Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI) was established in 1917, the same year the U.S. joined World War I. Today, it ranks as the second-largest naval base in the U.S., after Norfolk, VA. The first U.S. aircraft carrier, USS Langley, was commissioned in 1920, beginning the long history of carrier-based aviation that distinguishes North Island. Today, NASNI is known for flying helicopters. The base expanded considerably during WWII, when the navy filled in the Spanish Bight separating it from South Island. Until 1969, when the San Diego-Coronado Bridge opened, access to North Island from the mainland was predominantly by boat across the bay. Today the intersections of Third and Fourth at Orange are the pathways between the bridge and the naval base.

● Southwest faces: A Curtiss HS-2 single-engine flying boat provides seating for a number of navy personnel. Not dated. Coronado Historical Association Collection. Rights Reserved.
● Northeast faces: A Navy helicopter from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Three is seen above the Coronado Bridge. 1976. Coronado Historical Association Collection. Rights Reserved.

Art Outside the Box: Take 2 is the second iteration of artful wraps on the Caltrans signal boxes along Orange Avenue in Coronado. This project, a collaboration sponsored by the Coronado Cultural Arts Commission uses historic photographs featuring scenes from the surrounding area which are enhanced graphically with pops of color. The photo selection was completed by Coronado High School interns at the Coronado Historical Association (CHA) using historical images that reside in their collection, and graphics were done by Coronado School of the Arts (CoSA) interns.