Since its beginning , Stearns Wharf has had several natural and economic disasters , from the big earthquake in 1925 to a fire in 1973 which caused its closing . The wharf stayed closed for six years until restorations were completed in 1981 . Another fire in the winter of 1998 devastated the last hundred and fifty feet of the wharf , including Moby Dick Restaurant . Though the rest of the wharf remained open during this period , the rebuilding took over two years . Stearns Wharf stands today as Santa Barbara 's most visited landmark
big earthquake in 1925
1925 Santa Barbara earthquake
Stearns Wharf