Perched on the bluff of San Simeon Point, an eager Portuguese whaler sees a migrating whale and shouts, "Whale Ho!" Men in 30-foot oar-powered boats equipped with harpoons and bomb lances set out to capture a whale. After harpooning a whale, the . . . — — Map (db m297767) HM
From 1850-1900, over 5,000 gray and humpback whales were taken by California whaling stations. By 1892, the capture of whales decreased from 22 to 5 in San Simeon Bay. The continued take and improvements in hunting technology contributed to the . . . — — Map (db m297763) HM
This family ranch began in 1865, when George Hearst bought nearly 50,000 acres of the Piedra Blanca Rancho (named by Spanish explorers for its “white rocks”) from Jose de Jesus Pico, who was granted the land in 1840 by Mexican Governor Juan . . . — — Map (db m159600) HM
Here, on the historic Piedra Blanca Rancho, William Randolph Hearst created La Cuesta Encantada (The Enchanted Hill), including La Casa Grande and adjacent buildings, with their rare art treasures and beautiful gardens, 1919-1947.
Presented to . . . — — Map (db m68492) HM
San Simeon Bay has a rich history of human use. The area was inhabited for more than 10,000 years by Indigenous peoples. In the late 1700s, Spanish missionaries occupied the area and introduced cattle ranching to the coastal prairies. By the . . . — — Map (db m297155) HM
Almost Lost Forever
In the late 1800s whalers discovered elephant seal blubber yielded extremely high quality oil. Hunted by the thousands for several decades, these animals were thought to be extinct until a small group was found on . . . — — Map (db m81694) HM
In 1953, the Hearst Corporation donated the area comprising William Randolph Hearst Memorial Beach to San Luis Obispo County in memory of William Randolph Hearst.
In 1970, the property and pier were transferred to the state of California. . . . — — Map (db m297132) HM
This is the oldest store building along the north coast of San Luis Obispo County. Built in 1852 at Whaling Point, one half mile westward, it was moved in 1878 to its present location. Operated by the Sebastian family for half century, it is now . . . — — Map (db m50544) HM
From here, there is a clear view of San Simeon Point and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary where whales are seen migrating throughout the year. During the 1800s, San Simeon Bay was a busy port and whales were hunted from shore.
Captain . . . — — Map (db m297851) HM
Originally fuel oil, coal, and supplies were delivered to Piedras Blancas Light Station by small ships called tenders.
The tenders anchored near shore and supplies were transferred to smaller boats. The small boats, called lighters, carried the . . . — — Map (db m179694) HM
