Antonio CarrilloCarlos Antonio Carrillo
Carlos Antonio Carrillo , Governor of Alta California from 1837 to 1838. He took his oath as governon in Pueblo de Los Angeles, present day Los Angeles, on December 6, 1836. aCarlos Antonio Carrillo was the son of a prominent California family...
, studied law in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, where he had been taken by Captain William G. Dana, the husband of Pedro's sister, María Josefa Petra del Carmen. In 1846 Carrillo married Josefa Bandini, daughter of Juan Bandini
Juan Bandini
Juan Bandini was an early settler of what would become San Diego, California.-Early history:Juan Bandini was born 1800 in Lima, Peru to José Bandini, a Spanish sea captain. His father came to California in 1819 and 1821 and participated in the Mexican War of Independence...
. Pedro Carillo and Josefa were given Rancho Peninsula de San Diego by Pio Pico, as a wedding present. Five months later, Carrillo sold the property to Capt. Bezer Simmons, the American captain of the trading ship "Magnolia".
Capt. Bezer Simmons (1810–1850) of New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
married Laura Billings (1820–1849) in 1845. Laura Billings was an older sister of Frederick H. Billings
Frederick H. Billings
Frederick Billings was an American lawyer and financier. From 1879 to 1881 he was President of the Northern Pacific Railway....
, and he accompanied Capt. Simmons and his wife, to San Francisco in 1849. Laura Billings contracted a fever on the Isthmus of Panama
Isthmus of Panama
The Isthmus of Panama, also historically known as the Isthmus of Darien, is the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, linking North and South America. It contains the country of Panama and the Panama Canal...
, and died soon after they reached San Francisco. In 1846, Bezer Simmons also bought Rancho Novato
Rancho Novato
Rancho Novato was a Mexican land grant in present day Marin County, California given in 1839 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Fernando Feliz...
from Jacob P. Leese
Jacob P. Leese
Jacob Primer Leese was a San Francisco pioneer, who built the first permanent house in San Francisco...
.
With the cession
Mexican Cession
The Mexican Cession of 1848 is a historical name in the United States for the region of the present day southwestern United States that Mexico ceded to the U.S...
of California to the United States following the Mexican-American War, the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is the peace treaty, largely dictated by the United States to the interim government of a militarily occupied Mexico City, that ended the Mexican-American War on February 2, 1848...
provided that the land grants would be honored. As required by the Land Act of 1851, a claim for Rancho San Diego Island was filed with the Public Land Commission
Public Land Commission
The Public Land Commission, a former agency of the United States government, was created following the admission of California as a state in 1850 . The Commission's purpose was to determine the validity of prior Spanish and Mexican land grants in California.California Senator William M...
in 1852. Frederick H. Billings, James R. Bolton and Henry Wager Halleck
Henry Wager Halleck
Henry Wager Halleck was a United States Army officer, scholar, and lawyer. A noted expert in military studies, he was known by a nickname that became derogatory, "Old Brains." He was an important participant in the admission of California as a state and became a successful lawyer and land developer...
of the law firm Halleck, Peachy & Billings
Halleck, Peachy & Billings
Halleck, Peachy & Billings was one of the leading early law firms in San Francisco, California and specialized in land cases. The firm was organized by Frederick H. Billings and Archibald Carey Peachy in 1849, who were joined soon after by Henry Wager Halleck. Halleck, Peachy & Billings was...
represented Simmons. In 1851, Bezer Simmons sold to William Henry Aspinwall
William Henry Aspinwall
William Henry Aspinwall was an American businessman.In 1832, he became president of the Howland & Aspinwall merchant firm, which had been founded by his cousin and expanded trade to South America, China, Europe, the Mediterranean, and the East and West Indies. Howland & Aspinwall owned some of the...
, and the grant was patented
Land patent
A land patent is a land grant made patent by the sovereign lord over the land in question. To make a such a grant “patent”, such a sovereign lord must document the land grant, securely sign and seal the document and openly publish the same to the public for all to see...
to Archibald C. Peachy and William H. Aspinwall in 1869.
In 1885, the entire property including North Island, was purchased by Elisha S. Babcock, Jr., Hampton L. Story, and Jacob Gruendike. Babcock then invited his brother-in-law, Heber Ingle, and Josephus Collett, a railroad stockholder, to become investors, and formed the Coronado Beach Company on April 7, 1886, and started construction on the Hotel del Coronado
Hotel del Coronado
Hotel del Coronado is a beachfront luxury hotel in the city of Coronado, just across the San Diego Bay from San Diego, California. It is one of the few surviving examples of an American architectural genre: the wooden Victorian beach resort...
.
The first development on North Island took place in 1893 when the US government secured about 18 acres (72,843.5 m²) through condemnation
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
proceedings. In 1917, the government took possession of the North Island through a bill of condemnation. On October 25, 1935, the entire area was reserved for the Naval Air Station
Naval Air Station North Island
Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island is located at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay and is the home port of several aircraft carriers of the United States Navy...
.