MS 169 Custado Family Collection
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Repository
- San Diego History Center Document Collection
- Creator
- Custado family
- Title
- Custado Family Collection
- ID
- MS 169
- Date [inclusive]
- 1914-1983
- Extent
- 0.5 Linear feet (1 box)
- Language
- English
- Abstract
- The collection contains materials related to the Custado, Kistner and Redondo families, including their involvement in tennis and architecture.
Preferred Citation
Custado Family Collection, MS 169, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego, CA.
Biographical / Historical Notes
Sixto Custado was born in the Philippines in 1895. He joined the Navy in 1916 and served in both World Wars. Sophia Tejedor was born in Manila in 1908. Sophia married Sixto Custado in 1926 and together they moved to the United States to San Pedro, California. They had two daughters, Teodosia Rita, known as Rita, and Martha Isidra. In 1939 the family moved to San Diego, California. After the war they ran a Filipino restaurant called the Bataan Café on Island Street from about 1946 to 1954. Sophia, also known as “Mamita,” was well known in San Diego as an advocate for tennis. She died of a heart attack while watching her grandchildren play tennis at Morley Field in August 1973. In 1981 the Linda Vista Recreation Council dedicated their new addition to the Linda Vista Recreation Center and Tennis Courts in memory of Sophia Custado.
Rita Custado married Ted C. Kistner, son of noted San Diego architect Theodore C. Kistner, in 1955. They had no children. Ted Kistner was a local realtor, broker, and president of the Ocean Beach Town Council from 1973-1974. Together, Ted and Rita completed a two-year sailing voyage with 16 other people on a schooner called the Dwyn Wen. In 1960 Rita published a book about their voyage titled, “South Sea Adventure Cruise.” Rita was a teacher at Twentynine Palms School and was also known in the arts and crafts community for her creative stitchery. She died in June 1984.
T.C. Kistner, Ted C. Kistner’s father, was the official architect for the San Diego School Board and designed two Carnegie libraries, one in Chula Vista and one in East San Diego. In 1911, T.C. Kistner headed the architecture firm Kistner & Co. specializing in school architecture. In 1933, T.C. Kistner partnered with R.R. Curtis to form the firm Kistner & Curtis. In 1941 Henry L. Wright became a partner of the firm and it became known as Kistner Curtis & Wright. In 1952, William L. Wright became a partner and Kistner, Curtis & Wright dissolved to form Kistner, Wright & Wright. T.C. Kistner married Alice Hatton in 1916 and had 4 children: Fredericka Louise, Theodore Charles, Constance Agnes and Katherine Jean.
Martha, the youngest Custado daughter, married Taquio Redondo in 1948. They had nine children. Sophia Custado had a passion for tennis and all of her grandchildren were given lessons. Sixto Redondo, known as Skip, became a tennis coach. Marita Redondo was a well-known professional tennis player. Walter and Tamara, known as Tammy, also excelled in the sport.
Scope and Content
The collection contains materials regarding the Custado, Kistner and Redondo families, as well as their active involvement in tennis and architecture. Personal family documents cover the Custados, Kistners and Redondos, including family biographies, Sixto Custado’s naval records, publications and a book on Ted and Rita Custado Kistner’s travels, as well as Ted’s local civic involvement. The collection includes materials related to the tennis activities of the Custado and Redondo families including articles, correspondence, and photographs of their involvement and success in local and professional tennis from the 1960s to the 1980s. Professional portfolios of architect T.C. Kistner’s projects are in the collection, including his work with the architectural firms Kistner, Curtis & Wright, and Kistner, Wright & Wright. There are also copies of photographs and illustrations of school architecture and other buildings designed by T.C. Kistner in the collection, as well as a 1914 booklet entitled “School Architecture in California.”
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into three series:
Series I: Family Papers
Series II: Tennis
Series III: Architecture
Items within each series are arranged by subject.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
San Diego History Center Document Collection December 19, 2011
1649 El Prado, Suite 3
San Diego, CA, 92101
619-232-6203
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research. There are very few original documents in this collection.
Conditions Governing Use
The San Diego History Center (SDHC) holds the copyright to any unpublished materials. SDHC Library regulations do apply.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Accession numbers 830415A, 830513A, and 831004A.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Alison Hennessey on December 19, 2011.
Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.
Related Materials
Separated Materials
Original photographs separated to SDHC Photograph Collection.
Book, “Practical Lessons in Architectural Drawing,” by William B. Tuthill previously separated to SDHC Objects Collection.
Controlled Access Headings
Corporate Name(s)
- Kistner, Curtis & Wright.
- Kistner, Wright & Wright.
Family Name(s)
- Custado family
- Kistner family
- Redondo family
Geographic Name(s)
- San Diego (Calif.)
Personal Name(s)
- Custado, Sixto
- Custado, Sophia
- Kistner, Alice Hatton
- Kistner, Rita Custado
- Kistner, T. C.
