Some Helpful Sources

Government & City/County Agencies

California Dept. of Parks & Recreation, San Luis Coast District 1150 Laurel Lane, Suite 190, San Luis Obispo CA 93407 805-549-3312 California Dept. of Parks & Recreation, San Simeon District 750 Hearst Castle Road San Simeon CA 93452 805-927-2065 California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) District 5 Archives 50 Higuera Street San Luis Obispo CA 93401 805-549-3078 Contact: Victoria Pozuelo City of San Luis Obispo Cultural Heritage Committee Archives 990 Palm St San Luis Obispo CA 93401 805-781-7176 Contact: Jeff Hook San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder County Government Center 1144 Monterey St San Luis Obispo CA 93401 805-781-5080 San Luis Obispo City/County Library Local History Room 995 Palm Street San Luis Obispo CA 93401 805-781-5991

San Luis Obispo County Archaeological Research Center Camp San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo CA 93407 805-543-7831 San Luis Obispo County Archaeological Society P. O. Box 109, San Luis Obispo CA 93406 805-543-7831 Contact: Luther Bertrando San Luis Obispo County Cattlemens Association 8380 Atascadero Ave Atascadero CA 93422 San Luis Obispo County Cattlewomens Association P.O. Box 1944 Paso Robles CA 93447 San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau 651 Tank Farm Rd. San Luis Obispo CA 93401 543-3654 Contact: Joy Fitzhugh   San Luis Obispo County Genealogical Society, Inc. P.O. Box 4 Atascadero CA 93423 805-237-2455

SLO County Libraries, Museums, and Monuments

Atascadero Historical Society Museum, 6500 Palma Ave., Atascadero CA 93423 805-466-8341 Contact: Mike Lindsey Avila Valley Railway Museum, P. O. Box 766, Santa Margarita CA 93453 805-461-3456, Contact: Brad Larose (Link goes to a pdf file.) Cal Poly Shakespeare Press Museum Graphic Communications Dept, Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo CA 93407 805-756-1108, Contact: Tom Goglio Cal Poly Special Collections, Robert E. Kennedy Library, Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo CA 93407 805-756-2305, Contact: Nancy Loe California Conservation Corps State Museum, 1538 Modoc Ave, Camp San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo CA 93407 805-778-0517 Camp Roberts Historical Museum, Bldg 114, Camp Roberts, CA 93451-5000 805-238-8288, Contact: Ethan Bertrando Camp San Luis Aircraft Museum Camp San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo CA 93407 805-594-6510, Operations Contact: Sgt. Snyder, 805-594-6546 Central Coast Veterans Memorial Museum 805-543-6193, Contact: Bob Lee Dallidet Adobe Museum & Gardens 1183 Pacific Street San Luis Obispo CA 93401 805-543-6762

Dana Adobe Museum 761 South Oak Glen Road Nipomo CA 93456 Morro Bay State Park Natural History Museum State Park Road Morro Bay CA 93442 805-772-2694 Contact: Rouvaishyana Paulding House Museum 551 Crown Hill Arroyo Grande CA 93420 805-473-3231 Contact: Jean Hubbard Piedras Blancas Light Station, California Coastal National Monument, Bureau of Land Management 805-927-2968, Contact: John Bogacki History Center of San Luis Obispo County (Was San Luis Obispo County Historical Society Museum) 696 Monterey Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 805 543-0638 San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum P.O. Box 13260 San Luis Obispo CA 93406-3260 805-461-3456 Contact: Brad Larose

