Articles by Richard Crawford

Frank Buck, from his autobiography, All in a Lifetime.

The adventures of Frank Buck captivated millions of people throughout the world in the 1930s and 40s. Celebrated to this day for his exploits as a wild animal hunter and trader, Buck is less well known for his brief, tumultuous tenure as director of the San Diego Zoo.

Read the complete story here of Frank Buck in San Diego.

Eyeing the murky, dirt-bottom lily pond in front of the wood lath Botanical Building, the Navy suggested using the 195 x 43 foot basin for swimming and boating lessons.  Balboa Park’s governing Board of Park Commissioners–eager to please their military guests–hastened to comply. . .

The story of the Navy Swimming Pool in Balboa Park.

The lily pond in Balboa Park

Construction of the bridge began in December 1912 under the supervision of Frank P. Allen, Jr., the exposition’s Director of Works, using the designs of Thomas B. Hunter, a San Francisco engineer. Built for a cost of $225,154, the bridge was an innovative multiple-arched, cantilever structure and the first such bridge in California.

Read the history of this remarkable landmark, the Cabrillo Bridge.

Scott O’Dell’s novel of a young Indian girl abandoned on harsh San Nicholas Island in the early 1800s is a dramatic story of courage and self-reliance. Published in 1960, Island of the Blue Dolphins would become one of the top twenty selling, young adult books of all time, with over six million copies sold and translations in 28 languages.

The story of Scott O’Dell.

Fishing barge New Point Loma

Sea fishing off the Southern California coast became quite popular in the early 1900s. Anglers lined the piers of coastal towns but envied the fishermen on boats who enjoyed better catches off shore. In the 1920s, fishing barges began to appear. Anchored in deeper waters, the barges provided great fishing but at a more modest cost than the sport boats.

San Diego’s most successful fishing barge was the New Point Loma, a converted fishing schooner. Read more about the Fishing Barges of San Diego.

Police Chief Arthur Hill.

The Police Department got the liquor, fixers got the money, and the Legionnaires laughed.  –Abraham Sauer, editor, the San Diego Herald.

I just hung on. . . I saw the other fellows fall and it didn’t make me feel any too good, but there was nothing I could do about it except to hang on tighter. I wouldn’t do it again for love or money. —Seaman Bud Cowart

An airship disaster in May 1932, shocked San Diego. Read about the Akron Tragedy

USS Akron at San Diego, May 1932

Deportation, followed by a Mexican firing squad, may be the fate of some or all of the body of potential revolutionists arrested here by United States government agents yesterday . . .  –San Diego Tribune, August 16, 1926

In the summer of 1926, a small army of revolutionaries assembled in Dulzura, California–ready to launch a rebellion in Mexico.

Captured Mexican revolutionaries assembled at Fort Rosecrans.

Read about the Estrada-Insurrectos.

I take pleasure in advising the people of San Diego, that the Santa Fe Company has today awarded a contract for the new passenger station in your city. . . The work will be commenced at once.  –A. G. Wells, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, May 23, 1914.

The story of San Diego’s remarkable railroad station, The Santa Fe Depot.

Santa Fe depot, circa 1920.

The last and largest whale captured this season made an interesting chase. Her blowing was observed by the crews of the four boats almost simultaneously.  The moment she was seen the orders came quick and sharp from the boatswain in command, and at once the men bent to their oars with a will, making their boat bound over the water with such speed as would astonish a green hand. 

–San Diego Union, January 11, 1872

Read the story of The Whales of San Diego Bay.