Morro Bay in the late 1920s had far fewer business options.
Here is a quirky design lost to history.
Ship on a stick, or sticks.
The rock is familiar but today there is a more solid causeway leading out to it.
This is a digital scan of postcard for sale on the internet with a postmark of 1931. The inscription reads “Morro Rock, higher than Woolworth Bldg.”
The Woolworth building opened in 1913 and at 625 feet tall, was the tallest in the world till 40 Wall Street building surpassed it in 1930. Today a guy with funny hair named Trump has his name on the 40 Wall Street building.
I was guessing that this image was made in the late 1920s.
According to the book “Images of America Morro Bay”, the Ship Cafe was built about 1927 and was located at the foot of present Morro Bay Blvd near today’s giant chessboard. The owners lived in part of the ship and also ran the fish market next door.
Next to the right is a business that caters to duck hunters, offering informaton, boat rentals and decoys. At the right is a salt water plunge and dance hall.
Construction has changed the embarcadero shoreline, these were among the early businesses in Morro Bay.
Thanks to Joe Dunlop who introduced me to this image and to Vic Hansen of the website Old Morro Bay who helped me research Morro Bay images for an upcoming edition of our business magazine Biz Buzz Extra. For more old photos you can check out the walls of Dorn’s Breakers Cafe or drop by Coalesce Bookstore where they have books with historic photos.