Morro Rock and Smoke Stacks Pano
by Floyd Snyder
Title
Morro Rock and Smoke Stacks Pano
Artist
Floyd Snyder
Medium
Photograph - Photography And Digital Creations
Description
Morro Rock and Smoke Stacks by Floyd Snyder
Morro Bay is a world-class tourist destination due in no small part to Morro Rock itself. But it is also famous for its smokestacks even though the power company that once one them has abandoned the site.
The Morro Bay Power Plant closed in 2014 due to unaffordable upgrades, environmental regulations, and a lack of energy demand. Built in 1955, the 100-acre natural gas power plant powered much of the cities of the Central Valley. It remains as a landmark of the region, the Three Stacks each 450-feet tall tower over the Morro Bay waterfront and demarcates the region. Demolishing the power plant is out of the question the city of Morro Bay, is unwilling to pay the estimated $30 million dollar demolition cost, which is almost triple the city’s annual budget.
Morro Rock located in Morro Bay, California is the most famous of the Nine Sisters, a string of extinct volcano peaks, referred to as volcano plugs, that run through San Luis Obispo country. Many construction projects mined the rock itself for use in building the breakwater of Morro Bay and Port San Luis Obispo and the famous Bixby Bridge on well traveled Highway One.
In 1963 the blasting was stopped and in 1966 the title to the rock was transferred to the State of California. Both the City of Morro Bay and the Country of San Luis Obispo have had it declared a California Registered Historical Landmark and it is now a designated bird sanctuary for the Peregrine Falcon and other sea birds.
The rock got its name "El Morro" in 1542 by Portuguese Explorer Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo and it is said to be 23 million years old. The rock stands 576 feet tall and has been a navigational aid for mariners for over 300 years.
It is often referred to as the "Gibraltar of the Pacific" and is the last of the nine peaks that extends from the city of San Luis Obispo to Morro Bay. You can count all nine of these peaks as you make the drive from San Luis Obispo to Morro Bay.
Another one of the peaks was made famous when local contractor and restaurant owner Alex Madonna was trying to develop a project on the peak located near his famous restaurant and hotel, The Madonna Inn. The Madonna Inn itself is also a famous stop for tourist traveling up the coast. The New York Times called the Madonna Inn a fantasy themed hotel of excesses and charm.
Uploaded
March 16th, 2021
Statistics
Viewed 266 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 03/27/2024 at 7:47 PM
Embed
Share
Sales Sheet
Comments
There are no comments for Morro Rock and Smoke Stacks Pano. Click here to post the first comment.