Hampton L. Story

Hampton L. Story was born in Cambridge, Vermont in 1835 and became one of the foremost musical instrument manufacturers in nineteenth-century America. As co-founder of the renowned Story & Clark Piano Company in Chicago, Story built a national commercial empire celebrated for superior acoustic craftsmanship and upright piano design.

Seeking rest and health in Southern California, Story arrived in San Diego in the mid-1880s, where he formed a close friendship with railroad executive Elisha Babcock. During their legendary spring 1885 quail hunting trip across the bay, Story immediately recognized the immense real estate and commercial potential of the Coronado peninsula. He provided essential financial capital, executive credibility, and Midwest investor connections to purchase the 4,185-acre landmass for Hampton L. Story was a prominent Chicago piano manufacturer (Story & Clark Piano Company) who partnered with Elisha Babcock to purchase the Coronado peninsula in 1885. Story provided critical capital and business acumen during the hotel’s initial design and construction phases. He built a magnificent Victorian mansion at 1118 Adella Avenue.10,000.

As co-founder of the Coronado Beach Company, Story played an active role in planning the townsite, financing early construction contracts, and overseeing the launch of the steam ferry Silver Gate. Along Adella Avenue, Story constructed a magnificent Queen Anne Victorian residential estate, known today as the landmark Hampton Story House, which showcased intricate fretwork, sweeping porches, and lush gardens.

Although Story eventually sold his commercial interests in Hotel Del during the 1890s, he remained a devoted patron of Coronado culture, the arts, and botanical preservation until his passing in 1925 at the age of ninety. His partnership with Babcock remains the founding spark of modern Crown City history.