Morro Bay, California

Last updated

Morro Bay, California
City
City of Morro Bay
Morro Bay City 1 (cropped).jpg
Aerial view of Morro Bay and Morro Rock
Flag of Morro Bay, California.png
Flag
Morro-Bay-City-Seal.gif
Seal
San Luis Obispo County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Morro Bay Highlighted 0649362.svg
Location in San Luis Obispo County and the state of California
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Red pog.svg
Morro Bay, California
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 35°22′02″N120°50′48″W / 35.36722°N 120.84667°W / 35.36722; -120.84667
Country United States
State California
County San Luis Obispo
Founded1870
Incorporated July 17, 1964 [1]
Named for Morro Rock
Government
 • Type Council–manager [2]
 • BodyMorro Bay City Council
 •  Mayor Carla Wixom [2]
 •  City Manager Yvonne Kimball [3]
 •  Council Members [2]
List
  • Mayor Pro Tem :
             
  • • Zara Landrum          
  • • Laurel Barton
  • • Cyndee Edwards
  • • Jen Ford
 •  Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D) [4]
 •  State Senator John Laird (D) [4]
Area
[5]
 • Total10.32 sq mi (26.74 km2)
 • Land5.33 sq mi (13.80 km2)
 • Water5.00 sq mi (12.94 km2)  48.63%
Elevation
[6]
62 ft (19 m)
Population
 (2020) [7]
 • Total10,757
 • Density1,000/sq mi (400/km2)
Time zone UTC−08:00 (Pacific Standard Time)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−07:00 (Pacific Daylight Time)
ZIP codes
93442–93443
Area code 805
FIPS code 06-49362
GNIS feature ID 1661062
Website www.morro-bay.ca.us

Morro Bay (Morro, Spanish for "Hill") [8] [9] [10] is a seaside city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Located on the Central Coast of California, the city population was 10,757 as of the 2020 census, up from 10,234 at the 2010 census. The town overlooks Morro Bay, a natural embayment with an all-weather small craft commercial and recreational harbor.

Contents

History

View of Morro Rock in 1883 Morro Rock - 1883 (2619478125).jpg
View of Morro Rock in 1883

The prehistory of Morro Bay relates to Chumash settlement, particularly near the mouth of Morro Creek. At least as early as the Millingstone Horizon thousands of years before present, there was an extensive settlement along the banks and terraces above Morro Creek. [11] A tribal site on present-day Morro Bay was named tsɨtqawɨ, Obispeño for "Place of the Dogs". [12]

The first European land exploration of Alta California, the Spanish Portolá expedition, came down Los Osos Valley and camped near today's Morro Bay on September 8, 1769. Franciscan missionary and expedition member Juan Crespí noted in his diary that "we saw a great rock in the form of a round morro". [13]

The first recorded Filipinos to visit America arrived at Morro Bay on October 18, 1587, from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza; [14] one of whom was killed by local Native Americans while scouting ahead. [15]

While governed by Mexico, large land grants split the surrounding area into cattle and dairy ranchos. These ranchos needed shipping to bring in dry goods and to carry their crops, animals, and other farm products to cities.

The town of Morro Bay was founded by Franklin Riley in 1870 as a port for the export of dairy and ranch products. He was instrumental in the building of a wharf which has now become the Embarcadero. [16] During the 1870s, schooners could often be seen at the Embarcadero picking up wool, potatoes, barley, and dairy products.[ citation needed ]

A subspecies of butterfly, the "Morro Bay Blue" or " Morro Blue" ( Icaricia icarioides moroensis ) was first found at Morro beach, by the entomologist Robert F. Sternitzky, in June 1929. [17]

During World War II, there was a U.S. Navy base, Amphibious Training Base Morro Bay on the north side of Morro Rock where sailors were trained to operate LCVPs. The breakwater on the southwest side of the Rock was built in 1944–45 to protect the LCVPs entering and leaving the harbor. Soldiers from Camp San Luis Obispo would come to Morro Bay and practice loading into the LCVPs. Many of those men were at Normandy on D-Day.

In the 1940s, Morro Bay developed an abalone fishing industry; it peaked in 1957, and stocks of abalone have declined significantly due to overfishing. [18] Halibut, sole, rockfish, albacore, and many other species are still caught by both commercial and sport vessels. In addition, oysters are aquacultured in the shallow back bay.

