The earliest human inhabitants of the local area were theChumash people. One of the earliest villages lies south of San Luis Obispo and reflects the landscape of the earlyHolocene when estuaries came farther inland. The Chumash people used marine resources of the inlets and bays along the Central Coast and inhabited a network of villages, including sites atLos Osos andMorro Creek.[12] The tribal site on present-day San Luis Obispo was namedtiłhini (Obispeño for 'Place of the full moon').[13]
During theSpanish Empire expansion throughout the world, specifically in 1769, the FranciscanJunípero Serra received orders from Spain to bring the Catholic faith to the natives ofAlta California; the idea was to unify the empire under the same religion and language.Mission San Diego de Alcalá was the firstSpanish mission founded in Alta California that same year.
On September 7, 1769, an expedition led byGaspar de Portolá entered the San Luis Obispo area from coastal areas around today'sPismo Beach. One of the expedition's three diarists, padreJuan Crespí, recorded the name given to this area by the soldiers asCañada de Los Osos ("cañada" translates as "valley" or "canyon," and Osos translates to "bears"). The party traveled north along San Luis Obispo Creek, turned west through Los Osos Valley, and reachedMorro Bay on September 9.[14]
In 1772, as the people ofPresidio of Monterey and Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo faced starvation owing to a lack of supplies, CommanderPedro Fages, a member of thePortolá expedition, led a hunting expedition to la Cañada de los Osos ("Bears Canyon") to bring back food. Over twenty-five mule loads of dried bear meat and seed were sent north to relieve the missionaries, soldiers, and neophytes (baptized natives). After this, Junípero Serra decided that la Cañada de los Osos would be an ideal place for the fifth mission.[citation needed]
The arrest of Padre Martínez at Mission San Luis Obispo in 1830
The area had abundant food and water supplies, the climate was also very mild, and the localChumash were very friendly. With soldiers, muleteers, and pack animals carrying mission supplies, Junípero Serra set out from Carmel to reach the Valley of the Bears. On September 1, 1772, Junípero Serra celebrated the first Mass with a cross erected near San Luis Creek. The next day, he departed for San Diego, leaving Fr. José Cavaller with the difficult task of building the mission. Fr.José Cavaller, five soldiers and two neophytes began building theMission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, which would later become the town of San Luis Obispo. Both the mission and town were named afterLouis, bishop of Toulouse, France, known in Spanish as "Luis, obispo de Tolosa".
When theMexican War of Independence from Spain broke out in 1810, all California missions had to become virtually self-sufficient, receiving few funds or supplies from Spanish sources. Beginning soon afterMexico won her independence fromSpain in 1821, anti-Spanish feelings led to calls for expulsion of the Spanish Franciscans andsecularization of the missions. Because the fledgling Mexican government had many more important problems to deal with than far-off California,actual secularization did not happen until the mid-1830s.
After 1834, the mission became an ordinary parish, and most of its huge land holdings were broken up into land grants calledranchos. The ranchos were given by Mexican land grant from 1837 to 1846, with the mission itself being granted in the final year. The central community, however, remained in the same location and formed the nucleus of today's city of San Luis Obispo.
Following the AmericanConquest of California, San Luis Obispo was the first town incorporated in the newly formedSan Luis Obispo County. It remains the center of the county to the present. Early in the American period, the region was well known for lawlessness.[15] It gained a reputation as "Barrio del Tigre" (or Tiger-Town) because of the endemic problem.[16] Robberies and murders that left no witnesses were carried out on along theEl Camino Real and elsewhere around San Luis Obispo for several years. Finally a gang of eight men committed a robbery with three murders and a kidnapping at theRancho San Juan Capistrano del Camote in May 1858, that uncharacteristically left two witnesses alive. This brought about the formation of avigilance committee in the County that killed one, the suspected leader of the gangPio Linares, and lynched six others, a total of seven men suspected of such misdeeds (the most lethal in California history).[15][16][17] Members of the committee remained influential members of the community for decades.
The ranchos remained focused on cattle after theconquest of California. With the discovery of gold, the county experienced a major economic surge with the rising price of beef, with the highest prices coming in 1851. The county remained focused on cattle until 1863, when a drought left most ranchos devastated. Residents quickly turned to other venues, leading to the breaking up of many of the ranchos and a major change in the economic climate of the town, which focused less on cattle ranching and more on dairies, agriculture, and mined goods from then onward.
