Historical Society of Morro Bay

10/27/2026

Fun event!

November 16 see Steven Spielberg's Movie -1941 at the Bay Theatre in Morro Bay. A portion of the proceeds goes to the MB Maritime Museum - purchase tickets using the QR Code.

10/27/2026

Looking forward to this!

Help Celebrate the 85th Anniversary of Morro Bay Navy Base on November 7, 1:00 - 4 PM at the Vets Hall, Morro Bay. This is a free event, donations welcome!!

06/13/2026

Devastating Fire Destroys the South T Pier

​It was described as the worst disaster to occur on the Morro Bay Harbor in the City’s history. At approximately 6:15 A.M. on Thursday, December 1, 1988, a fire broke out on the South T Pier, which is located at the base of the Great American Fish Company restaurant. In the end, at least 14 fire engines, five fire departments, and nearly 70 firefighters from across the county battled the blaze that within five to ten minutes engulfed the entire pier.

The entire article can be accessed here:
https://historicalmorrobay.org/estero-bay-news-2026/

Click on Fire Destroys the South T Pier

06/09/2026

Abalone in Morro Bay Part 1 & 2

Local native American tribes ate abalone they were able to find in the intertidal zone along rocky shores. In the nineteenth century, Asian immigrants—first the Chinese in roughly 1850 – 1920, and then the Japanese 1897 – 1941—brought a taste for abalone with them and they also fished for abalone.

The Chinese fished the intertidal zone, like the Native Americans before them, using rods or poles to knock the abalone from the rock. They sent it most of the catch back to China, where the demand for it was strong. There was no competition for the abalone at that time because the European Americans had no taste for it!

This is a 2 part series and can be read in its entirety here: https://historicalmorrobay.org/estero-bay-news-2026/

Click on Abalone Part 1 & 2

05/27/2026

The Dairy Industry Brings Vitality to the Central Coast

A devastating drought of the early 1860’s simultaneously changed the landscape and transformed the ranching industry of San Luis Obispo County. Huge tracts of land known as ranchos had dominated agriculture along the Central Coast. The sprawling ranchos were self-reliant communities, applying Spanish ranching traditions to produce food and provide transportation. Cattle trade was sparked by the soaring demand for beef in the east where rapid industrialization was taking place...

There is so much more to this story! In fact, it's in 2 parts and can be found here:

https://historicalmorrobay.org/estero-bay-news-2026/

Click on Dairy Industry Part 1 & 2

05/20/2026

The Mysterious Case of the Headless Co**se: Part 1 & 2

This is the story of events that occurred in “Morro” in 1867. It is based on original court records – signed statements of witnesses, the jury and the coroner – into the cause of death of a co**se found on the beach in Morro Bay. Part I is a summary of the evidence the jury heard before issuing a verdict: you can form your own opinion. Part II will share the verdict.

In July of 1867 Franklin Riley discovered a body on the beach below his house, which was close to present-day Main Street and Morro Bay Boulevard. You will recall that Mr. Riley is the acknowledged founder of Morro Bay. In 1867 Riley was living on land that became his official “homestead” in 1872. During the inquest, the coroner referred to Riley’s “land” and “property,” so it was already seen as his.

Want to read the full story? It's in 2 parts and they can be found here: https://historicalmorrobay.org/estero-bay-news-2026/ click on Headless Co**se part 1 & 2

05/15/2026

WW2 Baywood Park Training Area 2 Part Series

The attack on Pearl Harbor jump-started Morro Bay from a backwater village founded in 1872 into a wartime port and Pacific Theater troop training base. Morro Bay prepared G.I.s to island-hop their way across the Pacific securing island air bases close enough to launch direct strikes against the Japanese homeland.

To prepare the training base the Army Corp of Engineers built the harbor and Embarcadero infrastructure 1941-1943. During the war the Embarcadero and its T-piers thrived with military activity as Morro Bay beaches prepared G. I.s for the shores of Iwo Jima.

To see BOTH parts of this fascinating story head here: https://historicalmorrobay.org/estero-bay-news-2026/ and click on Baywood Park Training Area (2 parts)

04/28/2026

In the year before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the lives of the 30,000 residents of San Luis Obispo County were dramatically transformed as the entire nation mobilized in anticipation of potential war.

By the fall of 1941 soldiers began to arrive in large numbers. Contractors had built new soldier cities north of San Miguel at Camp Roberts and on the sandy hills west of Lompoc at Camp Cooke. The occasional buzz of civilian aircraft had been replaced by flights of B 25 bombers stationed in Santa Maria.

Read the rest of this story as featured in the Estero Bay News here:https://historicalmorrobay.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/54th-battalion.pdf