The Pacific Gas and Electric Company built the Morro Bay Power Plant in the early 1950s, which created jobs and increased the tax base. [19] The city incorporated in 1964. [1] The plant closed in February 2014. [20]

Geography

Morro Rock Morro Rock In The Morning (107469109).jpeg
Morro Rock

Morro Bay is the name of the large estuary that is situated along the northern shores of the bay itself. The larger bay on which the local area lies is Estero Bay, which also encompasses the communities of Cayucos and Los Osos. The city of Morro Bay is 20 km (12 mi) northwest of San Luis Obispo and is located on Highway 1. Los Osos Creek discharges into Morro Bay.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.3 square miles (27 km2), of which, 5.3 square miles (14 km2) of it is land and 5.0 square miles (13 km2) of it (48.63%) is water. [21]

Morro Rock

Morro Rock is a 576 foot (176 m) high volcanic plug [22] located at the entrance to the harbor. The descriptive term morro is common to the Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian languages, and the word is part of many place names where there is a distinctive and prominent hill-shaped rock formation. [23] Originally, it was surrounded by water, but the northern channel was filled in to make the harbor. [24] It was quarried from 1889 to 1969, [25] and in 1968, it was designated a Historical Landmark. [26]

The area around the base of Morro Rock is open to visitors, with parking lots and paths. Climbing the rock is prohibited [27] [28] due to risk of injury, and because it is a peregrine falcon reserve. [22] [29]

Morro Rock is one in a series of similar plugs that stretch in a line inland called the Nine Sisters.[ citation needed ]

Morro Bay Harbor

Morro Bay Harbor Fishing vessel Irenes Way Makes Port in Morro Bay, CA. (4062667361).jpg
Morro Bay Harbor

Morro Bay is a natural embayment with an artificial harbor constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is the only all-weather small craft commercial and recreational harbor between Santa Barbara and Monterey. Morro Rock was originally surrounded by water, but the Army built a large artificial breakwater and road across the north end of the harbor, linking Morro Rock and the mainland. Some of the rock used for this and for the artificial breakwaters was quarried from Morro Rock itself. Other rock was imported by barge from Catalina Island. The bay extends inland and parallels the shore for a distance of about 6.4 km (4.0 mi) south of its entrance at Morro Rock. Morro Bay is recognized for protection by the California Bays and Estuaries Policy. [30]

There is usually a small summer colony of otters in the kelp near the harbor entrance. [31]

Climate

Morro Bay experiences a mild warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) characteristic of coastal California featuring dry, warm summers and wet, mild winters. The city is located next to the Pacific Ocean, which helps moderate temperatures and create an overall pleasant mild year-round climate, resulting in warmer winters and cooler summers compared with places farther inland, such as Atascadero. Summers in Morro Bay are cool for a city located on the 35th parallel north latitude, with July averaging around 60 °F (16 °C). Winters are mild, with January averaging at 55 °F (13 °C) with around 8 days of measurable precipitation.