San Luis Obispo once had a burgeoning Chinatown in the vicinity of Palm Street and Chorro Street. Laborers were brought from China byAh Louis in order to construct thePacific Coast Railway, roads connecting San Luis Obispo over theCuesta Pass toPaso Robles and from Paso Robles toCambria, and also the 1884 to 1894 tunneling through Cuesta Ridge for theSouthern Pacific Railroad. The town's Chinatown revolved aroundAh Louis Store and other Palm Street businesses owned and run by Chinese business people. Today, Mee Heng Low chop suey shop is all that remains of the culture, although a slightly Chinatown-themed commercial development has been planned. A display of some of the unearthed relics from this period can be seen on the first floor of the Palm Street parking garage, which was built over the location where Chinatown once stood. The San Luis Obispo Historical Society (adjacent to the Mission) also contains rotating historical exhibits.[18]
San Luis Obispo was also a popular stop en route to Los Angeles.U.S. Route 101 andCalifornia State Route 1 were constructed with the rise of car culture. Due to its popularity as a stop, it was the location of the firstmotel in the world, theMilestone Mo-Tel.
San Luis Obispo in 1864
San Luis Obispo was known as theBarrio del Tigre (Spanish for 'Tiger Town') in the late 19th century, owing to the multitude of robberies and murders taking place there.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.45 square miles (34.8 km2), of which, 13.3 square miles (34 km2) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.39 km2) (1.09%) is water.[7]
San Luis Obispo is a seismically active area; there are a number of nearby faults including theSan Andreas Fault. TheNine Sisters are a string of hills that partially run through San Luis Obispo. They aregeologically noteworthy for beingvolcanic plugs. Six of the nine peaks are open to the public for recreation.[20]
San Luis Obispo experiences a warmMediterranean climate (Köppen climate classificationCsb). On average it has 50 days with measurable rain per year, mostly during winter months. Summers are generally warm and sunny, often with morning fog from the Pacific coast. Winters are generally mild, though below freezing lows occur 2.6 nights per year on average.[21] Measurable snowfall in San Luis Obispo has not officially been recorded since records began in 1870, although photos show about 0.3 inches (0.76 cm) fell in 1922 and snow flurries were reported in both 1988 and 2006. Temperatures do, however, vary widely at any time of the year, with 80 °F (27 °C) readings in January and February not uncommon.
Although heat extremes above 110 °F (43.3 °C) have been recorded, the maritime moderation is generally strong due to the proximity to the cool ocean waters. The hottest temperature on record is officially at 113 °F (45 °C) on September 6, 2020, although a 120 reading was reported in the local news.[22] Nights remain cool year round due tocold-current ocean air in summer and being in a valley subject toinversion, although seldom cold. The warmest night recorded was 75 °F (24 °C) on September 22, 1939, and the coldest day at 40 °F (4 °C) on December 11, 1932.[23] Precipitation averages about 22 inches (560 mm) per year, almost all of which falls between November and April.[24]
Climate data for San Luis Obispo, California (CPSU), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1927–present, precipitation 1893-2012
The census reported that 97.0% of the population lived in households, 2.2% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0.8% were institutionalized.[26]
There were 19,772 households, out of which 20.0% included children under the age of 18, 33.4% were married-couple households, 6.8% werecohabiting couple households, 33.1% had a female householder with no partner present, and 26.7% had a male householder with no partner present. 33.1% of households were one person, and 12.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.31.[26] There were 9,020families (45.6% of all households).[27]
The age distribution was 14.6% under the age of 18, 25.7% aged 18 to 24, 25.2% aged 25 to 44, 18.3% aged 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 31.4years. For every 100 females, there were 96.7 males.[26]
There were 21,562 housing units at an average density of 1,620.6 units per square mile (625.7 units/km2), of which 19,772 (91.7%) were occupied. Of these, 41.5% were owner-occupied, and 58.5% were occupied by renters.[26]
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $66,711, and theper capita income was $45,462. About 6.5% of families and 30.0% of the population were below the poverty line.[28] However, this number may include many college students who have little or no income.
The2010 United States census[11] reported that San Luis Obispo had a population of 45,119. The population density was 3,489.4 inhabitants per square mile (1,347.3/km2). The racial makeup of San Luis Obispo was 38,117 (84.5%)White, 523 (1.2%)African American, 275 (0.6%)Native American, 2,350 (5.2%)Asian, 65 (0.1%)Pacific Islander, 1,973 (4.4%) fromother races, and 1,816 (4.0%) from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino people of any race were 6,626 persons (14.7%).
The Census reported that 43,937 people (97.4% of the population) lived in households, 967 (2.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 215 (0.5%) were institutionalized.