Santa Maria Museum of Flight 3015 Airport Dr Santa Maria CA 93456 805-922-8758 Contact: Dick Weber Santa Maria Museum of Natural History 412 S. McClelland Santa Maria CA 93456 805-614-0806 Santa Maria Valley Historical Museum 616 S. Broadway Santa Maria CA 93454 805-922-3130 Contact: Richard Chenoweth Santa Maria Valley Railroad Historical Museum Santa Maria Town Center Mall P. O. Box 264 Santa Maria CA 93456 805-714-4927 South County Historical Society Museum P.O. Box 633 Arroyo Grande CA 93421 805-481-4128 Contact: Kirk Scott, President481-4435 schistsoc@aol.com Templeton Historical Museum Society, P. O. Box 788309 Main St, Templeton CA 93468 805-434-0807 Heritage House Museum 126 South Mason Arroyo Grande CA 93420 805-481-4126

Associations, Groups, Historical Societies, and Support Centers

American Rock Art Research Association P.O. Box 65 San Miguel CA 93451 805-467-3704 Contact: A. J. Bock Atascadero Historical Society P.O. Box 1047, Atascadero CA 93423 Filipino Community Association 1169 Santa Ynez, Los Osos CA 93402 805-528-4998, Contact: Albert C.L. Sonnichson Chapter of Minor Historians 6924 Live Oak Lane, San Luis Obispo CA 93401 805-595-2273, Contact: Ed Strobridge Cambria Historical Society P.O. Box 906, Cambria CA 93428 805-927-2891 / 927-2964, Contact: Pamela Bodine, President Canada de Los Osos Historical Group P.O. Box 6574, Los Osos CA 93412 805-528-1894 Contact: Phyllis Snyder Cayucos Historical Society Cayucos Library 248 S. Ocean Ave Cayucos CA 93430 805-995-1264 Contact: Al Musso Cayucos History Project 1620 Old Creek Rd Cayucos CA 93430 805-995-2177 Contact: Lou Kluver Central Coast History Foundation P.O. Box 14757 San Luis Obispo CA 93406 Contact: Tod Rafferty 805-545-7618 info@centralcoasthistory.org Central Coast Maritime Museum Association P.O. Box 1775 Morro Bay CA 93442 Contact: Jack Hunter Central Coast Natural History Association State Park Road Morro Bay CA 93442 805-772-2694, ex. 105 Central Coast Vintage Machinery Association (EDGE & TA Branch #27) 703 Mustang Circle Arroyo Grande CA 93420 805-481-9405 Contact: Royce Lambert The Chumash Indian Council of San Luis Obispo County 315 South Elm Arroyo Grande CA 93420 Contact: Mark Vigil Dana Adobe Nipomo Amigos P.O. Box 729 Nipomo CA 93444 El Paso de Robles Pioneer Museum P.O. Box 4613 35 Panorama Paso Robles CA 93446 805-239-4556 El Paso de Robles Carnegie Library Museum 1100 Spring St. Paso Robles CA 93446 805-238-4996

Estrella Warbirds Museum 4251A Dry Creek Rd. Paso Robles CA 93446 805-227-0440 Guadalupe Historical Museum 1005 Guadalupe St Guadalupe CA 93434 805-343-5901 Contact: Shirley Boydston Hearst San Simeon State Historic Monument 700 Hearst Castle Rd San Simeon CA 93452 805-927-2020 Hollister Adobe Museum Cuesta College, P.O. Box 8106 San Luis Obispo CA 93405 805-546-3163 Contact: Dennis Judd, Social Sciences Division Jack House Museum 536 Marsh St.San Luis Obispo CA 93401 805-781-7308 Contact: San Luis Obispo Parks and Recreation Dept, 781-3800 Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa Museum 751 Palm St San Luis Obispo CA 93401 805-544-0720 The Dunes Center 1055 Guadalupe St. Guadalupe CA 93434 El Paso de Robles Area Historical Society P. O. Box 2875 Paso Robles CA 93447-2875 805-238-4996 Contact: Virginia Peterson El Paso de Robles Trails Association 805-239-4004 Contact: Kathe Hustace Family History Center Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 651 Foothill Blvd San Luis Obispo CA 93405 805-543-6328 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 2600 Ramona Rd Atascadero CA 93422 805-466-6103 Filipino Community of San Luis Obispo County Filipino Community Center 885 13th St Grover Beach CA 93433 805-489-9220 Contact: Avelino Filipino Community of Santa Maria Valley 2270 Preisker Lane Santa Maria CA 93458 805-928-0392 Friends of Hearst Castle 700 Hearst Castle Rd. San Simeon CA 93452 805-927-2138 Friends of las Casas de Adobe P.O. Box 15114 San Luis Obispo CA 93406 805-541-2003 Contact: Bob Vessely Friends of the Adobes P.O. Box 326 San Miguel CA 93451 Friends of the Carrizo Plain P. O. Box 3087 California Valley CA 93453 Friends of the Piedras Blancas Lighthouse Lens P.O. Box 1688 Cambria CA 93428 805-927-0459

