Michael Smookler releases second book of Coastside history and photos

Michael Smookler

Wiencke’s Hotel was built in Moss Beach in 1882.  J.F. Wiencke, whose photograph is on the cover of the book, founded Moss Beach in 1881. The hotel and restaurant burned in 1911.  Wiencke Way begins at Highway 1 and extends westward towards the ocean.

Michael Smookler, who self-published Montara: A Pictorial History last year, has just published second book of Coastside history.  Arcadia Publishing just released The San Mateo County Coast. Smookler will hold a book signing at the Barnes & Noble in San Bruno Saturday, December 10 from 1 to 3 pm.

The book covers a history of the coast from San Francisco to Año Nuevo, emphasizing how the geology of the coast has impacted the history of the coast.  The first chapter deals with earthquakes, faults, and landslides.  Later chapters cover roads, agriculture, fishing, hotels and restaurants, and defenses.  There are 200 photographs including inputs from the R. Guy Smith collection, Al Baccari collection (US Bank in Pacifica), the Deeney family (Martin Beach), and many others.

Smookler consulted with a geologist on the staff of NOAA for guidance.  "I also wanted to see and photograph the coast like early Spanish explorers," he told me in an email, "so I chartered a fishing boat captained by Moon Mullins for this purpose." Highlights include the bombing of Pillar Point Air Force Station in 1975, the 4,000 pounds of fish heads dumped on the Port of Oakland, and construction of the tunnel.