City of San Luis Obispo Historic Resources


The City of San Luis Obispo Historic Resources consist of buildings and sites designated by the City of San Luis Obispo, California, as historic resources.
A map displaying the locations of San Luis Obispo's designated historic resources can be viewed by clicking "OpenStreetMap" in the template found to the right below.

Legal foundation and purpose of designation

The designation of historic resources in City of San Luis Obispo is the responsibility of the city's Cultural Heritage Committee, a group with seven members appointed by the City Council. The CHC is broadly responsible for researching, identifying, and protecting historic buildings, archaeological sites and cultural features. Under the City's Historic Preservation Ordinance, historic resources must exhibit "a high level of historic integrity," be at least 50 years old, and satisfy specified architectural or historic criteria, including associations with a notable architect, architectural design or style, historic person, historic event, or physical integrity.
In 2013, the City also published a Citywide Historic Context Statement which places the City's historic resources "in the appropriate historic, social, and architectural context" in order to establish "the relationship between an area’s physical environment and its broader history." The Historic Context Statement is available on the City's website.
The City has also published "Historic Preservation Program Guidelines" which are also available on the City's website.

Overlap with other registries

Three of the City's designated historic resources have also been designated as California Historic Landmarks. They are: Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa ; Dallidet Adobe ; and Ah Louis Store.
In addition, eight of the City's designated historic resources have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. They are: Myron Angel House ; Pacific Coast Railway Company Grain Warehouse ; Robert Jack House ; Tribune-Republic Building ; San Luis Obispo Carnegie Library ; Ah Louis Store ; William Shipsey House ; and Monday Club of San Luis Obispo.
There are also two sites listed on the NRHP but not included in the City's register of historic resources. They are The Powerhouse on the CalPoly campus and the San Luis Obispo Octagon Barn.

San Luis Obispo Historic Resources

#NameImageLocationHistoric
District		Built Description
1Andrews Adobe 1451 Andrews
1790sTwo-story clapboard covered adobe; originally a one-story house built prior to 1800 under supervision of the Mission padres and believed to be the residence of the Mission orchards' mayordomo; believed to be the second oldest surviving structure in the county; acquired by J.P. Andrews c. 1870; second story added 1906
2Manderscheid House963 Broad
Downtown HD1891Owned in early 1900s by Pacific Coast Railway conductor Richard Manderscheid
3Dutton House1426 Broad
Old Town HD1904-08
4Miller House1435 Broad
Old Town HD1897
5Vetterline House1504 Broad
Old Town HD1895-1900
6Maier House1411 Broad
Old Town HD1933
7Falkenstein House1445 Broad
Old Town HD1895
8McKennon House1510 Broad
Old Town HD1890
9Renetzky House1516 Broad
Old Town HD1904
10Tucker House1530 Broad
Old Town HD1905
11Brazil House148 Broad
1931-33
12Bradbury House745 Buchon
Old Town HD1910One-story "Neo-Classic rowhouse" built for Dr. Richard Bradbury who built the Bradbury Sanitarium next door one year later
13Stanton House 752 Buchon
Old Town HD1903-0517-room Victorian Shingle Cottage in Queen Anne style with Neo-Classic elements; built for Edward Stanton, an officer of the Pacific Coast Railroad, and his wife Irene, a daughter of Charles William Dana.