Friends of the Ranchland 1965 Emmons Street Cambria CA 93428 805-927-7219 Friends of the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden 3050 Broad St. San Luis Obispo CA 93401 805-546-3501 Goodwin Education Center Carrizo Plain National Monument P. O. Box 3087 California Valley CA 93453 661-391-6000 Greenspace - Cambria Land Trust P.O. Box 1505 Cambria CA 93428 805-927-2866 hlk@greenspacecambria.org Guadalupe Arts Council 1065 Guadalupe St Guadalupe CA 93434 805-343-0100 Contact: Joe Talaugos Heritage Shared P.O. Box 4614 San Luis Obispo CA 93403 805-549-9283 Contact: Astrid Gallagher Historical Guides Association of California P. O. Box 158 San Simeon CA 93452 I.D.E.S. (Irmande do Divino Santo Estado de California) Council 21 Santa Maria D.E.S. Club 615 W. Chapel Santa Maria CA 93458 805-739-9004 Council 28 San Antonio Arroyo Grande Association Hall 707 Huasna Rd Arroyo Grande CA 93420 805-489-9968 Council 106 Beira Mar Cayucos Lion Veterans Memorial Hall 10 Cayucos Dr. Cayucos CA 93430 805-995-22401 Morro Bay Historical Society 655 Elena Morro Bay CA 93442 805-772-1058 Contact: Gary Ream Old Town Nipomo Association P.O. Box 1171 Nipomo CA 93444 805-929-2352 Paderewski Foundation 20 W. 12th St Paso Robles CA 93446 805-239-4093 Contact: Barbara Tosh Rancho de Guadalupe Historical Society P. O. Box 233 Guadalupe CA 93434 805-343-1095 Contact: Shirley Boydston San Antonio Valley Historical Society P. O. Box 145, Lockwood CA 93932 831-385-4518 Contact: Ann Beckett Santa Maria Japanese American Community Center 134 N. Western Ave Santa Maria CA 93456 805-925-4200 Contact: Dawn Kamiya

Other Entities

The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County P. O. Box 12206 743 Pacific Street San Luis Obispo CA 93401 805-544-9096 Contact: Ray Belknap The Nature Conservancy 849 Monterey Street #209 San Luis Obispo CA 93401 805-544-1767 New World Baroque Orchestra P.O.Box 2121 Paso Robles CA 93447 Contact: John Warren - The Northern Chumash Council 1339 24th St Oceano CA 93445 805-489-3490 Contact: Lei Lynn Odom Old Santa Rosa Chapel 1174 Main St. Cambria CA 93428 805-927-4816

The People of the Salinan Tribe P. O. Box 708 King City CA 93930 805-235-2730 Contact: John Burch Point San Luis Lighthouse Keepers P.O. Box 13556 San Luis Obispo CA 93406 546-4904 Contact: Dennis Johannsen Preserve the Village 507 LePoint St. Arroyo Grande CA 93420 Contact: Chuck Fellows Rural Adobe Network 2930 22nd Avenue Oakland CA 94606 510-532-5788 Contact: Phil Bellman

San Luis Obispo Buddhist Temple 6996 Ontario Rd San Luis Obispo CA 93405 595-2625 Santa Inez Band of Chumash Mission Indians Tribal Elders Council Santa Inez Chumash Indian Reservation P. O. Box 365 Santa Inez CA 93460 Contact: Susie Harrison805-688-8446 Santa Manuela School 127 Short St Arroyo Grande CA 93420 805-489-8745 Vision Unida P. O. Box 15856 San Luis Obispo CA 93406

Central Coast History on the Web

At first thought it would seem reasonable to expect that the best sources for local history are locally available. After all, the events happened here. Why look further?

