Crystal Pier 1927

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On April 25, 1925, Ernest Pickering placed a classified ad in the San Diego Union announcing his plans to build a million-dollar pier in Pacific Beach. Pickering was no stranger to the pier business—he owned a pier in Santa Monica, but it burned down in 1924. The plan for the Pacific Beach pier was born when Earl Taylor, a local realtor, approached Pickering with the idea. Taylor needed an attraction to encourage people to purchase homes in the area. In 1927, “Pickering’s Pleasure Pier” opened to the public. Over the next 10 years, the pier would have multiple owners who would face challenges with the city. In 1936, “Crystal Pier” opened again, but the property would continue to switch hands until 1961. The pier is reportedly now owned by the locally based Allen family, who also own the 32 cottages that make up the Crystal Pier Hotel.

Built for Our Amusement

$400

Price of a home site in nearby Mission Beach in 1924

11

Number of months in advance required to reserve a Crystal Pier cottage in summer

872

Length in feet of Crystal Pier

2009

Visitors no longer need a fishing license to fish at Crystal Pier

10

Total number of piers in San Diego County

240

Feet of the pier that were ripped away by a storm in 1987