Mar 26
Norman Coy, shared a story from his childhood after reading a previous post on Pirate’s Cove. During World War II fake gun emplacements were placed on the bluff to protect the Union Oil facility. Though the “guns” were only telephone poles, aimed at the never to arrive Japanese fleet, live men staffed the positions and …
Mar 12
Now that Photos From the Vault has been on the scene for a few years it is fairly common to get questions from folks wanting reprints of historic events. Usually the request is very specific but our filing system is not. Here is an example; a reporter juggling taking notes and pictures likely made the …
Feb 19
In the late 1860s Rosaville, was the fastest growing community in the county. The region had a lot of commerce, mercury mining in the hills, at least two saw mills, a nearby whaling harbor and steamer destination in San Simeon and a brisk trade in real estate. The post office made them change the name …
Jan 25
In the 1960s there were two schools of thought on sound systems. The new way was assembling a set of components, speakers, amplifier, turntable, etc. As you could afford it you would buy the best component part and assemble a system. A story on the same page as this advertisement explained the concept. The old …
Jan 18
In the mid-1980s when I first photographed the Sandhill Cranes on the Carrizo Plain there seemed to be several hundred flying back and forth between grain fields and Soda Lake. There are fewer acres being farmed out there now, and fewer birds to be seen the last time I was out there. I am not …
Jan 16
Pinnacles National Park is the closest to San Luis Obispo, the newest and the smallest in the park system. President Barack Obama signed legislation Jan 10, 2013 upgrading the national monument to the more prominent national park status. The 59th national park is 26,000 acres of volcanic spires and a home to the endangered California …
Jan 14
How many bridges are there across the Union Pacific tracks in San Luis Obispo today? One at Mill Street, two if you include the pedestrian Jennifer Street bridge. The railroad seems to prefer forcing automotive traffic under their right of way as at Highland, Monterey, Johnson and Tank Farm. Only Marsh, Orcutt and Cal Poly …
Oct 25
Sunsoaked and rain starved, California Valley is a unique place. This photo was made by Jim Vestal July 15, 1966 but I could not find an article to go with it. The building is unusually tall, perhaps it was built as a grain processing facility. Driving by places like this I wonder what the story …
Feb 17
Fires are the bane of hotels. A roll call of lost county landmarks include the Ramona, Paso Robles Hot Springs and El Paso de Robles. Today public buildings are required to have sprinklers and even California homes built after January 1, 2011 are required to have sprinklers. The Madonna Inn’s first rooms were completed December …
Dec 20
Apparently it was a holiday tradition in 1966ish to post cards in the yards at Princeton Place in San Luis Obispo. On the edge of one of the photos you can see the photographer using a spotlight to help fill in the dark corners of a night time photo. Prepare to explain to future generations …
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