Second thoughts suggest why the best sources are often someplace else. In San Luis Obispo, as elsewhere, locals tended to document the unusual rather than the commonplace. It was more often visitors, bureaucrats on fact-finding missions, and other strangers who recorded and saved information about the textures of local life that later historians now find most useful. For example, the obvious keys to the under-explored history of Central Coast tourism are the letters that vacationers sent home, and the diaries and photo albums that they took home. They are more likely to survive in places like Fresno than in Pismo Beach. Similarly, in many ways the best descriptions of California coastal communities from Avila to Cambria in the 19th century appear in two federal documents rarely available in local libraries: the U.S. Coast Surveys Coast Pilot of California, Oregon and Washington, and Bureau of Fisheries The Fisheries and Fishing Industries of the United States. Rich sources for Chumash ethnography in the same era reside at the Muse de lHomme in Paris.

In the good old days cost and inconvenience severely limited research trips far afield. Local historians tended to stay close to home reworking the same sources, re-asking the same questions, and retelling the same stories until the past ran the risk of closing in on itself.

Recently the Internet has made it much easier -- and more necessary -- to look and think outside the box. SLO history now has a global reach. Because most web-based sites are searchable by keyword, its relatively easy to explore this expanding universe of undiscovered sources and fresh ideas. A powerful and friendly search engine such as Google (http://www.google.com) takes less then a second to locate more than 300,000 references to San Luis Obispo on the web. In an instant Googles image search option finds and displays over 8,000 SLO-related photographs, maps and graphics. Similarly, a few mouse clicks yield lists of every SLO-related, cataloged document and artifact in virtually every California library, in the Library of Congress, the National Archives, and the Smithsonian Institution (see http://www.melvyl.ucop.edu;; http://lcweb.loc.gov/catalog/; http://www.loc.gov/z3950; http://www.siris.si.edu). Documentation for a hundred SLO County buildings, industrial and public works sites is available from the National Park Service Historic American Buildings Survey and Historical American Engineering Record (HABS/HAER) at http://www.cr.nps.gov/habshaer/.

Several examples illustrate the exciting range of original documents and images now accessible online. American Memory: Historical Collections for the National Digital Library (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/) currently offers 7 million items from more than a hundred collections. The California Heritage Collection includes 30,000 images illustrating California history and culture (http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/calheritage), and it is only a small part of the Online Archive of California, a one-stop search site for most of the significant library, archival, museum, and research institution collections state-wide (http://sunsite2.berkeley.edu/oac).

The web is also a conduit for new ideas. Http://www.dohistory.org/ is a fascinating example of how an imaginative historian pieced fragments of local history together into the prize-winning book and film, A Widwifes Tale. Some of the smartest local studies these days first surface in the online magazine, Common-Place (www.common-place.org). More than 60,000 historians now regularly discuss current work and post inquiries on H-Net: Humanities & Social Sciences On-Line (http://www2.h-net.msu.edu/about/). The H-Cal Discussion Network focuses on California topics (http://www2.h-net.msu.edu/~cal/).

As the websites listed here and on the Heritage Shared Links Pages suggest, internet sources for SLO History expand and become more accessable every day. For helpful tour guides to this global village of local history, both periodically updated via the web, see Dennis A. Trinkle, ed., The U.S. History Highway: A Guide to Internet Sources (2002), and Dennis A. Trinkle, ed., The World History Highway: A Guide to Internet Sources (2002).