HISTORICAL Morro Bay, California

The West side of Morro Rock isn't defaced and remains as seen by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo (1542) and possibly Pedro de Unamuno (1587). This view is from the North. The Chevron tanker is about loaded and ready to go to a refinery.

Morro Rock is one of the "nine sisters" a volcano formation that extends directly toward San Luis Obispo. There are a couple more farther out--the last one being Church Rock located at about a two hundred foot depth a few miles out. Local lore says Cabrillo landed near Morro Bay. In addition, some 19th century historians claimed he was buried at San Simeon, not San Miguel Island. A link to a treatise about Pedro de Unamuno can be found in our "Links we Like."

On this site we have many old photographs and also some stories about the old-timers of Morro Bay. The time period covered will, for the most part, be the war years, however, we continue to look for earlier events and people.

Copyright July 1999 by Vic Hansen
Please note: It is easy to copy photos from this site but it is also illegal. Many of MY photos I will give willingly to anyone who asks. Please honor the donors to this site by not stealing their photographs. Thanks. vlh.

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Morro Bay and Baywood from the air Morro Bay Today...Before you delve into the past, you might want to take a slide show tour around the town. Morro Bay Today...Another more recent tour A map of historical buildings...before visiting Morro Bay you may wish to print this A nice old Morro Bay building has an interesting history...new January 2010 A view of Venus from Morro Bay by local astronomer 1840--1929 Mexican Land Grants in San Luis Obispo County The Canets......1840 the Canet adobe Cayucos____Rancho Moro Y Cayucos.1842___plus Early Cayucos and Archaeology of Estero Cayucos____Villa Creek and Rancho San Geronimo___Rafael Villavicencio's land grant and the Villa family today The Portola Expedition 1848 Treaty The Quintana Saga.......1874 Maria Chona Boronda and the Dons Finery The Biography of Francisco Estevan Quintana and Maria de Guadalupe Lujan...by Don Rivara 1840 Spanish maps of Rancho San Bernardo The Legend of Morro Castle.....1880 As it was--the north channel___there might be one or two around that remember this Early Steamships....Sailor Brown names twenty-two of them Very Early panorama of Morro Bay before there was a park. The Stocking Gallery The Caccia Family The Hochstetler Album....Morro Bay Fun in the 1890's Our earliest picture of Morro Bay...(posted May 2009) The Post Office....early buildings 1929 Fifth Street (Morro Bay Boulevard) The First Morro Bay Theater Women's Golf in Morro Bay and the History of the course Cal Poly High...about 1918 (?) Atascadero Beach (Cloisters), Morro Beach Inn and the Mattoon Act 1930--1940 Hard Times in Morro Bay by H. Jesse Walker PhD____Dr. Walker's early life in Morro Bay... also a recent update (July 2008) The Morro Bay State Park and the CCC Baywood Park and the dream of Richard Otto__New May 2014...Some of you think you live in Los Osos-- you don't. It's Baywood Park Bill Huntington, a resident since 1938 tells us about his early life___Some wonderfull old pictures and aerial photos of early Morro Bay (May 2009) Morro Elementary School____a teacher remembers the early 1930's, by Mary Elizabeth Williams Madonna and photographs of the classes of 1930 and 1938 The Great Depression in San Luis Obispo County 1930's____Dorothea Lange Photos An outing at the beach__People did get together and have some fun in the 30's Unemployed...a 1938 painting Closing the North Entrance to Morro Bay____the causeway 1936 News Excerpts of 1940____plus The Morro Beach Inn and Camp Merriam Cal Poly at War and some old radio shows The Harbor Project to be discussed by local dignitaries January 5, 1940 Morro Bay Sun...the entire edition The Taffy Men 1936 and 1948 Estero Bay Photographs The Standard Oil facility at Estero Beach Leo Ranney House....Morro Bay's only mansion (El Banco Sereno Estate) Albums and Many Individual photographs Huntington Library Photos___Morro Bay and Port Harford Individual Photograph Collections____Joseph Giannini, Bickford, Jorge et al Morro Beach Inn (with new front view) Morro Rock Photos and The Ship Cafe More Rock photos