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or The Palo Alto Cement Ship Seascape California
Docked at the foot of a pier, Palo Alto has gone to the birds, so to speak. It was built at the Oakland shipyard in 1918 as a supply ship for the World War I effort. The war ended before she ever saw service and with time on her hands, she was sold to the Seacliff Amusement Company of Nevada, and towed in 1929 to what would later become Seacliff State Beach. A casino and dance hall, arcades and entertainment were featured on this monster party boat until its owners went belly when the Great Depression rocked the world in the early 1930's.



Today, the Palo Alto lays in pieces on the floor of the Monterey Bay, tenuously connected to a fragile pier which was damaged in recent storms. One of the most photographed landmarks of the region, birds have discovered a haven not accessible to humans.