Step back in Monterey history and enjoy On the Waterfront: The Chris Shake Collection. This special 40-photo exhibit will be on display at the Monterey History and Art at Stanton Center (MHAA), 5 Custom House Plaza, Monterey, CA from November 1, 2025 – January 25, 2026.

The connection between Chris Shake and Old Fisherman’s Wharf runs deep, with a family history spanning almost a century. Chris is one of six sons of legendary restaurant owner Sabu Shake, Sr., who founded Old Fisherman’s Grotto in the 1950s. Chris learned the restaurant business at his father’s knee from the time he was a child with the Wharf as his playground, his school, and his community.

Chris took over ownership of Old Fisherman’s Grotto after his father passed away and followed in his footsteps as restaurateur while infusing it with his own personality. He built the restaurant into a successful enterprise that allows him to give back to the Monterey community as a leading philanthropist and cultural steward. Chris champions Wharf heritage and its future as a sponsor of activities that appeal to locals and tourists, as well as holding a leadership role in the Fisherman’s Wharf Association.

Living and working in one of the most beautiful places on earth, Chris developed a keen appreciation of photography, especially images that captured the spirit, grit, and grace of the working waterfront. His extensive photo collection grew organically over the years, through both acquisition and personal encounters. Many of the photos were a gift from Bill Hyler, another Wharf business leader whose own life experiences are represented in the historical photograph collection.  

The collection reflects both a visual history of Old Fisherman’s Wharf and the iconic Monterey waterfront. It is a photo essay of Chris’ personal connection to the people and places that shaped the community he calls ‘home’. Among his favorite images are candid portraits of local fishermen and vivid snapshots of daily life along the docks that have become living history.

‘I have long loved remembering the Wharf in earlier days - the people, the scenery. Looking at these photos feels like I’m stepping back in time.’ ~Chris Shake

To learn more and purchase tickets, go to www.montereyhistory.org. 

About Monterey History and Art Association    

Fulfilling its mission, Monterey History and Art Association (MHAA) exists to share the histories and diverse legacies of people, stories, and places that continue to shape Monterey.

From its founding in 1931, MHAA has helped preserve the irreplaceable reminders of Monterey’s colorful heritage. Over the past seven decades, the MHAA leadership team has worked closely with the City of Monterey, California State Parks, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and other agencies. As a result, more old adobes have been preserved and restored in Monterey than anywhere else in California.

MHAA instituted Monterey’s historic landmark program and created the Path of History which guides visitors to historic sites in old Monterey. The building houses extensive collections of furnishings, paintings, photographs, costumes, books, manuscripts, and other one-of-a-kind, historical artifacts.

Monterey History and Art Association at Stanton Center at 5 Custom House Plaza has a fascinating array of historic art exhibits and special events. You will find easy-to-access parking in the Waterfront Lot next to Old Fisherman’s Wharf. Stop by any Thursday through Monday, from Noon – 4 pm.

Casa Serrano located nearby 412 Pacific Street is open from Noon – 2 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Both are in walking distance to parking, the Wharf, and the Monterey Bay Coastal Rec Trail.

For more information, call 831-372-2608 or email [email protected].

Use the links below to explore more MHAA properties and resources:

• Casa Serrano – An 1843 adobe
• Doud House – An 1868 wooden frame house
• Mayo Hayes O’Donnell Library – An 1876 church now used as a research library, includes images and documents from the collection
• Stanton Center – Currently featuring Bounty of the Sea, an exhibition hosted by the Italian Heritage Society of the Monterey Peninsula, and the art of Jo Mora, Paul Whitman, Armin Hansen, and Emile Norman, the Chris Shake Photo Collection and more
• Jo Mora Collection – Preserving and honoring the legacy of artist Jo Mora
• MHAA Indexes – Indexes and full text of Noticias del Puerto de Monterey issues and Peninsula Diary columns
• Interactive Map – Explore and engage with the history of Monterey, created by freelance artisan Hanna Sobonya with detailed notes here.

Monterey History and Art Association has been a guiding force for the vital historic stewardship of Monterey. The guarding of Monterey’s precious community assets and the preservation and presentation of its historical heritage for future enjoyment is made possible by citizens who care and give generously of their time and resources.

‘It is beyond contradiction that every important historical event in California from 1770 to 1848 began or ended in Monterey, and that the buildings associated with these events are the greatest of Monterey’s tangible assets. Monterey’s historical background, its old buildings, and its artistic setting are unique among all the states of the West, and it is not only its civic duty, but also its civic advantage, to remember that background, to preserve its old buildings, and to build with its historical past in mind.’ Source: Monterey History and Art Association 75th Anniversary book.