- Kistner, Ted C.
- Redondo, Marita
- Redondo, Skip
- Redondo, Tammy
- Redondo, Walter
Subject(s)
- Architecture
- School buildings
- Tennis
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
There are very few original documents in this collection. Newspaper clippings have been copied and originals discarded. Front cover detached from binding of “School Architecture in California” booklet. (December 15, 2011)
Collection Inventory
Series I: Family Papers |
||||
| Box-folder | ||||
| Biographies and family histories, undated
Includes: Custado Family Tree beginning with the marriage of Sophia Tejedor and Sixto Custado and a Brief History of the Custado family. Biographies on Rita Custado Kistner, Ted Kistner, Sixto Redondo, Georginna Redondo, Walter Redondo, and Tammy Redondo. “Our Seven Family Pianos,” autobiography by Alice Hatton Kistner. |
1:1 | |||
| Sixto Custado naval records (copies), 1926 May 18–1945 November 1 and undated
Includes: Honorable discharge certificates and other records from the United States Navy. |
1:2 | |||
| Ted and Rita Custado Kistner travels, 1953–1974 December and undated
Includes: “South Sea Adventure Cruise,” book by Rita Custado Kistner about her travels with her husband aboard the schooner Dwyn Wen. |
1:3 | |||
| Ted Kistner papers, 1973 February 4–1974 March 8 and undated
Includes: Articles and materials related to Ted Kistner’s presidency on the Ocean Beach Town Council. Ted Kistner, CHB business card. |
1:4 | |||
| Photographs (copies), 1948–1954 January and undated
Includes: Sixto, Sophia and Martha Custado and others inside the Bataan Café. Martha Custado and Taquio Redondo on Prom night. Rita Custado Kistner while teaching at Twenty Nine Palms School. |
1:5 | |||
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Series II: Tennis |
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| Box-folder | ||||
| Sophia (Mamita) Custado, 1973 August 14–1981 January 8 and undated
Includes: Articles and correspondence regarding Sophia Custado’s contribution to tennis in San Diego. |
1:6 | |||
| Sixto (Skip) Redondo, 1978 October 13–1983 April 6 and undated
Includes: Photographs (copies), brochure (copies) for the Skip Redondo Tennis Camp and articles by and about Skip Redondo. |
1:7 | |||
| Marita Redondo, 1963 July 4–1980 February 8 and undated
Includes: Photograph (copies) and articles regarding Marita Redondo’s professional tennis activities. Correspondence from family friend in Philippines. |
1:8 | |||
| Walter Redondo, 1975 February–1983 September 6 and undated
Includes: Photograph (copy), various tennis publication and local newspaper articles and an advertisement in Japanese featuring Walter Redondo. Essay by Walter Redondo discussing his Grandmother’s (Mamita Custado) influence on his tennis career. |
1:9 | |||
| Tamara (Tammy) Redondo, 1977 September–1983 May 11 and undated
Includes: Articles about Tammy Redondo’s tennis activities. |
1:10 | |||
| Article by Rita Custado Kistner, undated
Includes: Article about the Brocks family and their prominence as members of the Balboa Tennis Club. |
1:11 | |||
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Series III: Architecture |
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| Box-folder | ||||
| Kistner, Curtis & Wright: portfolio, 1921-1949 January 1 and undated
Includes: Copy of a portfolio detailing administration and business operations for the architectural and engineering firm Kistner, Curtis & Wright |
1:12 | |||
| Kistner, Wright & Wright: portfolio 1, 1926-1956
Includes: Copy of a portfolio detailing administrative and business operations for the architectural and engineering firm Kistner, Wright & Wright . |
1:13 | |||
| Kistner, Wright & Wright: portfolio 2, 1921-1957 and undated
Includes: Portfolio detailing administrative and business operations for the architectural and engineering firm Kistner, Wright & Wright. |
1:14 | |||
| Kistner, Wright & Wright: portfolio 3, 1921-1962 and undated
Includes: Portfolio detailing administrative and business operations for the architectural and engineering firm Kistner, Wright & Wright. |
1:15 | |||
| Kistner, Wright & Wright: portfolio 4, undated
Includes: Portfolio detailing administrative and business operations for the architectural and engineering firm Kistner, Wright & Wright. |
1:16 | |||
| T.C. Kistner projects: photographs and illustrations, undated
Includes: Copies of photographs and illustrations of schools and other buildings designed by T.C. Kisnter. |
1:17 | |||
| Publications, 1914-1971 October 28 and undated
Includes: “School Architecture in California” booklet issued by the Superintendent of Public Instruction in 1914, discusses the school architectural contributions of T.C. Kistner. Articles in various publications regarding T.C. Kistner’s professional activities. |
1:18 | |||
| Miscellanea, undated
Includes: Copy of a sun chart for San Diego, CA. Blueprint of 4428 Narragansett St, San Diego, CA, “For Sale.” |
1:19 | |||
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