14Manuel Marshall House 785 Buchon
Old Town HD1899Neo-Classic House with elements of a Queen Anne cottage; the original owner Manuel Marshall was a prominent jeweler
15Fred Crossett House 896 Buchon
Old Town HD1914-18Two-story Craftsman bungalow
16Myron Angel House714 Buchon
Old Town HDc. 1880Two-story wood-frame hous was the home from 1889-1911 of Myron Angel, the main force behind the founding of California Polytechnic State University; listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982
17Jessie Wright Maternity Home 726 Buchon
Old Town HD1900Wood frame home in Carpenter Gothic Revival style with Queen Anne elements and a Neo-Colonial porch; operated as a maternity home in the 1920s
18Bradbury Sanitarium 743 Buchon
Old Town HD1911-12Built by Dr. Richard Bradbury as a sanitarium; Classical Revival style later vernacularized as "American Four Square"; later used for military housing in World War II; became an apartment building after the war
19Ed Kaiser House 751 Buchon
Old Town HD1904-08Two-story Colonial Revival, American Four Square house with Doric columns; was the home of cigar dealer and bar owner, Ed Kaiser
20Nathaniel Brew House771 Buchon
Old Town HD1903Home with eclectic design including Carpenter Gothic and Neo-Colonial styles; owned by Nathaniel Brew who operated a furniture and carpet business
21Upham House 779 Buchon
Old Town HD1898Two-story home in Carpenter Gothic style with Neo-Classic elements
22Jacob Crocker House 793 Buchon
Old Town HD1901-02Ornate two-story Queen Anne house with Colonial Revival influence built for Jacob Crocker, a prosperous businessman and merchant
23A. F. Fitzgerald House 794 Buchon
Old Town HD1902Two-story Italianate house built by Joseph Maino for A. F. Fitzgerald, a prominent businessman who was involved in the founding of Cal Poly
24Clark/Norton House 850 Buchon
Old Town HD1904-08Two-story vernacular Neo-Colonial house with pronounced horizontal orientation; served as the residence of two SLO mayors over the years, Elmer Clark and Thomas Norton; when built by Clark it was the largest home in SLO at 4,500 square feet
25Hourihan House 860 Buchon
Old Town HD1895Two-story Carpenter Gothic Revival house, built for Thomas and Kate Hourihan, ranchers from Arroyo Grande
26Pete Paulson House 890 Buchon
Old Town HD1919Classic Revival house in Craftsman style with Prairie School elements; built for Pete Paulson, a salesman for the Channel Commercial Company
27Fleuger House1546 Chorro
Old Town HD1903
28Aston House1746 Chorro
1903
29Wade Building1026 Chorro
Downtown HD1909
30Dughi Building1029 Chorro
Downtown HD1885
31Wickenden Building1033 Chorro
Downtown HD1885
32Sauer/Adams Adobe964 Chorro
Chinatown HD1800/1860Original adobe built c. 1800; second story added 1860
33Brooks House1518 Chorro
Old Town HD1890
34Regan House1306 Chorro
1883
35Mazza House1318 Chorro
1906
36Finney House1907 Chorro
1890
37Mancilla/Freitas Adobe868 Chorro
1850
38Rosa Butron Adobe466 Dana
Downtown HD1860
39Anderson House532 Dana
Downtown HD1898
40Barneberg House550 Dana
Downtown HD1914Two-story Neo-Classical style house with Craftsman and Prairie School overtones; built by James Maino for J. W. Barneberg, president of the Commercial Bank and one of the City's first millionaries; later known as Duenow Residence
41Frank Anderson House1345 Broad
Old Town HD1910-14One-story Neo-Classical rowhouse/Victorial cottage built for Frank Anderson, a lineman for Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Co.
