Pismo Pier Centennial
Celebrating 100 Years of the Pismo Pier
October 11, 2024
Pismo Beach marked the 100th anniversary of its iconic pier with a free, family-friendly celebration on October 11, 2024. Visitors explored the pier’s rich history and enjoyed food, drinks and sweets from local vendors, with music from every era (1924–2024), including live music from The Molly Ringwald Project. It was a day for everyone who loves Pismo Beach and its storied pier, originally built to provide a wharf for local businesses to ship products to market, it has since also been used for wartime lookout, fishing, surfing, recreation, tourism, and entertainment.
With Thanks To
The following businesses and organizations have all donated their time and food/drinks and historical items to make this event successful!
Sunsets at Pismo, Pismo Beach Chamber of Commerce, Cal Fire, Pismo Beach K-9, Pismo Beach Historian Effie McDermott, Vespera Resort, Sand Castle On the Beach, Pismo Beach Stewardship Outreach Program, Sheldon’s Bait Shack, Pismo Beach Moose Lodge, Brad’s Restaurant, F. McLintocks Saloon, Pismo Beach Surf Shop, Sea Crest Hotel, Pismo Beach Fish and Chips, Splash Café, Hoagies
History of the Pismo Beach Pier
The heart of the community, the Pismo Pier was built in 1924 as a 1740-foot-long pier, it was completed in a little over a year and had a wharf structure at the end that was suitable for ships to dock. Over the years the Pier has suffered damage in storms and has been repaired and upgraded including the most recent Pier Reconstruction Project that was completed in 2018 with the 1200-foot Pier we know and love today.
Residents and visitors gathered on the Pismo Pier for the Centennial Event, which featured local historians, businesses, clubs and organizations as well as great food and music, and traced the history of the structure and its significance to the community through the different eras and diamonds of the Pier.
The Pier Through the Years
- 1923The Pismo Beach Pier and Amusement Company, a $500,000 corporation, forms to build the pier and an amusement center.
- 1923–24Led by landowner W.W. Ward, the pier goes up as a commercial wharf for shipping and freight, particularly lumber.
- 1924The 1,740-foot pier is completed, with a wharf at the end suitable for ships to dock, and dedicated on July 4.
- 1926Storm damage destroys the end platform, and the pier finds new life as a recreational and fishing spot.
- c. 1945The three-story pavilion near the pier burns down and is later replaced by the Rose Garden Ballroom.
- 1950sOwnership of the surrounding beaches transfers to the state, making the pier a public asset.
- 2018The Pier Reconstruction Project is completed, leaving the 1,200-foot pier we know today.
- 2024The Pismo Beach Pier turns 100, celebrated with a Centennial event on the pier.
The Pismo Beach Pier has a rich history that dates back to the early 1920s when local landowner W.W. Ward spearheaded its development. Ward, who owned much of the downtown area, was instrumental in bringing together the necessary financing for the pier by engaging both investors and local business leaders.
The pier, originally constructed between 1923 and 1924, was a commercial venture aimed at facilitating shipping and freight deliveries, particularly lumber. However, this venture was short-lived due to storm damage in 1926, which destroyed the end platform of the pier. Despite this setback, the pier found new life as a recreational and fishing spot, eventually becoming a beloved landmark.
Initially a private enterprise, the Pismo Beach Pier was later dedicated to the county and, more recently, the city assumed responsibility for its maintenance. Ownership of the surrounding beaches was transferred to the state in the 1950s, further solidifying the pier as a public asset.
Throughout its history, the Pismo Pier has been a central hub for community activities. It quickly became a hotspot for fishing, and with the rise of surfing culture, it also served as a prime viewing location for watching surfers. At one point, a lookout tower stood on the pier, though whether it was used for military purposes during WWII or for lifeguards and surfers remains a topic of local interest.
In the early 1900s, a large three-story pavilion stood near the current pier parking lot, offering dancing and live band performances. This pavilion, which burned down around 1945, was later replaced by the Rose Garden Ballroom. This ballroom continued the tradition of live music and dancing, attracting locals and visitors alike.
The pier also has ties to a more infamous chapter in American history. It is said that Al Capone himself made a brief stop in Pismo Beach in the 1920s, with a photograph of him playing pool at a local establishment, now home to Cool Cat Café.
A 1923 newspaper article from The Tribune in San Luis Obispo captures the ambition behind the pier’s construction. The Pismo Beach Pier and Amusement Company, a $500,000 corporation, was formed to build the pier and develop an amusement center. Plans included a grand dance hall, a plunge pool with modern facilities, a theater, and various other amusements designed to attract tourists. While some of these grand ideas never fully materialized, the pier became a vital part of Pismo Beach’s identity.
Today, the Pismo Beach Pier stands as a testament to the vision of early developers and the community’s enduring love for this coastal icon. Whether you’re fishing, surfing, or simply strolling along its boards, the pier remains a timeless part of Pismo Beach’s charm.
From the Archive
Special thanks and photo credit to the Effie McDermott Archive
