The S.S. Palo Alto, a cement ship built when plans for a concrete shipping fleet arose during the World War I war effort because steel was scarce, was ordered in 1918 less than six months before the war ended. After its launch, the Palo Alto lay at anchor in Oakland, California, an oil tanker without a cargo. In 1924 it was sold as scrap for $18,750. Towed to Seacliff Beach in 1930, it was meant to become an entertainment resort with a ballroom, restaurant, swimming pool, and arcade, but after opening during the Great Depression the resort failed within two years. In February 1936 the ship was sold to the State for one dollar. Though broken and firmly at rest, the Palo Alto remains protected as a historic resource, a recreation destination, and a wildlife habitat, offering refuge for animals that need a hard substrate for a home.
