History of Avila Beach’s Piers
Avila Pier
In 1850, when California was admitted into the union, San Luis Obispo County had a population of 336 persons. Avila Beach interestingly contributed to the state’s growth early on with its ocean access, wharfs, and landing places.
Building a wharf was a great fit for Avila. It was one of the two bays along the coast between Point San Luis Obispo Bay and Point Arguello, best suited for freight ships to unload and passengers to come to the area.
The first wharf erected was called “The Original Wharf”. It was built in 1855 at Cave Landing (many now call it Pirates Cove), which later became known as Mallagh’s Wharf. From this wharf, steamers could unload cargo and passengers bound for the small village which had grown up around Mission San Luis Obispo, built in 1772. They would ride stage coaches to their destination. This was the only option for San Luis Bay until 1869, when a new wharf was built. The new wharf, called “The Peoples Wharf”, was built closer to where downtown Avila Beach is today, extended out into the bay 1,800 ft. to allow most steamers deep enough to tie up and handle cargo better. These two wharfs were busy places with steamers landing several times a week with as many as 90 passengers and 200 tons of freight.
Then in 1873, one of the previous owners of the Peoples Wharf completed a third wharf for the bay. This wharf, although originally only 540 ft. into the bay, included a narrow-gauge railway, bringing freight transportation to a new level transporting to the San Francisco markets, including grain, livestock, produce, lumber, and later, oil.
Today, the “Original Wharf” no longer exists but Avila Beach still has the downtown Avila Wharf, built in the 1900’s with county taxpayers money, the Harford Wharf (called Harford Pier with cars allowed to drive onto), and a non-public pier leased to Cal Poly University, San Luis Obispo by Unocal for their marine studies program.
If you wish to learn more about living in Avila Beach, contact us.
Avila Pier view from the bay
