Morro Bay is celebrating its 60th birthday. Here’s how it became a city in the first place

The second-youngest city in San Luis Obispo County — Morro Bay — had a milestone 60th birthday on July 17.

Atascadero is the baby in the family, incorporated in 1979. That carries a bit of irony because E.G. Lewis had land developments in both areas during the early 20th century.

Seafaring explorer Juan Rodrígues Cabrillo named the iconic rock El Moro in 1542. It reminded him of a style of hat worn by the Moors of Spain, according to Morro Bay National Estuary Program’s website.

Both Chumash and Salinan tribes call it Lisamu’ or Lesa’mo’, respectively, and it has a sacred role in their cultures.

Later developers built a causeway out to the island of rock and used dynamite to quarry.

Morro Bay got a strong push to become a city when PG&E built the power plant in an area that had previously been a World War II training ground for the U.S. Navy.

The early 1960s was a civic-minded time. Twenty men and three women ran for five City Council seats according to a July 2, 1964, article that had photos and capsule biographies of the candidates.

They ranged in age from 40 to 69 and many were already involved in local service associations, businesses or were veterans of the armed services.

The election ran almost 2-1 in favor of incorporation. The July 8, 1964, story said the unofficial tally was 1,505 for incorporation to 746 against.

Meanwhile, Paul Bowen, Jack Surfluh, Chester Zinn, Vernon Crass and William Payne all appeared to be the winning candidates pending final certification.

Just before the election, Charles Judson wrote this article for the Telegram-Tribune published July 4, 1964.

Community to test maturity with vote on incorporation

This north coast community known as Beautiful Morro Bay may elect to become the City of Greater Morro Bay next week.

The decision will be made on Tuesday in a special election on incorporation. At the same time voters will choose five council men from a field of 23 to serve if city status is approved.

The outcome of the voting is in doubt. The community is divided by the Highway 1 freeway as well as in other respects.

While there is wide agreement that administration of the community from the Courthouse in San Luis Obispo has not always been good for it, the community does not fully trust itself.

Morro Bay remains a disturbed settlement, due in part to a childhood that was less than happy in some respects, and because of other things that have occurred in more recent years, such as the tidelands title suits.

The ghost of the late E.G. Lewis also still haunts this lovely neighborhood.

Lewis was a real estate promoter of an earlier California land boom era who left a lot of heartbreak scattered along the coast.

Lewis appropriated that section of greater Morro Bay known as Atascadero Beach for use as a branch of his mail order land promotion and development inland at Atascadero.

While time has erased most of the evidence of the Lewis promotion, some of this old hurt remains and is a factor in the current campaign for Morro Bay incorporation.

Since the Lewis disaster, that area north of the PG&E plant and east of the highway known as Morro Del Mar has been fighting to hold on and make a comeback.

While considered the poor relation by some in Morro Bay proper, Morro Del Mar has its own water district and fire department now, both debt-free. The water district has a comfortable surplus. Both of these facilities and services would be absorbed under incorporation and some residents of the area don’t fancy this.

Aside from Morro Rock itself, the PG&E generating plant is the biggest thing in Morro Bay and its influence is much greater than the rock.

While it clutters up the landscape, it represents a cherished island of high tax assessment and is the main reason why Morro Bay can entertain the idea of incorporation.

A contributing factor to some degree of Morro Bay’s split personality is the legal tanglefoot involving its waterfront.

Until these painful title issues involving county administration of the tidelands are resolved, Morro Bay, incorporated or not can scarcely call its soul its own.

While Morro Bay has a whole lot going for it — an attractive and desirable area, sufficient assessed valuation to pay its own way, and a favorable growth situation — community leadership has been lacking.

The process and fact of incorporation might produce the challenge that would create the leadership.

Anyway, the vote on incorporation Tuesday will test the will in Morro Bay to grow up.