Pacific Dunes Ranch RV Resort

Pismo Beach Oceano

The archaeological history at Pismo Beach starts at least 9,000 years ago with the Chumash Indians, who referred to the area as a place to find "pismu," or tar. European settlement in this area dates back to 1769, when Don Gaspar de Portola and parties camped in the area. According to the diary of Costanso, a member of the Portola party, "The party continued over the sand dunes and then descended to the beach, along which they walked for several miles before camping for the night. Near their camping place was an Indian village of some forty people."

Undoubtedly, the beach walked upon by the Portola party was that known today as Pismo Beach. We invite you to take a look at some of our rich history.

The City of Pismo Beach is part of the original 8,838-acre Rancho Pismo. Rancho Pismo was granted to Jose Ortega by Manuel Rinemo Goriod on November 18, 1840. Ortega is thought to have built a small adobe which later became part of the Price Adobe. The rancho was later acquired by Issac Sparks. Some folktales relate that Sparks won the land from Ortega in a game of monte, but it appears from records kept by John M. Price that the ranch was purchased for 477 head of cattle. Sparks, in 1850, appears to have given John Price El Pizmo Rancho instead of paying him wages in gold, as the deed shows a cost of $1 for the property.

Upon Spark's death, John Michael Price and Captain David Mallagh received a share of the land. Price lived and worked on the rancho until his death in 1902. Price built up sizeable horse and cattle herds which he moved onto the rancho. Mallagh owned a section of Rancho Pismo around the cave landing area (now Pirate's Cove) where he established a wharf business. Price purchased some of the property in 1854. A portion of the southern part, which is now Grover Beach and Arroyo Grande, was sold to Francisco Branch. This left him with Shell Beach, the Pismo Beach area and a large section running back into Price Canyon.

Back in 1881, Pismo's original wharf opened for business. Taking off from a point below the present Main Street, remnants of the pilings may still be seen at very low tides. It was not planned for recreation as such - it was a commercial venture, designed in part to save freight fees for South County products. Lumber was received as well as other commodities. Stock was issued to farmers and landowners for $20 a share, and the wharf was built for $14,613.

The Meherin brothers, Arroyo Grande merchants, started the venture. Most credit is given to D.J. Meherin for its inception, construction, and maintenance. In 1882, a year after its completion, Meherin figured the wharf had saved the people of the county $35,000 in a decrease of freight rates compared with those of the steamer line they would have patronized. Thirty-eight vessels were loaded at the wharf in 1882. Two warehouses were built near the entrance where teams could move cargo in and out. A small hand-car track led out to the end of the pier. The wharf was still active in 1890, but a few years later it gave way during a heavy storm. Probably contributing to the disaster was a load of heavy "bituminous rock" that had been dug in Edna and was waiting in sacks for shipment to San Francisco to be used as paving material.

The new pier that replaced the original was built in 1924 and was much longer than it is today. Some can remember driving cars along its length, then backing out, or using the tight turnaround at the end. It is said that it extended out far enough that Navy ships could tie up and the men could come ashore. The pier has sustained damage several times, but a major storm tore up the south side of the sea wall and about 500 feet off the end of the pier early in its existence. It was never put back.

After a 1983 storm washed out most of the wharf, it was rebuilt in its present configuration in 1985-86. The state, county and city all have an interest in the pier, which continues to be one of the community's major attractions.