42Goldtree/McCafrey House1212 Garden
1898
43Union Hardware Building1119 Garden
Downtown HD1912
44Smith Building1123 Garden
Downtown HD1924-25
45Laird Building1129 Garden
Downtown HD1883
46Stover Building1130 Garden
Downtown HD1913
47Weill House2132 Harris
1889
48Golden State Creamery570 Higuera
Downtown HD1910
49Greenfield Building719 Higuera
Downtown HD1905
50Kluver Cigar726 Higuera
Downtown HD1897Home of the Kluver & Sons Pioneer Cigar factory operated by George Kluver
51Carrisa Building736 Higuera
Downtown HD1906
52Vollmer Grocery740 Higuera
Downtown HD1890
53Bank of America Building767 Higuera
Downtown HD1901-02
54Doton Building777 Higuera
Downtown HD1931
55Johnson Building796 Higuera
Downtown HD1903-04
56Commercial Bank Building799 Higuera
Downtown HD1891
57Tower Building/H. M. Warden Building842 Higuera
Downtown HD1904Two-story commercial building; built as an office building by Horatio M. Warden; ornate clock tower removed after 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake; became Tower Building prior to World War II; first floor extensively altered
58Goldtree Block/Hotel Wineman849 Higuera
Downtown HD1883/1930Large commercial building originally operated as a general merchandise store the Goldtree Brothers; the Wineman Hotel opened at the location in 1931; ground floor was Riley's Department Store from 1955 to 1993
59A. F. Fitzgerald Building852 Higuera
Downtown HD1903
60Sandercock Transfer Building856 Higuera
Downtown HD1890Home of Sandercock Transfer Co., a drayage company that delivered freight for the Pacific Coast Railway
61H. H. Waite Planing Mill236 Higuera
1883
62Loomis Feed Co. Warehouse75 Higuera
1885Wood frame building with corrugated iron paneling; only surviving building from the Pacific Coast Railway's headquarters as well as the only extant grain storage building in San Luis Obispo; listed on the NRHP in 1988
63Sandercock House591 Islay
Old Town HD1910
64Fitzpatrick House670 Islay
Old Town HD1880
65Erickson House461 Islay
1900
66Vollmer House497 Islay
1890
67Vollmer House1116 Pismo
Old Town HD1912
68Sandercock House535 Islay
Old Town HD1910
69Dana/Parsons House644 Islay
Old Town HD1875
70Erickson House687 Islay
Old Town HD1894-95
71Kimball House690 Islay
Old Town HD1900
72Jackson House790 Islay
Old Town HD1910
73Fumigalli House463 Islay
1900
74The Judge's House1720 Johnson
1892-1906
75Buckley House777 Johnson
Mill Street HD1890
76Post House1019 Leff
Old Town HD1900
77Madonna Inn100 Madonna
1961-69Motel built by Alex Madonna along US Route 101; features a pseudo-Swiss-Alps exterior and lavish common rooms accented by pink roses, Western murals, and hammered copper; 110 uniquely designed and themed guest rooms and suites
78Esquar House1117 Marsh
1888
79Stover's Sanitarium1160 Marsh
1911
80Graves House1167 Marsh
1929
81Kaetzel House547 Marsh
1882
82Snyder Building774 Marsh
Downtown HD1925
83Ramage House1129 Marsh
1905
84Shipman House1135 Marsh
1888
85The Nurse's House1141 Marsh
1890
86Faulkner House1145 Marsh
1915
87Reid House1305 Marsh
1930
88Robert Jack House536 Marsh
1880Two-story Italianate-style house operated by the city as a museum and events center; listed on the NRHP in 1992
89Masonic Temple859 Marsh
1913
90U.S. Post Office893 Marsh
1925
91First Presbyterian Church951 Marsh
1905English Arts and Crafts style church built using granite quarried from nearby Bishop Peak
92Frederick Hart Building981 Marsh
1928
93William Shipsey House1266 Mill
Mill Street HD1890Home built with Queen Anne and Stick/Eastlake elements; listed on NRHP in 2010
94Smith House1306 Mill
Mill Street HD1905
95Maino House1424 Mill
1926
96Mugler House1460 Mill
1925
97Muscio House1330 Mill
Mill Street HD1909
98Hays/Lattimer Adobe642 Monterey
Downtown HD1860
