Oceanside Pier

Oceanside’s present pier is the sixth structure in a long sequence. The earlier dates are part of the city’s pier history, while the 1987 date identifies the current build.

• 1888 — First wooden pier opens. Construction began in May, and the first pier reached about 1,200 feet by August.
• 1890 — First pier largely destroyed. A December storm left only about 300 feet standing.
• 1894–1903 — Iron and steel replacements follow. The second “little iron wharf” was built in 1894; a third pier followed in 1903.
• 1926–1927 — Fourth pier built and dedicated. Voters approved a bond in 1926, and the concrete pier was dedicated July 4, 1927.
• 1947 — Fifth pier completed. A second bond issue funded another replacement after storm damage.
• September 29, 1987 — Sixth and present pier opens. The Oceanside Historical Society records the formal public opening at a cost of $5 million.
• April 25, 2024 — West end damaged by fire. The City reported no injuries, about 93% of the pier saved, and roughly 90% reopened while the far west end remained closed.

Sources: Oceanside Historical Society, Pier Fishing in California, and the City of Oceanside’s pier recovery update.