Climate data for Morro Bay, CA (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1959–present)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °F (°C)89
(32)		87
(31)		92
(33)		100
(38)		98
(37)		86
(30)		92
(33)		94
(34)		101
(38)		106
(41)		92
(33)		81
(27)		106
(41)
Mean maximum °F (°C)74.9
(23.8)		76.0
(24.4)		78.4
(25.8)		81.5
(27.5)		78.8
(26.0)		72.7
(22.6)		76.4
(24.7)		79.0
(26.1)		83.4
(28.6)		89.4
(31.9)		80.1
(26.7)		72.8
(22.7)		91.7
(33.2)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)65.1
(18.4)		65.4
(18.6)		66.0
(18.9)		67.3
(19.6)		66.9
(19.4)		66.4
(19.1)		67.2
(19.6)		69.7
(20.9)		71.5
(21.9)		72.5
(22.5)		69.1
(20.6)		64.6
(18.1)		67.6
(19.8)
Daily mean °F (°C)55.7
(13.2)		56.6
(13.7)		57.3
(14.1)		58.3
(14.6)		59.3
(15.2)		60.0
(15.6)		61.8
(16.6)		63.2
(17.3)		63.7
(17.6)		63.5
(17.5)		59.7
(15.4)		55.4
(13.0)		59.5
(15.3)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)46.4
(8.0)		47.8
(8.8)		48.6
(9.2)		49.2
(9.6)		51.7
(10.9)		53.6
(12.0)		56.5
(13.6)		56.8
(13.8)		56.0
(13.3)		54.4
(12.4)		50.2
(10.1)		46.2
(7.9)		51.5
(10.8)
Mean minimum °F (°C)36.2
(2.3)		36.3
(2.4)		38.7
(3.7)		39.2
(4.0)		43.1
(6.2)		45.6
(7.6)		50.0
(10.0)		49.9
(9.9)		48.2
(9.0)		44.6
(7.0)		39.1
(3.9)		34.9
(1.6)		32.6
(0.3)
Record low °F (°C)23
(−5)		22
(−6)		28
(−2)		31
(−1)		33
(1)		39
(4)		40
(4)		40
(4)		41
(5)		36
(2)		31
(−1)		22
(−6)		22
(−6)
Average precipitation inches (mm)3.64
(92)		3.62
(92)		3.19
(81)		0.99
(25)		0.42
(11)		0.20
(5.1)		0.07
(1.8)		0.02
(0.51)		0.09
(2.3)		0.68
(17)		1.33
(34)		2.75
(70)		17.00
(432)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)7.08.27.04.11.80.40.40.30.72.13.46.942.3
Source: NOAA [32] [33]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1950 1,659—
1960 3,692122.5%
1970 7,10992.6%
1980 9,06427.5%
1990 9,6646.6%
2000 10,3507.1%
2010 10,234−1.1%
2020 10,7575.1%
U.S. Decennial Census [34]

2010

Morro Bay State Park Museum of Natural History Morro bay museum of natural history.jpg
Morro Bay State Park Museum of Natural History

The 2010 United States Census [35] reported that Morro Bay had a population of 10,234. The population density was 991.5 inhabitants per square mile (382.8/km2). The racial makeup of Morro Bay was 8,909 (87.1%) White, 44 (0.4%) African American, 92 (0.9%) Native American, 258 (2.5%) Asian, 9 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 613 (6.0%) from other races, and 309 (3.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,526 persons (14.9%).

The Census reported that 10,073 people (98.4% of the population) lived in households, 36 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 125 (1.2%) were institutionalized.

There were 4,844 households, out of which 919 (19.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,972 (40.7%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 405 (8.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 217 (4.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 330 (6.8%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 35 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,808 households (37.3%) were made up of individuals, and 783 (16.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08. There were 2,594 families (53.6% of all households); the average family size was 2.70.

The population was spread out, with 1,530 people (15.0%) under the age of 18, 815 people (8.0%) aged 18 to 24, 2,264 people (22.1%) aged 25 to 44, 3,200 people (31.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,425 people (23.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.

There were 6,320 housing units at an average density of 612.3 units per square mile (236.4 units/km2), of which 2,583 (53.3%) were owner-occupied, and 2,261 (46.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.3%. 5,218 people (51.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,855 people (47.4%) lived in rental housing units.

2000

Antique shop in Morro Bay Retro deco building, Route 41, Morro Bay, CA.jpg
Antique shop in Morro Bay

As of the 2000 census, [36] there were 10,350 people, 4,986 households, and 2,612 families residing in Morro Bay. The population density was 2,006.9 inhabitants per square mile (774.9/km2). There were 6,251 housing units at an average density of 1,212.1 units per square mile (468.0 units/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 89.44% White, 0.68% African American, 0.95% Native American, 1.81% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 4.10% from other races, and 2.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.43% of the population.

There were 4,986 households, out of which 16.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.5% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.6% were non-families. Of all households 38.0% were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.04 and the average family size was 2.65.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 15.1% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 24.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,379, and the median income for a family was $43,508. Males had a median income of $31,073 versus $25,576 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,687. About 8.1% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.9% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.

Morro Bay High School and Del Mar Elementary offer education for grades K−5 and 9−12. [37]

Economy

Morro Bay Kite Festival. Morro Bay Kite Festival, 26 April 2014.jpg
Morro Bay Kite Festival.