The Photo Gallery--people Photogallery two--boats and docks and clam digging Photogallery three--Maston's Market, Banning School 1913, et. al. Postcards from the Past 1941--195_ A video of Morro Bay in 1948___new December, 2013 PT Boat Rescues Fishermen 1950___new August, 2018 A slide program of Army training in Morro Bay Armistice Day 1941 and Morro Bay "Navy Day" poster Submarine Attack (yes, here!) in December of '41__The Union Oil Tanker Montebello torpedoed--the full story Morro Bay Sun Archives (Dec 5 '41 and more) December 7, 1941 Japanese Relocation Photographs and Manzanar 2007 The Pat Nagano Story___a popular Morro Bay farm family since 1917 is relocated Rare scrapbook newsphotos about the war Harbor Development During World War Two Cal Poly at War The War Years____also War Posters and Rationing WWII Morro Bay Military Training Video on utube Lockheed Camouflaged___fear of Japanese air attack led to this World War II Front Pages___The San Francisco Examiner 1941--1945 Morro Bay men Serving their Country in 1943 Any relatives killed in the Pacific? Take a look at this Kenneth Hansen USMC and the Palawan Massacre Getting a P40 back in the fight Clair Tyler--missing in action SLO County men killed or MIA in WWII A new trestle picture and the first Morro beach party. Morro Bay properties for sale in 1943. Tax sale..find out what your property was worth The Morro Bay Jubilees 1946...1949 Morro Bay Business people of the late 40's _____remember any of these people? Travel Brochure 1947_____"Morrobathing" beauties anyone? They are here! The Parking Meter (1947) A view of Cayucos and Morro in 1948 High School Girls of the late 1940's Some Great 1950's Photographs in slide show format...cars on the beach and more M.B. Bluebirds of 1951 Indian Summer...a treatise on Morro Bay's famous fog (May 2009)...by Joe Dunlap Morro Bay Was For Kids...nostalgic reflections...by Joe Dunlap Broken Breakwater...(new July, 2010) PGE Photographs...(new July, 2010) Break in the Peninsula...1955 top of the rock photos...(New July, 2010) 1952 Veterans of World War 1 living in Morro Bay 1966/67 August 18, 1966 Morro Bay Sun...the entire edition...posted May 2009 Morro Bay Cub Scouts 1967...(new May, 2012) 1976 Morro Bay High 1976 Champs!...a once in a lifetime team Morro Bay Artists The famous plein air artists of Morro Bay_____Harold Knott, Aaron Kilpatrick and Robbie Robinson Painting of Morro Bay by famous artist George Demont Otis Painting by William Wendt of Kilpatrick home Diana Manseau Thoughts and poems by a woman who loved Morro Bay (1933) Don B Williams Sketches of some early Morro Bay homes Abalone and Fishing Morro Bay and Abalone____the people, the divers, processing abalone and the Brebes empire Earliest Abalone Boats____a rough ride to sea (new July, 2010) Abalone Divers of Morro Bay 1930--1960 Virg's Fishing...the family, fishermen and some unbelievable fish Newest Abalone Pictures___Lawrence Carver, William "Wimpy" Pierce, Lanky Tipton More Abalone Boats and their Operators....(new 08/2008) Carmel abalone drying___well, it is close by The Abalone Farm___John Alexander B.S., PhD and his abalone enterprise Joseph Giannini's Morro Bay influence and his story___from 1946 until present Morro Bay Fishermen about 1950____A great looking bunch of guys. Do you know any of them? Bill Casper..Regal Seafood Company____albacore in the 1960's Barbara Stickel's history of Morro Bay Fishermen John Ennis..a fishing family 1950's____help with some names anyone? Various Happy Jacks Saloon...The names have changed but these are still dumps to avoid in Morro Bay Yesterday is still here in Morro Bay___Mikes Barber Shop, The Aquarium, The Shell Shop, Tognazzini's and Giovanni's Changes..."Craby" Joe's et. al. Links To Sites We Like The Historical Society Wants You! Asides (not necessarily Morro related) Vic takes the California gun test Where can you find some of the greatest wine in Califorrnia? A friendly tide pool inhabitant A poem we can dedicate to all the dogs we have owned Old San Luis--County Hospital, San Luis Sanitarium, homes Some Early Avila History Shell Beach Oil Refinery The Korean War Memorial Earthquake 2003, San Miguel Misssion and Old San Miguel The Camp Roberts Museum Central Coast Sunsets Old Time Boxing Boxing Scrapbook Fight signing in Jaurez Mexico, 1913