The Avila Beach area was used by the Spaniards and Portuguese many centuries ago. It is rumored that Juan Cabrillo came into the natural harbor for fresh water and to rest after a rough passage around Point Conception. Richard Henry Dana also used the natural headlands to anchor up out of the wind, resupply and trade with the local Chumash Indians.
In 1873, John Harford built the Harford wharf. Using horses, he offloaded schooners and imported cargo from the big city. He sold the goods in San Luis Obispo and northern Santa Barbara County. Ships carrying supplies, mail and passengers laid alongside the Harford Pier. Harford eventually sold his enterprise to Charles Goodall for $30,000 , including the land west of San Luis Creek all the way to the Port.
In 1876 the Marre Hotel was built at Port San Luis where passengers would rest up while waiting for passage on the next ship. The narrow gauge railroad was built in 1880’s, carrying both passengers and cargo. Between 1893 and 1913 the federal breakwater, funded by congressional action, had been built to provide a safe anchorage at the wharf. Cattle and agriculture goods were exported to the big cities, lumber and dry goods were imported to the area. The narrow gauge railroad ran out onto the wharf to carry cargo back and forth to market.
Smugglers used the Port for illegal nighttime movement of liquor. The G-Men had a hard time catching the persons involved as it was a community effort and outsiders were not welcome. Large quantities of liquor came ashore in the area now know as Pirates Cove. The local commerce fell on hard times at the onset of the Depression and the Port fell into disrepair. The old wooden wharf (Harford Pier) was worn and there was no money to keep in good repair. The railroad and pier was sold to the Elton Tognazzini in 1942 for $17,265.
In 1954 the citizens of southern San Luis Obispo County voted to create and fund a Harbor District for the Port San Luis Area. It was hoped that this action would provide for a method to fix up the old facilities and create some commerce for the south county. Five Harbor Commissioners were elected and the harbor was given new life. In 1955 the State Legislature granted the Harbor District the area's tidelands in trust. The State owns the waters out to three miles and usually manages this resource. Very few grants being given, this, indeed, was another chance to improve the Port's dilapidated facilities. Tognazzini sold his property, including the Harford Pier, to the Harbor District for $500,000 in the late 1950’s, using a loan from the State Department of Boating and Waterways.
The Harbor Commission has since sought to implement the original goal of the first Commission and vision of the Founding Fathers of the District. That is, to repair the facilities and become economically viable while serving the public. In the past ten years the Commission have concentrated more on environmental responsibilities, while maintaining a balance to serve the boating and general public.
Teacher Resource and Information – ‘The History of Avila Beach and Port San Luis’
State Tidelands Grant, 1955
The Port San Luis Harbor District, located on the Central California Coast in San Luis Obispo County, is a major center for commercial, recreational and industrial activities.
The coastline (8,400 acres of State tidelands) is under the control of the District and represents a fascinating interaction between land, water, and human enterprise. Since the Port's development in the late 1800s, the harbor has served a critical function in the economy, and in the identity, of San Luis Obispo County.
The importance of the harbor was recognized by the local community in 1953 by voting for the formation of the Harbor District. At that time, the Harbor District served purely commercial harbor functions, which were enterprise in nature. Commercial fishing, agricultural exports and a marine oil terminal were the primary cargoes transferred at the harbor. At the time, these functions provided much of the funding required for the District to operate through the collection of wharfage and rental income. Uses of the harbor included: (3) commercial piers, commercial fishing, recreational boating, marine repairs, and the wholesale processing of fresh fish, including abalone processing.
The State Legislature gave impetus to the development of the harbor in 1954 by approving the local vote and formation of the Harbor District (State Harbor & Navigation Code Section 6000 et seq.) and (1955) by granting to the District those state-owned tidelands encompassing the whole San Luis Bay (Chapter 647 of Statutes of 1955, as amended by Chapter 302 of Statutes of 1957). Harbor Districts are formed to (Code 6012 [d]) improve and develop the harbor including "dredging, ship ways, berths, anchorage and turning basins, the construction of jetties, breakwaters, bulkheads, seawalls, wharves, ferry slips, warehouses, roads and spurs tracks or line railroads...".
The tidelands granted (Chapter 647 - 1955; Chapter 302 - amended 1957) to the Harbor District by the State of California, were mandated "to be used for harbor, aviation, wharves, docks, piers, slips, quays, and other structures." The land was also "to be used for establishment of public buildings, parks, playgrounds, public recreation, public fishing, and public access and public navigation."
The State tidelands grant mandates specific functions that the District must guarantee for public use. The grant mandates that the District provide "facilities and appliances necessary or convenient for the promotion and accommodation of commerce and commercial as well as recreational navigation by air and by water." It also mandates that "the State of California shall have at all times the right to use, without charge, all wharves, docks, piers, slips, quays or any other improvements and facilities constructed on said lands."
The original intent of Port San Luis to obtain the State Tidelands Grant, was to develop a public harbor to meet the needs of the people of the state. The tidelands grant was based on this objective, and mandated that the District also provide recreational and visitor-serving uses within the granted lands. The Harbor District, while complying with the State Lands Commission's directive, has recognized the need to provide additional non-enterprise services to ensure the enjoyment, safety, and access of the State granted lands.
Harbor District Functions Since the Harbor District's formation, the Port has taken on more than just harbor enterprise (oil industry and commercial fishing ) functions. As a result of the California Coastal Act of 1976, the District has been required to provide non-enterprise coastal-dependent visitor-serving and recreation uses. The Coastal Act Section 30701 also declares that the Ports of the State of California, constitutes one of the State's primary economic and coastal resources and are an essential element of the national maritime (including recreational ) industries.
In 1984, the State and County gave the Avila State Beach and Pier properties to the Harbor District. Avila Beach is the most popular beach in San Luis Obispo County, and contains many amenities and services that the Harbor District provides to the public. These amenities or services include: public rest rooms, maintenance of beach/buildings, maintenance of the 1,630-foot Avila Pier, utility costs, lifeguard and security services.
Harford Pier, which is another public access pier, has been designated a national historic structure by the California State Historic Preservation Office. The State Historic Preservation Office, as a result, has required the Harbor District to preserve and restore the pier, which serves a major commercial and recreational fishing function. In addition, the California State Department of Forestry has required the District to upgrade the pier with fire safety devices including the construction of a fire sprinkler system under the entire 1,424-foot pier, at substantial cost to the District.
The Harbor District has implemented and provided new coastal access facilities within Avila Beach area, by improvements to beach launching ramps, construction of public rest rooms and handicap access to the facilities. The District has also assisted in providing access to the Pecho Coast and Point San Luis Lighthouse, where access has never before been provided. The District wishes to continue to provide coastal access in compliance with California Coastal Act Section 30212. Tax revenues for the Harbor District fund many non-enterprise public programs. These tax funded improvements are essential in maintaining and enhancing the community's use of the public facilities at Port San Luis.
Although Port San Luis once performed pure harbor enterprise functions, it now has expanded to provide many public serving (non-enterprise) activities. Current uses of the Harbor District now include: