San Luis Obispo County

San Luis Obispo County Map
Coastal Conservancy Projects in San Luis Obispo County
Sources

• San Luis Obispo: One of the original twenty-seven counties of the state, the county was named for the mission, established in 1772 and named for Louis, Bishop of Toulouse, a 13th century saint.

• San Carpoforo Creek: Just north of Ragged Point, Portola expedition camped for several days.

• Piedras Blancas Point: Seasonal camp of Salinan Indians; named by Cabrillo in 1542.

• Piedras Blancas Lighthouse: 1864 whale lookout supplemented by 1874 lighthouse. Now automated, its Fresnel lens and iron lantern house now on display in Cambria. No public access to lighthouse.

• Hearst Ranch: Extending along the coast from Ragged Point to below San Simeon Creek and inland encompassing 86,000 acres, most of three ranchos: Piedra Blanca, San Simeon and Santa Rosa. Ranch acquired by millionaire miner George Hearst in 1863-4 after drought decimated cattle herds and forced rancheros to sell.

• (nearby) Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument: "Castle" built by newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst, son of George and Phoebe Apperson Hearst, designed by Julia Morgan and constructed over the period 1919-1949. Deeded to state by Hearst heirs in 1958.

• San Simeon: Village and whaling station; after George Hearst purchase of rancho, augmented to include store, warehouses, and pier for loading tallow, hides, grain, quicksilver, later dairy products and sea products. Sebastian General Store dates from 1873.

• Cambria Pines: 1927 real estate development. Eccentric "Captain Nitt Witt" residence a state Historical Landmark.

• Cambria: Site of 1861 saw pit by William Leffingwell, later port for cinnabar and copper from inland mines, hides and dairy product, at 1874 pier. Coast highway connection to north in 1937. Roman name for ancient Wales.

• Estero Bay: Refers to large bay extending from Point Estero south to Point Buchon, within which is Morro Bay. Reported by Cabrillo 1542; Portola camp for month in 1769. Early otter hunting; China Point site of seaweed harvest for export to China 1800's to end of WWII.

• Cayucos Beach: Pier replaces 1875 pier built by Capt. James Cass whose home remains a block east. Name derives from original land grant Morro y Cayucos from words meaning round rock and fishing canoe.

• Morro Rock: Sighted and named by Cabrillo 1542.

• City of Morro Bay: Established in 1870, two wharves where schooners loaded dairy and ranching products, brought lumber from Santa Cruz. Tourism developed around 1900's. Early oil fueled power plant. See also A Paradise with Paradoxes.

• Montaña de Oro State Park: Named for Valencia Peak, a "mountain of gold" in poppy and wild mustard season. See also Montaña de Oro.

• Point Buchon, Point San Luis Lighthouse, and Diablo Canyon with its nuclear power plant: not now accessible to public.

• Los Osos Oaks State Reserve: middens indicate Chumash Indian encampments for gathering acorns and other seeds and plants for medicine and food.

• Los Osos Valley: Name refers to Father Crespi's report of many bears sighted by Portola expedition 1769.

• San Luis Obispo: Developed around Mission, was market center in 1840's for surrounding ranchos and since; many historical sites. Chinese community during 1884 to 1894 construction the eight tunnels of Cuesta Pass railroad route on which Amtrak still travels.

• Port San Luis: First reported by Manila galleon in 1587; as Port Harford early port for San Luis Obispo; 1873 wharf built by John Harford destroyed in 1878 tidal wave. Declined after inland rail line to San Luis Obispo 1890's but later port for oil, sports fishing.

• Avila Beach: Rival of Port Harford, had 1868 wharf where rail connected passenger and freight by steamship to San Luis. Named for Miguel Avila, original grantor of Rancho San Miguel. Current clean up effort after long time oil spills.

• Nearby Mallagh Landing where rock juts into bay was site of Chumash fishing, later export for hides and tallow, and 1860 warehouse and loading chute built by David Mallagh.

• Pismo Beach: Chumash word for tar which seeps naturally, was applied to land grant. Town of Pismo founded 1891, became Pismo Beach 1904 as tourism grew.

• Nipomo Dunes: Name of 1799 Chumash settlement was applied to land grant 1837. At Callender Dunes in southern section was Depression era Bohemian colony; residents, called "Dunites," published literary journal Dune Forum.

• Oso Flaco Lakes: "Lean bear," site where 1769 Portola expedition shot a grizzly bear.