City of San Luis Obispo
Historic Resources Group worked with the City of San Luis Obispo on the development of a comprehensive, citywide historic context statement. The project was part of the city’s ongoing efforts to identify and evaluate historic resources, and it was funded by a State of California Certified Local Government (CLG) grant. San Luis Obispo retains significant historic resources dating from the establishment of the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa in the 18th century, through post-World War II growth in the 1950s and 1960s. The historic context provides a narrative broad-brush historical overview of the overarching forces that shaped land use patterns and development of the built environment in the city. It identifies the various historical factors that shaped the development of the area, including historic activities or events, important people, building types, architectural styles, and materials, and patterns of physical development. The historic context provides a framework for the continuing process of identifying historic, architectural, and cultural resources in the City. It is meant to serve as a guide to enable citizens, planners, and decision-makers to evaluate the relative significance and integrity of individual properties. The project included consultation with the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission throughout the process, along with a public outreach component to provide the opportunity for meaningful input from local citizens and interested stakeholders.