There were 19,193 households, out of which 3,178 (16.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 5,690 (29.6%) wereopposite-sex married couples living together, 1,336 (7.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 586 (3.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,104 (5.8%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 124 (0.6%)same-sex married couples or partnerships. 6,213 households (32.4%) were made up of individuals, and 1,957 (10.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29. There were 7,612families (39.7% of all households); the average family size was 2.81.
The population was spread out, with 5,522 people (12.2%) under the age of 18, 15,670 people (34.7%) aged 18 to 24, 9,630 people (21.3%) aged 25 to 44, 8,866 people (19.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 5,431 people (12.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.2 males.
There were 20,553 housing units at an average density of 1,589.5 per square mile (613.7/km2), of which 7,547 (39.3%) were owner-occupied, and 11,646 (60.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.7%. 17,225 people (38.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 26,712 people (59.2%) lived in rental housing units.
The city has a desired maximum population of 57,200 within the urban reserve, however with the extremely rapid growth of the area it is unknown whether this population cap will remain.[29]
Downtown San Luis Obispo has many eclectic shops and boutiques.[30]Takken's Shoes is headquartered in San Luis Obispo.Ernie Ball's Music Man factory is located in San Luis Obispo.Mindbody andiFixit have been headquartered in San Luis Obispo since their inceptions. In 2019, SLO experienced a boom in home construction along with continued building of commercial structures. As housing had not kept up with job growth, many people who cannot afford to live where they work, commute to their jobs in SLO.[31]
Pacific Gas and Electric is the largest non-governmental employer in the city.[32] In 2016, they announced the closure of theDiablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant in 2025, which was expected to cost the local economy 1,500 jobs with an average salary of $157,000, as well as nearly $1 billion annually in economic activity. The plant has been granted an extension of their operating license until 2030. CongressmanSalud Carbajal introduced H.R. 5441 to theHouse of Representatives in order to create Energy Opportunity Zones, which is designed to specifically target areas that have had a nuclear power plant shut down within 10 years (including San Luis Obispo) for federal tax credits for renewable energy generation, including solar, wind, and wave energy.[33]
Built in 1940, the San Luis Obispo County Courthouse was designed by noted architectsWalker & Eisen.
San Luis Obispo isincorporated as acharter city. It is also thecounty seat ofSan Luis Obispo County. Thecity charter provides for a "Council-Mayor-City Manager" form of municipal government.[35] The city council has five members: amayor who is elected to two-year terms, with each mayor limited to serving no more than four consecutive terms, and four city council members who are elected to four-year terms, with each council member limited to serving no more than two consecutive terms.[36]
The fire department of San Luis Obispo was first organized in 1872 and now has 45 full-timefirefighters and fourfire stations (as of 2007[update]).[37] The SLO City Fire Stations are staffed with three-man ALS engine companies and a four-man ALS Truck company. Each apparatus has at least one paramedic on duty each day. The department responds to over 4,500 calls each year. The San Luis Obispo City Fire Department also maintains a bike medic program which is used at the Farmers' Market and other special events throughout the city. Four members of the Fire Department are also on the San Luis Obispo SWAT Team as SWAT Medics and respond using Squad 1 (an ALS equipped ambulance which also carries some light rescue gear and other specialty tools) The front-line members of the department are represented by the San Luis Obispo City Firefighters' IAFF Local 3523.[37]
The City of San Luis Obispo Utilities Department can trace its lineage back to 1872 when plans were made to provide the city with safe drinking water.[38] Currently the Utilities Department operates awater treatment plant designed to treat 16 million gallons a day, theWhale Rock Reservoir located inCayucos, CA, awater distribution system including 15 pressure zones and 150 miles ofwater mains.[39] TheWater Resource Recovery Facility treats 4.5 million gallons per day and is currently undergoing a plant upgrade expected to be completed in 2021.[40]
The County Government CenterSan Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce, located in downtown
In June 1990 City CouncilmanJerry Reiss proposed a city ordinance toban smoking in all indoor public areas. Following a failed effort[citation needed] byR. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company to defeat the ordinance, the City Council voted 4–1 in favor on June 19, 1990, with only MayorRon Dunin dissenting. As a result, on August 2, 1990, San Luis Obispo became the first municipality in the world to ban smoking in all public buildings, including bars and restaurants. This statute has been a catalyst worldwide in anti-smoking legislation.[41][42][43] In April 2010, San Luis Obispo strengthened its anti-smoking legislation, making smoking in public, excepting for certain conditions, a citable offense beginning on June 20, 2010.[44]
In 1982, following public hearings, the city council approved an ordinance forbidding the construction of "drive-through" businesses.[45]In-N-Out Burger opened a restaurant in the nearby town of Atascadero because of the ban.[46] In 2008 the City Council voted 3–2 to keep the ban.[47][48]
In April 2010, an "unruly gathering" ordinance passed with a vote of 4–1. This ordinance poses a fine of $700 for the hosts of gatherings with more than 20 people on private property that create a substantial disturbance in a significant amount of the neighborhood. Unlawful conduct includesexcessive noise;public drunkenness; serving alcohol to minors; fighting; urinating in public; crowds overflowing into yards, sidewalks, or streets; or similar unlawful behaviors.[49][50]
All public K–12 institutions in San Luis Obispo are operated bySan Luis Coastal Unified School District, which contains six elementary schools, one middle school (Laguna Middle School), and one high school,San Luis Obispo High School. The district also operates several schools outside of San Luis Obispo in nearby Avila Beach, Edna Valley, Morro Bay, and Los Osos.[53] Additionally, Mission College Preparatory Catholic High School and Old Mission School (est. 1876 as The Academy of the Immaculate Heart of Mary) operate privately within the Diocese of Monterey.
TheMadonna Inn is one of San Luis Obispo's more famous landmarks.
TheMadonna Inn is an eccentric landmark established byAlex Madonna in 1958. TheFremont Theater, a historicArt Deco theater from the 1940s, once played first-run movies on the huge screen, and now hosts stage performances. Murals adorn the walls of the main theater while neon swirls light the ceiling. ThePalm Theatre boasts solar heating and is home to theSan Luis Obispo International Film Festival. Since about 1960, people have been sticking chewed gum on the walls ofBubblegum Alley. The doctor's office on the corner of Santa Rosa and Pacific streets is one of very few commercial buildings designed byFrank Lloyd Wright. San Luis also has aCarnegie Library which is now home to the San Luis Obispo County Historical Museum.[59]
The "underground city" is a series of tunnels beneath the city.[60]
One of the largestMardi Gras parades west of theMississippi was held in San Luis Obispo, butcanceled in 2005 because of difficulties related to crowd control and alcohol consumption.
Cal Poly's open house, Poly Royal, was held annually from 1933 to 1990, though canceled in 1945 due to war rationing.[61] It began as a show-and-tell for students to display their projects. It traces its origins to the 1904 Farmer's Institute and Picnic Basket. By the 1980s, as the college became "the most popular...university in the 19-campus CSU system", Poly Royal began drawing over 100,000 people from throughout the state, including 126,000 people in 1985. Concerts, parties, and other entertainment were added and it earned $3–4 million in revenue for the city every year.[62][63]
San Luis Obispo has been home of several other events, including a stop on the way of theOlympic Flame Relay, theTour of California bicycle race,Cinco de Mayo celebrations, and a long-standing Christmas Parade. In May, the Madonna Hotel hosts the annual California Festival of Beers, which includesbeer tasting of over 200 craft beers. Another attraction is the development of Edna Valley into a well-known wine region. Just south of the city, people can spend an afternoon wine tasting several wineries in the area with a very short drive. The wine region extends north beyondPaso Robles (30 miles north) and south toSanta Ynez (70 miles south).[citation needed]
TheDallidet Adobe, built in 1856, is one of the oldest residences in town.
During summer months, a free outdoor concert Friday evening is called Concerts in the Plaza. Other noteworthy events include the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, Festival Mozaic, a classical and crossover music festival, and the Plein Air Festival.[64]
Every Thursday night San Luis Obispo hosts a farmers' market. Five blocks of Higuera St are blocked off to allow vendors to sell food and goods and various visual and music artists perform.[65]
Since June 2000, the first Thursday of every month is The Bike Happening (also known as Bike Nite) in San Luis Obispo. People gather at the Mission Plaza with their bikes. The bikers go around on multiple circuits on the main streets of downtown.
Restaurant in downtown San Luis
One of the cultural focal centers of San Luis Obispo is theChristopher Cohan Performing Arts Center built on the Cal Poly campus, which was constructed utilizing the donations of local businesses and individuals. The Performing Arts Center consists of multiple venues, including the original Spanos Theatre. The largest venue, Harmon Hall, seats 1,300. Many high school and college programs are scheduled. Local artists perform plays, music and dance. The addition of the Performing Arts Center attracts many touring performances which are usually not found in communities of comparable size to San Luis Obispo. The summer of 2007 was the opening concert of the Forbes Pipe Organ, which was built elevated into a side wall of Harmon Hall and required the donation of a further $3 million for purchase and installation.[66]
The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art began in the 1950s when a small group of artists, educators and enthusiasts established the foundation. Over the years, the San Luis Obispo Art Association evolved into the San Luis Obispo Art Center, which evolved into the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art. The museum, with a focus on California Contemporary Art, shows 24 exhibitions per year, has both adult and children's art classes, and hosts art talks, films and other events. The museum launched a $15 million Capital Campaign for a new building in 2017.[67][68]
The city also has five designated historic districts as follows:
Downtown Historic District – Covers 61.5 acres (24.9 ha) generally bounded by Palm Street to the north, Marsh Street to the south, Osos Street to the east, and Nipomo Street to the west, plus Dana Street in the northwest. The Downtown Historic District covers the oldest part of the city, including theMission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa and many commercial structures from the city's boom era from the 1890s to the 1910s.[70]
Chinatown Historic District – Covers 4.4 acres (1.8 ha) along both sides of Palm Street between Chorro and Morro Streets.Established in 1995 to recognize the contributions of the city's Chinese community.[71] Two historical storefronts face Palm Street; Ah Louis Store and Mee Heng Low.[72]
Old Town Historic District – Covers 86 acres (35 ha) generally bounded by Pacific Street on the north, Islay Street on the south, Santa Rosa Street on the east, and Beach Street on the west.Established in 1987, the district is located in the city's oldest residential neighborhoods with historic homes dating from the 1880s to the turn of the century.[73]
Mill Street Historic District– Covers 20 acres (8.1 ha) from Peach Street on the north, Palm Street on the south, Pepper Street on the east and Toro Street on the westEstablished in 1987, the area consists of early 20th century homes in the Tudor Revival, Craftsman, Mission Revival, Prairie Colonial, and Shingle styles. Sometimes referred to as Fremont Heights.[74]
Railroad Historic District – Covers 80.7 acres (32.7 ha) bounded by the railroad right-of-way on the east, Johnson Avenue on the north, Orcutt Road on the south, Leff Street on the northwest, and Broad Street on the west. Established in 1998 along the historic boundaries of the Southern Pacific rail yard. It includes residential and commercial resources constructed following the arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1894.[75]
San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport offers private air service and non-stop commercial air service to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Denver, andPhoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth, Las Vegas, and service to Portland and San Diego, beginning in 2020.
Greyhound closed its station building in San Luis Obispo on March 12, 2009; it still serves the city via a bus stop on Railroad Avenue. There are also multiple companies that provide shuttle services or black car service to/from the airport.
FlixBus boards from the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum at 1940 Santa Barbara Avenue.
Public transit includes the citywideSLO Transit bus lines as well as the county-wide SLO Regional Transit system. Rideshare encourages the use of the local public transit, as well ascarpooling and cycling. Riders for the SLO Transit system are now able to plan their trips using Google Transit.[77] The SLO Car Free program provides an online one-stop-shop for all car-free vacationing needs from bus schedules and bike maps, to discounts on transportation, lodging, and attractions.
U.S. Route 101 andCalifornia State Route 1 are the major north–south highways in San Luis Obispo, linking the city to the rest of the Central Coast region, San Francisco to the north, and Los Angeles to the south. Both enter the city from the south as aconcurrency. As they head north, Highway 1 then splits towards the coast toMorro Bay, while Highway 101 stays more inland toAtascadero andPaso Robles.California State Route 227 provides an alternate route to Highway 101 from San Luis Obispo south toArroyo Grande.
Bicycling is increasing as a mode of transportation. The Bill Roalman (Morro Street) Bicycle Boulevard, also called the Bill Roalman Greenway, gives priority to bicycle traffic while a special bicycle traffic signal (one of only a handful in the United States) allows bicyclists their own phase in traffic flow.[78] The SLO County Bicycle Coalition offers a free bicycle valet service during the weekly Farmers' Market. In 2007, the city was designated as a Bicycle Friendly Community at the Gold level by theLeague of American Bicyclists.
^abAngel, Myron (1886).The History of San Luis Obispo County. CA: Thompson & West. pp. 294–304.
^abDaniel, Krieger (1988).San Luis Obispo County: Looking Backward into the Middle Kingdom. Windsor Publications. pp. 34–49.
^A list of vigilance committee victims for the whole of California history may be found in Ken Gonzales-Day,Lynching in the West, NC: Duke University Press, 2006, 207–228.
^Brian B. Stark; Brett Wilkison (January 1, 2002).San Luis Obispo Creek Watershed Enhancement Plan(PDF) (Report). The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County. p. 93. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on September 21, 2013. RetrievedJanuary 20, 2013.
.jpg)
_(cropped).jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
_1865.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.JPG)
_(cropped).jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
_(cropped).jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
_(cropped).jpg)
