Princeton-By-The-Sea

The isolation imposed by the sometimes raging Pacific Ocean and breathtaking coastal barrier mountains helped mold the historic personalities of Princeton-by-the-Sea and neighboring Miramar. In the early 1900s, these towns were placed along the Ocean Shore Railroad to attract visitors and settlers from San Francisco to these peaceful shores. Rumrunners, bootleggers, operators of shady roadhouses, and a brazen red-haired madam were characters here in the 1920s. In the 1940s, wind-gnarled fishermen, funky eateries, and a miniature cannery row stood watch over the northern end of the bay, under the stunning rock landmark of Pillar Point. In these pages are the boats, fishermen, buildings, beaches, and personalities that make Princeton-by-the-Sea and Miramar anything but typical Bay Area suburbs.

Local writer and historian June Morrall tells the unique story of Princeton and Miramar through vintage images culled from private collections, the Spanishtown Historical Society, and the San Mateo County History Museum. Morrall, author of Half Moon Bay Memories: The Coastside's Colorful Past, has written extensively on history for the San Mateo County Times and maintains a colorful Web site devoted to coastal memories. Morrall shows here that these communities' unique ways still persist and contribute to the enduring charm of these secluded coastside towns.