In 1873 John Harford constructed the Harford pier to allow for the shipment of goods and passengers to nearby
San Luis Obispo. The pier was connected to a railroad and, by the late 1870s, included a hotel for passengers waiting to embark on ships arriving at the pier. In the late 1800s, construction began on a
breakwater that extended southeast from the point to provide further protection for the pier. By 1890, the
Point San Luis Lighthouse was constructed on a bluff above the point. In 1910
Union Oil began using the port to export oil extracted from the
San Joaquin Valley. This new trade led to the construction of additional piers and railroads, with oil exports continuing to expand well into the 1920s. With the onset of the
Great Depression oil exports ceased and the port fell into disuse, with Harford pier being demolished. With the arrival of
World War II, the port became important once again, acting as a supplying station for U.S. naval vessels. In 1954 voters in
San Luis Obispo County, California approved the creation of a harbor district to conserve and maintain the port's facilities and its surrounding tidelands. In 1955, the
California State Legislature granted the harbor district the surrounding tidelands in trust. In 1984, the Legislature also granted the district a trust over Avila Beach. ==Features==