1891: Pillar Point was the Back Door (4)

All efforts to protect San Francisco from invasion by a foreign enemy was useless, it was believed in 1891, unless something was done at Pillar Point, some kind of fortifications.

The federal government’s partially completed survey of the coastline between Point Lobos and Half Moon Bay showed a number of black rocks several hundred yards from Pillar Point, the most identifiable called “Sail Rock.” Also identified was a reef that stretched to the southwest, perhaps a mile in length, and known as the “inner reef,” which broke the swell and made it safe to anchor.

Remnants of an old decaying wharf were still visible–believed to have been once used as the northern headquarters of Portuguese whalers, who had a second whaling station at Pigeon Point, south of Pescadero. The wharf near Pillar Point required workers to wade out to it, to deliver goods to steamers and to pick up materials.

….to be continued…

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