Tourism is the city's largest industry, [38] coexisting with the town's commercial fishery. A number of tourist attractions are found along the shoreline and the streets closest to it, especially the Embarcadero, including restaurants, shops and parks. Further, hospitality is the cornerstone of Morro Bay's economy. The city heavily relies on visitors staying at hotels as tax revenues from those stays make up a significant portion of the city's General Fund. [39] The importance of travelers staying in hotels is solidified by the number and variety of accommodations. Hotels, motels, and inns within Morro Bay continuously adapt to accommodate visitors by investing in their amenities, accommodations, and conditions.

The most popular beach is on the north side of Morro Rock, north of the harbor. There are also excellent beaches north and south of the town, Morro Strand State Beach and Morro Bay State Park, respectively.

Power plant

Power plant, circa 2016 Morro Bay Power Plant.jpg
Power plant, circa 2016

The power plant has played a large role in Morro Bay, and in providing electricity to the Central Coast and the Central Valley of California (primarily Fresno and Bakersfield). The plant was built in the 1950s. [40] The plant was staffed with 44 employees.[ citation needed ] A portion of the city's budget came from taxes on the natural gas the plant burned. Previously owned by Pacific Gas and Electric Co.(PG&E), Duke Energy, and LSPower (PG&E), Dynegy had hoped to modernize it with a new combined cycle plant. The plant was operating at relatively low capacity factors (approximately 5%) under contract with PG&E, due primarily to economics.

Continued operation would have required expensive upgrades by 2015. The 650-megawatt plant operated around the clock during the energy crisis of 2000, but the plant had been operating at just one-sixth of that capacity in the recent years preceding its closure. [41] The modernization proposal was rejected, and the plant closed in February 2014. [20]

In 2018, a joint venture of German energy company EnBW and Seattle-based Trident Winds announced its plan to obtain the power plant's grid connection to connect a 650 MW floating offshore wind park comprising up to 100 floating wind turbines and a floating substation situated some 30 miles (48 km) off the coast. [42] In 2022, TotalEnergies, a French energy company entered the joint venture with Trident Winds and took over the shares previously held by EnBW. [43]

In 2021, the city council of Morro Bay voted 4–1 to take down the power plant's smoke stacks by 2028. [44] The city estimated that maintaining the smoke stacks would cost around a million dollars per year. Vistra Corp agreed to tear down the stacks and plans to build a 600 MW lithium-ion battery installation. [19] [45]

Morro Bay Harbor Patrol vehicle in 2023. Morro Bay Harbor Department - September 2023 - Sarah Stierch.jpg
Morro Bay Harbor Patrol vehicle in 2023.

Government

In the California State Legislature, Morro Bay is in the 17th Senate District , represented by Democrat John Laird, and in the 30th Assembly District , represented by Democrat Dawn Addis. [46]

In the United States House of Representatives, Morro Bay is in California's 24th congressional district, which has a Cook PVI of D +4 [47] and is represented by Salud Carbajal ( D – Santa Barbara ). [48]

Notable people

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monterey County, California</span> County in California, United States

Monterey County, officially the County of Monterey, is a county located on the Pacific coast in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, its population was 439,035. The county's largest city and county seat is Salinas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Luis Obispo County, California</span> County in California, United States

San Luis Obispo County, officially the County of San Luis Obispo, is a county on the Central Coast of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 282,424. The county seat is San Luis Obispo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arroyo Grande, California</span> City in California, United States

Arroyo Grande is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. The population was 18,441 as of the 2020 census, up from 17,252 as of the 2010 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atascadero, California</span> City in California, United States

Atascadero is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States, located on U.S. Route 101. Atascadero is part of the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses the extents of the county. Atascadero is farther inland than most other cities in the county, and as a result, usually experiences warmer, drier summers, and cooler winters than other nearby cities such as San Luis Obispo and Pismo Beach. The main freeway through town is U.S. 101. The nearby State Routes 41 and 46 provide access to the Pacific Coast and the Central Valley of California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cambria, California</span> Place in California, United States

Cambria is a seaside village in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles along California State Route 1. The name Cambria, chosen in 1869, is the Latin name for Wales. Cambria is situated amidst Monterey pines in one of only three such native forests. The town previously had gone by the names of Slabtown, Rosaville, San Simeon, and Santa Rosa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cayucos, California</span> Unincorporated community in California, United States

