Created 15APR95 Last updated 09SEP95

Pacfiica is a small town on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, located five miles south of the City of San Francisco, in California, USA. Our population is about 39,000, most of whom work elsewhere, so you could call Pacifica a bedroom community. The people here are predominately well educated and hold white collar day jobs, but we love the outdoors during our time off!

Although the history of Pacifica goes back to it's Indian villages, or the discovery of San Francisco Bay by the Spaniard Gaspar de Portola in 1769, and/or as the ranch home of an early Mayor of San Francisco during it's pre-Gold Rush/Spanish Mission period; Pacifica as we know it was really founded in the 1950's. In this post war period, San Francisco boomed, and the farms in Pacifica were converted into tract housing for an easy commute to jobs the City.

Built in 1906 by the grandfather of ex-congressman Jim McCloskey, this house is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the City. The house has changed hands serveral times this century, and is reported to have been a "rum runner" house during Prohibition, and one of the owners, a physician, spent time in San Quentin Prison for performing then illegal abortions. During the World War II it was occupied by the Coast Guard, and at present it is privately owned.

The combined State Park, Federal Park, and local land preserves give Pacifica it's tremendous beauty, and appeal. The hillsides include dozens (if not hundreds) of hiking and mountain bike trails. Visually, the hillsides remind me of the "dry side" of the Hawawian Islands.

25K, Hillside, including ribbon waterfall.

San Pedro creek includes a little known 100 foot series of ribbon waterfalls. Click on this "thumbnail" photo to see an enlarged photo.

58K, Closeup of portion of ribbon waterfall.

Pacifica stretches along a seven mile stretch of the Pacific Ocean, and reaches up the valleys that flow into the ocean. Most of the year, the ocean is calm, but in the Winter it can become extremely rough. All in all, Pacifica is a wonderful place to live if you love to surf, fish, or simply watch the ocean.

In the winter the waves can break at heights greater than thirty feet. Here are thumbnails of photos taken at the Pacifica Pier, with the froth from the waves reaching perhaps ten feet above the pier, which is about twenty-five feet above the sea level.

36K, The beach end of the pier during a storm.

52K, The Ocean end of the pier during a storm.

46K, Composite photo of waves breaking over the end of the pier.