Aerial view of the Coronado Ferry going from San Diego to Coronado in 1968. The peninsula was purchased by Elisha S. Babcock, Jr., Hampton L. Story, and Jacob Gruendike in 1885 and construction began on the now famous resort community. In order to accommodate the growing number of people going to the peninsula from San Diego, Babcock and Story created the San Diego and Coronado Ferry Company in April 1886 and the ferry completed its first run in August.