It may surprise some to learn that Pismo Beach isn't named after the town's famous resident bivalve, the Pismo Clam. The name "Pismo" comes from the Chumash word pismu, meaning "tar" or "the dark stuff"-- a substance the tribe gathered from springs in the area and used to caulk their seagoing canoes.
It's not surprising that local boosters chose the clam as a mascot instead of tar...because who would want to vacation at "Tar Beach"?
Today the town honors their mollusk-y namesake with three outsized clam sculptures. They're re-decorated by local artists on an ongoing basis with seasonal and beach-town themes. TSG visited two of them today and share these portraits for your enjoyment. (We didn't make it to the 3rd clam located in front of the Pismo Coast Village RV Park because we were on foot and it was a bit too far down the road.)
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PISMO BEACH VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER CLAM |
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PISMO BEACH "ENDLESS SUMMER" WELCOME CLAM |
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ARROW SHOWS CLAM ARTIST, WHO JUST HAPPENED TO BE THERE SHOWING OFF HER HANDIWORK TO VISITING RELATIVES DURING OUR PHOTO SHOOT |
1 comment:
Did not know that about the tar thing. Actually, I don't recall knowing about the clam thing, either. Those painted claim-like things are awesome, however. Boo-tiful.
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