Cayucos is an unincorporated coastal town in San Luis Obispo County, California, along California State Route 1 between Cambria to the north and Morro Bay to the south. The population was 2,505 at the 2020 census, down from 2,592 at the 2010 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grover Beach, California</span> City in California, United States

Grover Beach is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. The population was 12,701 at the 2020 census, down from 13,156 in 2010. Grover Beach is the location of the Pacific Crossing cable Landing station. This is where trans-pacific submarine communications cables come ashore and interface with the North American telecom network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nipomo, California</span> Place in California, United States

Nipomo is an unincorporated town in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. The population was 16,714 for the 2010 census and grew to 18,176 for the 2020 census. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Nipomo as a census-designated place (CDP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pismo Beach, California</span> City in California, United States

Pismo Beach is a city in the southern portion of San Luis Obispo County, in the Central Coast area of California, United States. Its estimated population was 8,072 at the 2020 census, up from 7,655 in the 2010 census. It is part of the Five Cities area, a cluster of cities in that area. The Five Cities area historically is made up of Arroyo Grande, Grover City, Halcyon, Fair Oaks, and Nipomo. Now most people refer to the Five Cities as Grover Beach, Pismo Beach, Shell Beach, Arroyo Grande, and Oceano.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Luis Obispo, California</span> City in California, United States

San Luis Obispo is a city and county seat of San Luis Obispo County, in the U.S. state of California. Located on the Central Coast of California, San Luis Obispo is roughly halfway between the San Francisco Bay Area in the north and Greater Los Angeles in the south. The population was 47,063 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rio Vista, California</span> City in California, United States

Rio Vista is a city located in the eastern end of Solano County, California, in the Sacramento River Delta region of Northern California. The population was 7,360 at the 2010 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baywood-Los Osos, California</span> Unincorporated community in California, United States

Baywood-Los Osos is an unincorporated community in western San Luis Obispo County, California. The population was 14,351 in the 2000 census. It includes the communities of Los Osos, which is located near Morro Bay, Baywood Park, and the former community of Cuesta-by-the-Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Coast (California)</span> Region of California in the United States

The Central Coast is an area of California, roughly spanning the coastal region between Point Mugu and Monterey Bay. It lies northwest of Los Angeles and south of the San Francisco Bay Area, and includes the rugged, rural, and sparsely populated stretch of coastline known as Big Sur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Simeon, California</span> Small community on the coast of California

San Simeon is an unincorporated community on the Pacific coast of San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Its position along State Route 1 is about halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, each of those cities being roughly 230 miles (370 km) away. A key feature of the area is Hearst Castle, a hilltop mansion built for William Randolph Hearst in the early 20th century that is now a tourist attraction. The area is also home to a large northern elephant seal rookery, known as the Piedras Blancas rookery, located 7 miles (11 km) north of San Simeon on Highway 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avila Beach, California</span> Place in California, United States

Avila Beach is an unincorporated community in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States, located on San Luis Obispo Bay about 160 miles (257 km) northwest of Los Angeles, and about 200 miles (320 km) south of San Francisco. The population was 1,576 at the 2010 census. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Avila Beach as a census-designated place (CDP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morro Rock</span> Volcanic plug in Morro Bay, California, United States

Morro Rock is a volcanic plug in Morro Bay, California, on the Pacific Coast at the entrance to Morro Bay harbor. A causeway connects it with the shore, making it a tied island. The rock is protected as the Morro Rock State Preserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Osos, California</span> Unincorporated community in California, United States

Los Osos is an unincorporated town in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Located on the Central Coast of California, Los Osos had a reported population of 14,465 in 2020. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Los Osos as a census-designated place (CDP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Margarita, California</span> Place in California, United States

Santa Margarita is a unincorporated community located in San Luis Obispo County, California. It was founded in 1889 near Cuesta Peak and San Luis Obispo along State Route 58. The town's name comes from the Mexican Alta California land grant of Rancho Santa Margarita. It is home to the Santa Margarita de Cortona Asistencia site. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Santa Margarita as a census-designated place (CDP). The population was 1,259 at the 2010 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morro Bay State Marine Recreational Management Area and Morro Bay State Marine Reserve</span> Two marine protected areas in California

