l.Frank Baums former residence in coronado
"...those who do not find Coronado a paradise have doubtless brought with them the same conditions that would render heaven unpleasant to them did they chance to gain admittance..."
-L. Frank Baum. Quote extracted from the San Diego Union and Daily Bee, February 7, 1904.
In 1904, author of The Wonderful Wizard of OzL. Frank Baum arrived at the grand Hotel Del Coronado to vacation and write through a mild Southern California winter. Six years later, he still "wintered" at the resort (sheesh, who wouldn't!) and had completed Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz (1908), The Road to Oz (1909) and The Emerald City (1910). Baum stated he accomplished his best work in the "sunny clime...of Coronado." He also rented a home in nearby Star Park Circle where he read his stories to local children in the surrounding green grass.
But Baum's story does not end here. According to the Hotel Delas well as To Please a Child: A Biography of L. Frank Baum, Royal Historian of Oz, Baum is also credited with designing the stately chandeliers in the Del's Crown Room. Given Baum's purported interests in window-dressing, photography and furniture design, it is conceivable he provided input on the crown chandeliers. In addition, the time frame between Baum's tenure at the hotel and the lighting design appears to be consistent. While the extent of his artistic contribution remains somewhat ambiguousfor strict historians (which I am not) the exquisite lights bejeweling the iconic sugar pine hall remain clear.
Do you recall the profound use of color and the contrast between light and darkness in the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its subsequent cinematic classic? I find it fitting that the author of the dark Oz series preferred to write in the sun and seems to have influenced the design of the Del's lighting. Even more ironic is this blooper from The Wizard of Oz movie: when the Scarecrow chops down the chandelier in the witch's castle, the candles go out. Moments later, they are re-lit. Perhaps an inadvertent tribute to Baum's propensity for finding light within his dark stories?
Enjoy the luminous legacy Baum has gifted to Coronado. Stay at the Hotel Del and peer into the radiant Crown Room. Head to the public library to view an impressive artistic tribute to Dorothy and pals. Made of glass, the ambient light casts a translucent glow on the painted characters.
Finally, journey to Baum's former home (1101 Star Park Circle), being careful to respect the current residents' privacy. Sit on a picnic blanket in the park, let the sun shine down upon you and read one of Baum's dark stories. By doing so, you'll pencil in the heavenly paradise Baum referenced in his interview with the San Diego Union over a hundred years ago.
Mr. Baum left a sparkling legacyhere. As a writer sharing his paradise, I'm humbled and inspired by his talents. I agree with Baum. Basking in the light of an endless Coronado summer, I'm certain "there's no place like home."
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