Oilport, CA aka Sunset Palisades
A
cache
by Oreo Pony
Hidden:
10/13/2006
Size:
 (Micro)
Difficulty: 
Terrain: 
(1 is easiest, 5 is hardest)
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DO NOT GO PAST THE ROPES! The cliffs nearby are dangerous. No need
to pass the roped off area.
This beautiful residential community is the sight of many a
wonderful sunset. Hence its name, Sunset Palisades. There are spicy
stories of some of the structures along the bluffs having
underground rooms, where liquor could be smuggled in from the cove
during Prohibition.
In 1905 an ill-fated oil port and refinery, California Petroleum
Refineries, was started employing over 500 men. It was closed down
in July 1907, just two weeks after it was completed, because a
giant tidal wave completely destroyed the half-mile long pier and
wrecked the refinery. avilabeachtrolley.org
The mighty Oilport, constructed up the coast from Pismo Beach at
a cost of $1.5 million, and blasted away just one month after its
inception by the unrelenting fury of a Pacific storm.
historyinslocounty.com
 In
July 1910, J. Smeaton Chase rode his horse from Mexico to
Oregon. His observance of Oilport: "The coast here trends west
and then south, to form the bay of San Luis Obispo. To this
point come pipe-lines from the oil-fields in the interior, and
from Port Harford, on the west side of the bay, cargoes of oil
are shipped to many ports on this side of the globe. At
Oilport I saw a deserted refining-plant, complete to every
accessory, and representing a huge outlay. Its owners had been
defeated in some bout of wits with the colossi of the
industry, and there it remains, silent and inactive, an
example to rash capitalists." CALIFORNIA COAST TRAILS: A
Horseback Ride from Mexico to Oregon ventanawild.org
 When
Calvert began to break ground for building houses he found
skeletons of Indians who had died and were buried in the area.
He also found bracelets of copper, arrowheads, spear head, and
stone bowls, which had been used for grinding meal. Most of
the Indian artifacts were found near the ocean between
Placentia and Palomar Streets. Major archaeological sites have
been noted in this area and that of Sunset Palisades. It was
known as Oilport and was opened in August of 1907, quite
different from today's residential Sunset Palisades area.
Built with investor funds, it operated for only one month.
The plant, built by California Petroleoum Refineries Ltd., was
to be the most modern on the West Coast. Nearly 2.25 million bricks
went into the construction of the facilities. Financed primarily by
investors, it cost over $2 million to build. It was to be the most
complete refinery on the coast. It was set up to produce kerosene,
gasoline, lubricating oil, and oil byproducts.
The refinery existed until just after World War II, when it was
finally torn down. The land was sold, subdivided and replaced with
housing. pismobeachrealestate.info
Additional Hints (
Decrypt
)
Decryption Key
A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z
(letter above equals below,
and vice versa)
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Evtug ebyyvat uvgpu!
(Decrypted Hints)
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Current time: 11/21/2009 7:17:22 PM
Last Updated: 10/12/2009 3:58:56 AM
Rendered: From Database
Coordinates are in the WGS84 datum
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