No one is really certain how it began, but the 15-foot high, 70-foot long alley off Higuera Street in downtown San Luis Obispo has been covered with ABC (already been chewed) gum left by students, residents and tourists alike, beginning around 1945-1950, gaining popularity in the 1970s.
Many see it as self-expression, a piece of public art, a tourist attraction, but others see it as disgusting. The alley has been ‘cleaned’ twice, but since the late 1970s the gum has been accumulating to what you see, and smell, today. Bubblegum Alley has gained international attention and is listed as a tourist attraction on the Central Coast. It’s been featured on news programs, TV shows and in newspapers. Although many would like to see it go away, the gum-lined alley is growing in popularity and gum. You can walk through the alley night or day and you will undoubtedly see someone adding their piece of chewed gum to the sticky unofficial landmark, taking a selfie, or asking you to snap a photo of them. It is estimated that there are about 2 million pieces of gum sticking to the walls!
Photo and story by www.PhotoByVivian.com