99Mission San Luis782 Monterey
Downtown HD1812Spanish mission founded in 1772 by Father Junípero Serra
100Fremont Theater1035 Monterey
Downtown HD1941Streamline Moderne theater designed by architect S. Charles Lee
101Dr. George Nichols House664 Monterey
Downtown HD1907One-story Colonial Revival house
102San Luis Obispo Carnegie Library696 Monterey
Downtown HD1905Richardsonian Romanesque Carnegie library faced in red brick with yellow sandstone trim; listed on NRHP in 1995; operated as the county's historical museum since 1956
103Murray Adobe747 Monterey
Downtown HD1850Two-room adobe; used by Walter Murray as a residence and later to house the printing press for his newspaper, the Tribune; later owned by the City and served as office for the Historical Resources survey in the early 1980s
104Sauer Bakery848 Monterey
Downtown HD1875Two-story commercial structure; extensive alterations have covered its original character
105Sinsheimer Building849 Monterey
Downtown HD1884First floor was a general store operated by Sinsheimer Brothers; second floor was used for offices; only known cast iron facade on the Central Coast
106Muzio's Grocery868 Monterey
Downtown HD1912Grocery store operated by Italian immigrants; customers included William Randolph Hearst
107Anderson Hotel955 Monterey
Downtown HD1922-23Elegant Mediterranean style five-story hotel designed for J.C. Anderson, was the tallest building in downtown
108Brunner Building 962 Monterey
Downtown HD1922-23Two-story Renaissance Revival building; originally operated with Moose lodge on second floor and retail on ground floor
109J. P. Andrews Building998 Monterey
Downtown HD1893-1906Two-story commercial building, it originally housed Andrews Bank
110Monday Club1815 Monterey
1933Designed by Julia Morgan; listed on the NRHP
111Milestone Motel Inn2223 Monterey
1924-25Claimed as the first motel in the world, closed in 1991; now the administrative building of the Apple Farm hotel next door
112Snyder House1406 Morro
Old Town HD1885
113Bullard House1624 Morro
Old Town HD1905
114Baker House1636 Morro
Old Town HD1900
115Albert House1642 Morro
Old Town HD1900
116Rogers House1428 Nipomo
Old Town HD1890
117Harmony Creamery991 Nipomo
Downtown HD1929
118St. Stephen's Episcopal Church1344 Nipomo
Old Town HD1873
119Patton House1407 Nipomo
Old Town HD1913
120Nichols House1446 Nipomo
Old Town HD1903
121Parsons House1204 Nipomo
1919
122M. F. Avila House1443 Osos
Old Town HD1927-29
123Park/Reidy Hotel1815 Osos
Railroad HD1907
124Teass House890 Osos
Downtown HD1929
125County Courthouse976 Osos
Downtown HD1941Art Deco building operated as the county courthouse until the 1960s; now houses the County Department of Planning and Building
126Allen House1700 Osos
Old Town HD1900
127Hageman Sanitarium1716 Osos
Old Town HD1895
128First Baptist Church1301 Osos
1907Currently operated as SLO Adventist Church
129Kundert Medical Building1106 Pacific
1956
130Dallidet Adobe1185 Pacific
1856Operated by the county historical societ since 1953; California Historical Landmark No. 720
131Zion Lutheran Church863 Pacific
1909-10Currently operated as offices for Design Collaborative 2
132Ah Louis Store800 Palm
Chinatown HD1884Commercial structure built by Chinese businessman Ah Louis using bricks from his own brickyard; listed on NRHP in 2008
133Michael Righetti House 1314 Palm
Mill Street HD1877 or 1889Queen Anne house
134Righetti Apartments1305 Palm
Mill Street HD1929
135Payne House1144 Palm
1911-13
136Sandford House71 Palomar
1890
137J. Maino House1127 Peach
1908
138Maino/Righetti House1128 Peach
1910
139Thorne House1123 Pismo
Old Town HD1906
140Biddle House559 Pismo
Old Town HD1889
141McManus House649 Pismo
Old Town HD1901
142Lewin House671 Pismo
