Iconic OB Pier Turns 50 This Summer
The famous Ocean Beach Pier turns 50 this July, and the OB Mainstreet Association is planning big celebrations to honor the 2nd longest pier on the West Coast, and completed in 1966.
One of the neat things the merchants’ group is doing is collecting stories and photos about and of the pier.
OBMA is asking people to share their stories and pics – and send them to the merchants’ group staff who plan on publishing a PierBook at some point with the stories and photos.
Here is the link to the page where you can share them.
Isabel Clark is the Program Director with the OBMA leading the efforts surrounding the Pier’s celebration.
She encourages people to send the memories, photos and pier memorabilia directly to her (isabel@oceanbeachsandiego.com ) or bring materials by the OBMA office.
Clark told the Beacon press group:
“July is the 50th anniversary of the pier, which opened the weekend of July 2-4 in 1966. We’re also collecting people’s pier memories …. If people have memories they want to share, we’d love to have them so we can share them with the world.
“People have gotten married on the pier, had their first kiss there or been parents sharing special moments with their children or grandchildren there. It’s just a special, awesome place.”
“We’ll have some new banners going up in the neighborhood that will have a pier them. We really have beautiful artwork for that.”
The Pier opened on on July 2, 1966, and thousands of San Diegans turned out. Then Mayor Frank Curran was there along with California Governor Pat Brown – father of Jerry Brown – who cut the ribbon. (Curran was later indicted in the Yellowcab Taxi scandal that rocked City Hall in the sixties.)
The Pier had been promised the folks of Ocean Beach and the rest of San Diego when the old fishing bridge, built in 1915, that went from north OB to southern Mission Beach was taken down in 1951. In fact, back then hundreds of OBceans had signed petitions in protest of the removal of the favored bridge. The bridge also contained trolley tracks for the trains that used to run through OB.
Meanwhile, if you do have something to share, send them to the OBMA. Just remember, submittals should include contact information; stories and photos may be used in upcoming promotional materials on the website or social media channels. By submitting a story or image, respondents assert that they are the copyright holder of that media and give their consent for OBMA to use their material. For more information, or to have questions answered, call (619) 224-4906.
There is also a pier jigsaw puzzle available for $25 at OBMA’s office at 1868 Bacon St. or at select OB businesses. For more information, visit OceanBeachSanDiego.com. The official pier hashtag is #OBPier.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Hope you caught my sly use of “pier review” – could have titled it : “OBMA looking for a Jury of Your Pier”
Peer into the past off the pier with your peers.
Pier into the past of the pier with your peers.
Well, I’m zero for two.
Peer into the past of the pier with your peers.
Put the beer down and type with two hand, Rick.
Geoff, good point, Pointer parent.
There may or may not be the rusting remains of a couple old BMX bikes about 20′ off the north end of the pier dating to 2006, which may or may not have been part of an inadvertent 40th anniversary pier celebration conducted by some early-20s OBecians…