HomeMy WebLinkAboutApr14SLOWhatHistory never travels alone. No matter the era, issue or activity, history
most often is a crowded conglomeration of persons, groups, and events
influencing each other to a greater or lesser extent. Thus, relating history
(hopefully with a semblance of continuity) simply requires paying attention
to some of the key players and events.
So as San Luis Obispo tried to mature into a community, the rest of California,
America and the world also continued in its development. For the relatively
new Nation, a celebration of its independence is captured in the 1876
Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. Other celebrations called “expositions” paraded much
of the Nation before the world; even a small town in California barely a quarter century old
that on March 20, 1876 was finally declared a “city” having attained a population of at least
3000 residents.
In the 1870s, as the town and then City of San Luis Obispo addressed its formative years,
ownership of land became a key issue. Petitions for town lots are evidence that those already
here planned on staying here. Walter Murray – who served on the community board of
trustees before 1870 – wrote at one time of the improvements:
“We have not yet attained to metropolitan proportions, but we can
claim with truth the town has been steadily growing since its first
inception, that its houses have been always occupied…and that its
rate of growth was never so rapid as during the past twelve months.”
Little did he realize that – legally – there was no such place as San Luis Obispo. You had to
petition town authorities to obtain a legal title to the land you undoubtedly thought you owned.
This seemingly strange situation had a convoluted evolution beginning with the peace treaty
(1848) after the Mexican-American War. Familiar to most history buffs, huge tracts of land
(former ranchos) often required years to validate ownership as the federal government
owned everything. However, fledging communities with much smaller land holdings required
a series of legislative acts in order to assure their validity.
Thus, the federal survey of the new State of California (1867) simply decided the boundaries
of communities. At issue were the parcels owned by individuals within the new boundaries.
If the land under any holding belonged to the federal government, who also decided the
town limits, how could you legally own your property? The answer was to purchase what you
thought you owned!
So on October 5, 1871, a Federal Patent signed by President Grant was issued for the Town
of San Luis Obispo in the name of Charles H. Johnson as trustee. At $1.25 an acre, the cost
to purchase 552.65 acres was $690.82. Indeed, a mighty sum for the day. Johnson was the
chairman of the community’s Board of Trustees. Once the town was established by being sold
to itself by the federal government, establishing ownership to parcels within the community
required another legal procedure. More on that process next time.
Contact: jacarotenuti@gmail.com
History of San Luis Obispo By: Joseph A. Carotenuti
City Historian/Archivist, Admin Volunteer