Old Town HD1890
143Greenfield House676 Pismo
Old Town HD1890
144Old Gas Works280 Pismo
1902-
145Southern Pacific Depot1011 Railroad
Railroad HD1943Railroad depot listed on the NRHP in 1993
146Tribune-Republic Building1763 Santa Barbara
Railroad HD1873Housed the printing press and offices of four successive SLO newspapers from 1873-1901; moved to its current location in 1905; the oldest wooden commercial building in SLO
147Call Hotel1703 Santa Barbara
Railroad HD1886
148Channel Commercial Company1763 Santa Barbara
Railroad HD1912
149Southern Pacific Warehouse1940 Santa Barbara
Railroad HD1900
150Kindergarten School1445 Santa Rosa
Old Town HD1917
151Adriance Court1531 Santa Rosa
Old Town HD1921
152Chapek House843 Upham
1921
153San Luis Obispo City Hall990 Palm
Downtown HD1951
154Kaufman House1052 Islay
1915
155Southern Pacific Water Tower1100 Iris
1940
156Edward F. Bushnell House1105 George
1906
157Division of Highways District 5 Office50 Higuera
1931
158La Loma De La Nopalera Adobe1590 Lizzie
1780
159Heritage Inn978 Olive
1905
160Rodriguez Adobe1341 Purple Sage
1850
161SLO High School Gymnasium1499 San Luis
1936
162S. Long/Bonetti Ranch3897 Higuera
1880
163William M. Duff House1717 Santa Barbara
Railroad HD1901
164Alexander Galewski House1725 Santa Barbara
Railroad HD1904
165Oliver House1953 Chorro
1890-1910
166Martha Dunlap House1511 Morro
Old Town HD1916
167J. J. Dunne House59 Benton
1927
168Solomon Foreman House1500 Eto
1878
169SP Transportation Co. Bldg.1021 Railroad
Railroad HD
170Southern Pacific Roundhouse1335 Roundhouse
Railroad HD1901-13
171Chris Anholm House375 Chorro
1919-20
172Bittick Residence1902 Chorro
1912-13
173Old SLO High School Classroom2030 Johnson
1908
174Frank Campbell Mitchell House1429 Osos
Old Town HD1884-85
175Laird House1323 Mill
Mill Street HD1931
176Burch House1333 Mill
Mill Street HD1915
177Faulstich House2243 Santa Ynez
1928
178Old Fire Station Building750 Pismo
1941
179Gregg House1118 Palm
1894
180Michael C. Halpin House116 Chorro
1930
181Charles John Kelly1352 Pacific
1921
182Louisiana Clayton Dart1318 Pacific
1912
183Harry E. Lyman House868 Upham
1912
184David Norcross Residence546 Higuera
185Robert Pollard House535 Higuera
186Theresa Torres True House1214 Mill
187Leonard Hill House1144 Buchon
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San Luis Obispo Historic Districts

NameImageBoundariesDescription
Downtown Historic DistrictGenerally 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 northwestCovers the oldest part of SLO including the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa and many commercial structures from the city's boom era from the 1890s to the 1910s. Covers 61.5 acres
Old Town Historic DistrictGenerally bounded by Pacific Street on the north, Islay Street on the south, Santa Rosa Street on the east, and Beach Street on the westEstablished in 1987, the district covers 86 acres in SLO's oldest residential neighborhoods with historic homes dating from the 1880s to the turn of the century.
Chinatown Historic DistrictBoth sides of Palm Street between Chorro and Morro StreetsEstablished in 1995 to recognize the contributions of SLO's Chinese community; consists of 4.4 acres
Mill Street Historic DistrictPeach Street on the north, Palm Street on the south, Pepper Street on the east and Toro Street on the westEstablished in 1987, consists of 20 acres along a tree-lined street with early 20th century homes in the Tudor Revival, Craftsman, Mission Revival, Prairie Colonial, and Shingle styles. Sometimes referred to as Fremont Heights
Railroad Historic DistrictBounded 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 westEstablished 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. Covers 80.7 acres