Mori Point, Pacifica: Bootleggers, Speakeasies, and Prohibition
It was typically a cold and foggy night when Jack Mori would climb down to the beach from his family’s farm and roadside inn. He would stick close to the cliffs, partly to find protection from the stinging winds and partly to avoid detection. The prohis, federal agents hellbent on stopping the influx of illegal booze into the San Francisco Bay Area, were making more and more incursions into Pacifica and Half Moon Bay. As he stood on the beach now known as Sharp Park, Jack shivered as he awaited the signal from the foggy ocean. After what seemed like hours, the flickering lights would suddenly appear, and Jack would row out to the awaiting schooner, which was packed with crates of illegal Canadian whiskey.
Decades earlier, Jack’s father, Stefano Mori, had immigrated to the United States from Italy, and in 1888, he bought the homestead that would house the family farm where his family would graze cattle and grow crops. Eventually, the family would open the Mori’s Point Inn, one of the first speakeasies in California. Their operation was so successful that in one raid, federal agents would confiscate millions of dollars in booze. In fact, the San Mateo County Historical Association would describe the Mori family as “kingpins of bootlegging.”
The operation was simple, Jack would offload the illicit spirits, and his brother Ray would operate the roadside inn just off Highway 1 where the drinks were secretly served. In fact, their operation would become so large-scale and efficient that Jack built a lever and pulley system that would allow him to guide a small skiff back and forth from the rumrunners’ schooners to the beach. It is said that Mori could unload an entire brig in just one night.
This wildly successful operation went on almost unchallenged during the entirety of Prohibition, in part due to the lawlessness of San Mateo County and partly due to the ruggedness of the coastal communities. Federal agents, by and large, had little support from the locals, who they relied on as informants and snitches. But illegal booze was big business in San Mateo County - so big, in fact, that the coastal economy took a huge hit after Prohibition ended with the 21st amendment. The Moris and other speakeasy operators in Pacifica and Half Moon Bay were also largely unchecked because the federal agents just couldn’t get to them. This was the era before Highway 1 and a recently planned coastal railroad had fallen through. The isolation of the San Mateo County coast made it a perfect place for offloading illegal booze, and the locals, who were familiar with the land, were able to transport it through the surrounding mountains and into San Francisco and the larger San Mateo County.
Today, Mori Point is a part of the Golden Gate Recreational Area (GGRA). Decades of neglect and unregulated recreation, like hiking and bicycling, took a massive toll on the point’s natural habitat. After being acquired by the Trust for Public Land in 2002, Mori Point was eventually folded into the GGRA, and restoration projects had begun. Visitors can access Mori Point from Highway 1, Rockaway Beach, or Sharp Park Beach. This public land has a web of trails and stunning views, where visitors can see with their own eyes where schooners were anchored while their illegal cargo was offloaded by Jack Mori during Prohibition.
Bootlegger Beanies are designed as an homage to these years of bootlegging and speakeasies. Each beanie is made from Peruvian wool, which will keep its wearer’s dome warm and comfortable during even the coldest and foggiest days. Inside each beanie is also a secret pouch for a credit card and ID, so when you are visiting your local watering hole, you don’t have to worry about losing your wallet. Bootlegger Beanies are wearable history that combine sleek designs and practicality without sacrificing comfort.