City of San Luis Obispo Historic Resources facts for kids

The City of San Luis Obispo Historic Resources are special buildings and places in San Luis Obispo, California that the city has officially recognized as important parts of its history.

You can see where these historic places are on a map! Just click "OpenStreetMap" in the box to the right.

Why are these places special?

The city has a group called the Cultural Heritage Committee (CHC). This committee has seven members who are chosen by the City Council. Their main job is to find, study, and protect old buildings, ancient sites, and important cultural spots.

To be called "historic," a place must be at least 50 years old and still look mostly like it did in the past. It also needs to be special for reasons like:

• Being designed by a famous architect.
• Having a unique architectural style.
• Being connected to an important person or event in history.

In 2013, the city created a "Citywide Historic Context Statement." This document helps people understand how these historic places fit into the bigger story of San Luis Obispo's past. It explains the link between the city's buildings and its history. You can find this statement and other guidelines on the city's website.

Other important lists

Some of San Luis Obispo's historic places are so important that they are also recognized by the state or even the whole country!

Three of these places are also California Historic Landmarks:

• Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa (CHL 325)
• Dallidet Adobe (CHL 720)
• Ah Louis Store (CHL 802)

Eight places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), which is a national list of important historic sites:

• Myron Angel House (listed in 1982)
• Pacific Coast Railway Company Grain Warehouse (listed in 1988)
• Robert Jack House (listed in 1992)
• Tribune-Republic Building (listed in 1993)
• San Luis Obispo Carnegie Library (listed in 1995)
• Ah Louis Store (listed in 2008)
• William Shipsey House (listed in 2010)
• Monday Club of San Luis Obispo (listed in 2016)

There are also two other places in San Luis Obispo that are on the National Register of Historic Places but are not on the city's list. These are The Powerhouse on the CalPoly campus and the San Luis Obispo Octagon Barn.

Historic Places in San Luis Obispo

Here are some of the interesting historic places in San Luis Obispo:

#	Name	Image	Location	Historic District	Built	Description
1	Andrews Adobe		1451 Andrews		1790s	A two-story adobe house, one of the oldest buildings in the county.
16	Myron Angel House		714 Buchon	Old Town HD	c. 1880	Home of Myron Angel, who helped start Cal Poly. Listed on the NRHP in 1982.
17	Jessie Wright Maternity Home		726 Buchon	Old Town HD	1900	A wood-frame home that was a maternity hospital in the 1920s.
22	Jacob Crocker House		793 Buchon	Old Town HD	1901-02	An ornate Queen Anne style house built for a wealthy businessman.
24	Clark/Norton House		850 Buchon	Old Town HD	1904-08	A large Neo-Colonial house, once home to two SLO mayors.
32	Sauer/Adams Adobe		964 Chorro	Chinatown HD	1800/1860	An original adobe building from around 1800, with a second story added later.
40	Barneberg House		550 Dana	Downtown HD	1914	A two-story Neo-Classical house built for a bank president and millionaire.
58	Goldtree Block/Hotel Wineman		849 Higuera	Downtown HD	1883/1930	A large commercial building that was once a general store and later a hotel.
62	Loomis Feed Co. Warehouse		75 Higuera		1885	The only remaining building from the Pacific Coast Railway's headquarters. Listed on the NRHP in 1988.
77	Madonna Inn		100 Madonna		1961-69	A famous motel known for its unique, themed rooms and pink roses.
88	Robert Jack House		536 Marsh		1880	An Italianate-style house that is now a city museum and event center. Listed on the NRHP in 1992.
91	First Presbyterian Church		951 Marsh		1905	An English Arts and Crafts style church built with local granite.
93	William Shipsey House		1266 Mill	Mill Street HD	1890	A house with Queen Anne and Stick/Eastlake styles. Listed on NRHP in 2010.
99	Mission San Luis		782 Monterey	Downtown HD	1812	A Spanish mission founded in 1772 by Father Junípero Serra.
100	Fremont Theater		1035 Monterey	Downtown HD	1941	A Streamline Moderne style theater designed by architect S. Charles Lee.
102	San Luis Obispo Carnegie Library		696 Monterey	Downtown HD	1905	A beautiful red brick library, now the county's historical museum. Listed on NRHP in 1995.
105	Sinsheimer Building		849 Monterey	Downtown HD	1884	A commercial building with a rare cast iron facade on the Central Coast.
107	Anderson Hotel		955 Monterey	Downtown HD	1922-23	An elegant five-story hotel, once the tallest building downtown.
110	Monday Club		1815 Monterey		1933	A building designed by the famous architect Julia Morgan. Listed on the NRHP.
111	Milestone Motel Inn		2223 Monterey		1924-25	This place is said to be the first motel in the world!
118	St. Stephen's Episcopal Church		1344 Nipomo	Old Town HD	1873	A historic church in the Old Town district.
125	County Courthouse		976 Osos	Downtown HD	1941	An Art Deco building that was the county courthouse, now a planning office.
129	Kundert Medical Building		1106 Pacific		1956	One of the last designs by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
130	Dallidet Adobe		1185 Pacific		1856	An adobe building managed by the county historical society. It's a California Historical Landmark.
132	Ah Louis Store		800 Palm	Chinatown HD	1884	A commercial building built by Chinese businessman Ah Louis using bricks from his own brickyard. Listed on NRHP in 2008.
145	Southern Pacific Depot		1011 Railroad	Railroad HD	1943	A railroad station listed on the NRHP in 1993.
146	Tribune-Republic Building		1763 Santa Barbara	Railroad HD	1873	The oldest wooden commercial building in SLO, once home to several newspapers.
149	Southern Pacific Warehouse		1940 Santa Barbara	Railroad HD	1900	A warehouse from the Southern Pacific Railroad era.
151	Adriance Court		1531 Santa Rosa	Old Town HD	1921	Housing built for railroad workers.
155	Southern Pacific Water Tower		1100 Iris		1940	An old water tower used by the Southern Pacific Railroad.
158	La Loma De La Nopalera Adobe		1590 Lizzie		1780	A very old adobe building.
161	SLO High School Gymnasium		1499 San Luis		1936	The gymnasium at San Luis Obispo High School.
170	Southern Pacific Roundhouse		1335 Roundhouse	Railroad HD	1901-13	A building used for turning and repairing train engines.

Historic Neighborhoods (Districts)

San Luis Obispo also has special historic districts, which are areas with many historic buildings that share a common past.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in San Luis Obispo County, California
• California Historical Landmarks in San Luis Obispo County, California