The Abalone Capital of the World
For a couple decades in the mid-twentieth century, Morro Bay was widely known as "The Abalone Capital of the World." The city's name was splashed across restaurant menus up and down the West Coast. . . . — — Map (db m299739) HM
Look across the bay. Can you see the tiny remnants of a wooden trestle bridge that once connected the place where you are standing to the sandspit?
The Navy built the bridge in 1942 as part of its efforts to create a functional Navy base in . . . — — Map (db m299893) HM
For a few years after World War II there were undeveloped parcels along the Embarcadero. The parcels west of the roadway were leased by the county until 1964 when Morro Bay incorporated and took over the management of the Tidelands.
In the . . . — — Map (db m299120) HM
On Embarcadero, on the right when traveling south.
The California Fishery
There are over 50 species included in this fishery. It is a well managed fishery and as a result it is healthy and not overfished.
Deepwater Groundfish are caught between 200 and 600 fathoms (1 fathom = 6 . . . — — Map (db m299740) HM
Morro Bay Abalone Divers
Morro Bay abalone divers led in the development of commercial diving gear that took them far beyond abalone to deep water oil fields. Their inventions were creative solutions to problems they faced - they learned by . . . — — Map (db m299932) HM
On Coleman Drive, on the right when traveling east.
Sea otters are as clever as they are cute, using nimble paws and retractable claws to catch snails, pick up slugs, and dig in the mud for worms. Powered by big webbed feet and steering with their muscular tails, otters move rocks and use shells . . . — — Map (db m299935) HM
On Embarcadero south of Coleman Drive, on the left when traveling north.
During the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade Era from 1565 to 1815 Spanish galleons crossed the Pacific between the Philippines and Mexico.
On October 18, 1587, the Manila Galleon Nuestra Senora de Esperanza commanded by Pedro de Unamuno . . . — — Map (db m268111) HM
On Embarcadero, on the right when traveling south.
R. Marks J. Stanford T. Pierce B. Pierce A. Lockard D. Lockard D. Fanning R. Fanning S. Fanning A. Fanning K. Dahl J.J. Santos J.A. Santos A. Cowles V. Woodward J. Woods D. Conger G. Conger J. Danner R. . . . — — Map (db m299384)
A Fishing Village
Some Americans eat about 20 pounds of seafood a year. Throughout the 1900s, more fishing boats took to the sea and fishing technology grew ever more lethal to keep up with growing demand.
In some places, so much was . . . — — Map (db m298392) HM
On Embarcadero south of Coleman Drive, on the left when traveling north.
"The Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade Route"
By Anna L. Pearman, M.A.
More than four and a half centuries ago (1571-1815), the bustling Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade Route between Manila, Philippines (then a Spanish colony) . . . — — Map (db m299302) HM
Women were critical to the success of sport and commercial fishing in Morro Bay in many ways. They shared fishing life as family, packers, sales, deckhands, captains and more. There are too many stories for this space, but the few repeated here . . . — — Map (db m299306) HM
On Coleman Drive 0.3 miles west of Embarcadero, on the right when traveling west.
An important mariner's landfall for over 300 years, chronicled in the diaries of Portola, Fr. Crespi and Costanso in 1769 when they camped near this area on their trek to find Monterey. Sometimes called the "Gibraltar of the Pacific". It is the last . . . — — Map (db m24795) HM
The word morro means domed rock, or turban in Spanish. When explorer Juan Cabrillo sailed into Estero Bay in the year 1542, he gave the dramatic Morro Rock its apt name.
Prior to Cabrillo's arrival, California Indians made this area . . . — — Map (db m298385) HM
Along the coast from Morro Bay to Canada there are estuaries where tidal changes expose and then recover the mud flats. In many of these places people are farming oysters. Morro Bay is one of those places.
Oysters have been cultivated here . . . — — Map (db m311322) HM
On Atascadero Road east of Park Street, on the right when traveling west.
Solar History
1958 - Solar in space! NASA launches the Vanguard I satellite with solar pv technology to power hs radios.
1963 - Sharp Corporation begins production of photovoltaic modules.
1977 - U.S. Department of Energy launches the . . . — — Map (db m298386) HM
On Front Street at Embarcadero, on the right when traveling south on Front Street.
More than a thousand years ago, a board game with a king and queen, warriors, chariots, elephants, and other pieces having different powers was carried from Persia to Europe by Arab traders along the legendary Silk Road caravan route.
Our . . . — — Map (db m299379) HM
The Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is the oldest continuously-active maritime service in the United States. It was founded as the Revenue Marine under Alexander Hamilton's Treasury Department on 4 August 1790 to collect customs . . . — — Map (db m298393) HM
With all the busy retail shops along the Embarcadero south of Harbor Street, it might be hard to imagine that this place was a productive working waterfront not long ago. Within living memory of many Morro Bay residents, the "Boatyard" was a . . . — — Map (db m299119) HM
