As the oldest town in San Mateo County Half Moon bay was founded in 1840 and was known then as Spanishtown. In 1874 the town officially became known as Half Moon Bay. By then the church that is now the Methodist Episcopal Church was already built of which you can see it's door. Can you believe that a part of this church was once the Ocean Shore Railroad depot? Well between 1908 and 1920, the train ran along the ocean bluffs a mile west of town. In 1930, the derelict depot was dragged to the church to become a social hall.