Morro Bay State Marine Recreational Management Area (SMRMA) and Morro Bay State Marine Reserve (SMR) are two marine protected areas that provide protection for Morro Bay Estuary on California's central coast. The two marine protected areas together encompass 3.31 square miles (8.6 km2). The SMR protects all marine life within its boundaries. Fishing and take of any living marine resources is prohibited. nWithin the SMRMA, fishing or taking any living marine resources is prohibited with the exception that, with a valid state water bottom lease and permit, the recreational taking of finfish and the aquaculture of oysters is permitted north of latitude 35° 19.70′ N. Recreational hunting of waterfowl is allowed unless otherwise restricted by hunting regulations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amphibious Training Base Morro Bay</span> California training base during World War II

Amphibious Training Base Morro Bay also called Camp Morro Bay and Morro Bay Section Base was a US Navy training base for amphibious beach assault during World War II. The base opened in 1941 to train troops for the Pacific theater of operations' island leapfrogging using landing craft and LCVP. The base was located in Morro Bay, California in San Luis Obispo County. The base was on 250 acres (100 ha) of leased land. Ships for the base were based at the Avila's Port San Luis in San Luis Bay. Which was also leased with the yacht club and its warehouse. Added to the leased land was: two piers, mess hall, gallon water storage tanks, roads, buildings, garages, and ammo storage area. The Navy also extended the bay's breakwater. A wooden trestle bridge was built to get to the nearby sandspit, the bridge was removed in 1946 and some pillars still remain. The near Estero Bay was the site of training assault also, by the Navy, US Army, US Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard also taking over the unused vacation hotel there. Nearby United States Army Air Corps fields had fighter aircraft fire flour shot to make the training more real. Up to 175 landing craft were at the base and 16,000 troops a day trained. In the base and in nearby Los Osos and Baywood live fire bombing, machine gun, bazookas, and flamethrowers were used for training. The training ended on 31 October 1945 and the site is now a Duke Energy power plant built in 1955, site of three large smoke stacks. North of the former base in the notable Morro Rock. Avila Beach was also a Union Oil plant with many oil storage tanks, use for Navy ships.

