John P. Stearns built Santa Barbara's major commercial wharf in 1872 with funds borrowed from W. W. Hollister. The enterprise was successful, although Stearns Wharf suffered from severe storms in 1878. Steamships brought passengers to the wharf regularly for over four decades. A busy industrial and fishing pier, it was closed to pleasure use during World War II. The Santa Barbara Wharf Company operated Stearns Wharf from 1955 to 1973. In 1980-81 the City restored the wharf's substructure, constructed entirely new buildings, and assumed operation of the facility.
