Cliffs

The Mallard Pool

In October of 1925 Washburn settled in Morro Bay, renting a schoolhouse, which he fixed up as both living quarters and studio, and remained there until June of 1927. He created numerous plates inscribed with "Morro Bay". During this period Washburn also executed his "Plowman" series, which are listed separately. In June of 1927 he left California for a brief visit with his brother Stanley, in Lakewood New Jersey, and then travelled to the Mojave Desert, where he quickly caught pneumonia. After three months of recuperation in San Francisco he left for Menton France.

All of these prints have "Morro Bay" inscribed in the plate, either at the lower left or lower right, usually with some form of date, or his estate holds copies with the artist's annotation that it is part of the Morro Bay series.

There are other plates, dated from 1926, of desert scenes, that are included with the earlier California prints.