References

  1. 1 2 "California Cities by Incorporation Date". California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions. Archived from the original (Word) on November 3, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "Mayor & City Council". City of Morro Bay. Retrieved November 2, 2018.
  3. ↑ [ morro-bay.ca.us "City Manager"]. City of Morro Bay. Retrieved November 2, 2018.{{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  4. 1 2 "Statewide Database". UC Regents. Archived from the original on February 1, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
  5. ↑ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Morro Bay". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Morro Bay (city) QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
  8. ↑ City of Morro Bay - Morro Rock Beach
  9. ↑ 1000 California Place Names
  10. ↑ California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names
  11. ↑ C. Michael Hogan (2008). "Morro Creek". ed. by A. Burnham.
  12. ↑ "yakʔitʸutʸu resources - University Housing - Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo". Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo University Housing. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  13. ↑ Bolton, Herbert E. (1927). Fray Juan Crespi: Missionary Explorer on the Pacific Coast, 1769–1774. HathiTrust Digital Library. pp. 185–186. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  14. ↑ Mercene, Floro L. (2007). Manila Men in the New World: Filipino Migration to Mexico and the Americas from the Sixteenth Century. The University of the Philippines Press. pp. 38–42. ISBN   978-971-542-529-2 . Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  15. ↑ Valerie Ooka Pang; Li-Rong Lilly Cheng (1998). Struggling To Be Heard: The Unmet Needs of Asian Pacific American Children. SUNY Press. p. 166. ISBN   978-0-7914-3839-8.
  16. ↑ Carina Monica Montoya (April 9, 2018). Pacific Coast Highway in California. Arcadia Publishing. p. 84. ISBN   978-1-4671-2751-6.
    Gene L. Gerdes; Edward R. J. Primbs; Bruce M. Browning (1974). Natural Resources of Morro Bay: Their Status and Future. State of California, Department of Fish and Game. p. 27.
  17. ↑ Sternitzky, Robert F. (1930). "A New Subspecies of Plebejus icarioides Bdv". Pan-Pacific Entomologist. 7 (2): 93–94.
  18. ↑ McBride, Susan; Conte, Fred F. (January 16, 2009). California Abalone Aquaculture (PDF) (Report). Davis: California Aquaculture, University of California. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 16, 2009.
  19. 1 2 Karlamangla, Soumya (June 17, 2022). "The Iconic Morro Bay Smokestacks Are Coming Down". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  20. 1 2 Pridgen, Andrew (May 3, 2022). "Why Morro Bay residents love their dormant smokestacks". SFGate. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
  21. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  22. 1 2 Fodor's (December 21, 2010). Fodor's Northern California 2011: With Napa, Sonoma, Yosemite, San Francisco & Lake Tahoe. Random House Digital, Inc. p. 80. ISBN   978-1-4000-0503-1 . Retrieved December 25, 2011.
  23. ↑ Gudde, Erwin G. (1969). California Place Names . Berkeley: University of California Press. p.  212.
  24. ↑ "Photo Gallery". Historical Morro Bay. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  25. ↑ "Morro Rock". Marquis Publishing. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  26. ↑ "Morro Rock". Office of Historic Preservation. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  27. ↑ "Rock Climber Rescued". Tolosa Press. March 4, 2015. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  28. ↑ "2 tribes clash over climbing Morro Rock". SF Gate. March 18, 2015. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  29. ↑ "Morro Rock Beach". City of Morro Bay. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  30. ↑ State Water Resources Control Board Water Quality Control Policy for the Enclosed Bays and Estuaries of California (1974) State of California
  31. ↑ "Otter Information Station". Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
  32. ↑ "NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on July 11, 2015. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  33. ↑ "CA Morro Bay Fire Dept". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  34. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  35. ↑ "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA – Morro Bay city". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  36. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  37. ↑ "Morro Bay High School". San Luis Coastal Unified School District. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  38. ↑ Ranahan, Jared (January 15, 2023). "Morro Bay: California's Hottest Winter Birding Destination". Forbes. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  39. ↑ "Morro Bay plans $100 million makeover to attract more visitors | Pacific Coast Business Times". July 20, 2019.
  40. ↑ Branson-Potts, Hailey (August 11, 2022). "In a coastal California town, three iconic smokestacks are coming down. A community mourns". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  41. ↑ Dynegy officially closes the Morro Bay Power Plant Archived July 22, 2014, at the Wayback Machine , San Luis Obispo Tribune, February 5, 2014
  42. ↑ "EnBW Dives Deep Into US Offshore Wind". Offshore Wind. June 11, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  43. ↑ "TotalEnergies Enters Castle Wind JV to Explore 1GW Development of Offshore Wind in Central California". TotalEnergies in the U.S. (Press release). March 18, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  44. ↑ Russell, Angel (November 1, 2021). "The Morro Bay smokestacks are coming down. Here's how that could impact the city". KCBX. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  45. ↑ Bertola, Alexa (February 18, 2021). "World's largest energy storage system proposed in Morro Bay". KSBY. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  46. ↑ "Final Maps". State of California. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  47. ↑ "Cook Political Report". Cook Political Report. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  48. ↑ "California's 24th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  49. ↑ Linn, Sarah (May 6, 2013). "Morro Bay man realizes dream of publishing children's book". The Tribune (San Luis Obispo). Archived from the original on May 25, 2017.
  50. ↑ d'Estries, Michael (January 24, 2011). "Jack LaLanne: The first fitness superhero". Mother Nature Network. Archived from the original on January 27, 2011. Retrieved January 25, 2011.
  51. ↑ Lynn, Sarah (June 2, 2018). "This world-class conductor grew up in Morro Bay. Now he's coming home for a concert". The Tribune (McClatchy News). Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  52. ↑ "SanLuisObispo.com – Former SLO High standout Mel Queen succumbs to cancer". Archived from the original on October 27, 2014. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
  53. ↑ "Gladys Walton; Starred in Silent Films". Los Angeles Times. November 21, 1993. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  54. ↑ "Disney's 'Finding Dory' movie has Morro Bay connection". sanluisobispo.com. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
  55. ↑ Martell, Brooke. "Locals react to 'Finding Dory' connection to the Central Coast". ksby.com. Archived from the original on March 21, 2017. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
  56. ↑ "Ryan Gosling movie shot in SLO county". sanluisobispo.com. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  57. ↑ Pondsmith, Mike (August 31, 2018). "Here is where supposedly Cyberpunk takes place in California. Based on rescued girl's locator". reddit.com. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.