Giant chess set

Morro Bay, California, United States

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The Giant Chessboard in Morro Bay, California, was conceived in 1970-71 as part of Centennial Parkway, a memorial to the city's centennial, and opened to the public in 1975 alongside the Centennial Stairway, to a design by a Cal Poly architecture student. According to the city, the pieces were built from recycled redwood from two water tanks that had served the city for 50 years. Visitors can reserve the board through the city's recreation services. Roadside guides describe a board 16 feet square.

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Giant chess set

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Approximate location · 35.365° N, 120.845° W

FIELD GUIDE

The story

Morro Bay's Giant Chessboard, opened in 1975, has pieces made from redwood water tanks that had served the town for 50 years.

The City of Morro Bay says Centennial Parkway was conceived in 1970 or 1971 as a memorial to the city's centennial year. Through the work of local volunteers and a design by a Cal Poly architecture student, the chessboard and the Centennial Stairway opened to the public in 1975. The city says the stairway, like the chess pieces, was built from recycled redwood and two dismantled water tanks that had stood atop Morro Bay Boulevard. The page gives the address as 806 Embarcadero.

Roadside guides add detail the city page leaves out. Worlds Largest Things describes a concrete board of alternating black and white 2-foot squares, 16 feet on a side, and says a committee raised more than $15,000 in citizen contributions, with the city adding public funds. Weird California gives a dedication date of December 6, 1975, and puts the pieces at 18 to 30 pounds. In 1983 the Morro Bay Chess Club built tables and benches beside the board.

The city's Centennial Parkway page lists reservations Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., through Morro Bay Recreation Services, with 48 hours' notice, and invites visitors to join the Chess Club on Saturdays from noon.

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WHAT TO EXPECT

City-maintained public park feature; reservable through Morro Bay Recreation Services weekdays 9am-5pm, and open to the public/Chess Club on Saturdays.

ACCESS

Centennial Parkway, at the bottom of the Centennial Stairway, Morro Bay, CA.

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24 km away

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