Editing Pismo Beach, California (section)

==History==
[[File:Pismo Pier sunset 018 8x72.jpg|thumb|left|Pismo Pier at sunset]]
[[File:Oilport refinery, CA.tiff|thumb|left|The old Oilport Refinery, demolished after WWII, is now the Sunset Palisades neighborhood.]]

The [[Chumash people]] are the historic inhabitants of the region, with indigenous peoples having lived along the California coast for at least 11,000 years.<ref>Dartt-Newton, Deana and Erlandson, Jon (Summer/Fall 2006), "Little Choice for the Chumash: Colonialism, Cattle, and Coercion in Mission Period California," ''The American Indian Quarterly'', Vol. 30, No. 3 & 4, 416</ref> 
The name Pismo comes from the [[Chumashan languages|Chumash language]] word for tar, ''pismuʔ'',<ref name=eznb /> which was gathered from tar springs in Price Canyon near Pismo Beach. The tar was a valuable product, which the Chumash used to [[caulk]] their seagoing canoes, called ''[[tomol]]'', which traveled along the coast and out to the [[Channel Islands of California|Channel Islands]]. The first European land exploration of [[Alta California]], the Spanish [[Portolá expedition]], passed through the area, traveling up Price Canyon from Pismo Beach, where they camped on September 4, 1769. [[Franciscans|Franciscan]] missionary and expedition member [[Juan Crespí]] noted in his diary that they found a Chumash village near the creek.<ref>{{cite book |last=Bolton |first=Herbert E. |pages=182–184 |year=1927 |title=Fray Juan Crespi: Missionary Explorer on the Pacific Coast, 1769-1774 |url=http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000288788 |publisher=HathiTrust Digital Library |access-date=April 1, 2014}}</ref><ref>[http://www.pricepark.org/anzaexpeditions.html Price Historical Park: Portola and Anza expeditions]</ref>

Pismo Beach is located on the [[Rancho Pismo]] Mexican land grant made to José Ortega, grandson of [[José Francisco Ortega]], in 1840. In 1846, José Ortega sold Rancho Pismo to [[Isaac Sparks (ranchero)|Isaac Sparks]]. [[John Michael Price]] bought most of the rancho from Sparks. Price established the town of Pismo Beach in 1891. His homestead is now Price Historical Park.<ref>[http://www.pricepark.org/ Price Historical Park web site]</ref> His home is a registered historical landmark. Pismo is known as the clam capital of the world.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}} Nearly over 2.5 million people visit Pismo Beach.

The first wharf at Pismo was built in 1882, followed by a full-length pier built in 1924 that was financed and constructed by [[William Woodrow Ward]], who allowed full use of it by the public.  After it suffered considerable storm damage, the pier was renovated again in 1985. [[Pismo State Beach]] is named for the city of Pismo Beach.

The neighborhoods of Shell Beach and Sunset Palisades were the site of a [[Chumash people|Chumash]] village, and significant archeological sites are located in both areas. Shell Beach became agricultural land, mostly pea fields. Developer Floyd Calvert bought and developed the area in 1926. At first, it was a local resort area; after World War II, it became primarily residential. Sunset Palisades, originally called Oilport, was the site of an oil refinery from 1907 until after World War II; it is now residential.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.experiencepismobeach.com/plan/history/|title=Shell Beach and Sunset Palisades|work=Pismo Beach History|publisher=experiencepismobeach.com|access-date=July 4, 2023}}</ref>

===Clams===
The [[Pismo clam]] was named for the long, wide beach where so many were once found,  once in such abundance that they were harvested with plows. [[Clam digging|Clamming]] once drew thousands of clammers to Pismo during low tides, and is still legal, but due to [[overharvesting]] by humans and the protected [[sea otter]] (which feasts on clams), few clams are now to be found.<ref>[http://sloblogs.thetribunenews.com/slovault/2008/10/261/ Clam Calamity; The Tribune News - San Luis Obispo; 2008.]</ref>

Pismo Beach adopted the name "Clam Capital of the World" in the 1950s, though this motto is no longer used. The city still holds the Clam Festival every October, complete with [[clam chowder]] competitions and a clam-themed parade.<ref>[http://sloblogs.thetribunenews.com/slovault/2009/03/clamming-in-morro-bay/ Clamming in Morro Bay; The Tribune News - San Luis Obispo; 2009.]</ref>

At the southern end of Price Street upon first entering Pismo Beach is a gigantic concrete clam statue.  The {{convert|8|in|cm|adj=on|spell=in}} shell of a Pismo clam (''[[Tivela stultorum]]'') is on display at the Pismo Beach Chamber of Commerce.