HomeMy WebLinkAboutAug14SLOWhatHistory of San Luis Obispo By: Joseph A. Carotenuti
City Historian/Archivist, Volunteer
History is defined quite often by the reader. Battles, conquests, judicial rulings
(or for some, mis-rulings), executives, the bad and the bold fascinate different
audiences. For local historians, the essence of municipal history is reflected
in the thinking and principles distilled in the ordinances and resolutions of
any particular era. From its laws, the community’s official issues are reflected
with varying degrees of logic and reason. For much of our early history (as well as today), a
major reason was to increase revenue to match expenses. There were social issues but the
municipal attitude seems more comfortable with individuals coping with the times rather than
the government attempting to cope for the individual.
With yet another reincorporation of the Town of San Luis Obispo (1872), a New Series (the
fourth continued for four years) repeated the pattern of abolishing and then reissuing the same
laws. In all, 19 ordinances are included in this series. A few are detailed below.
Holding their first meeting a week earlier, on May 14, 1872 the newly elected Trustees began
the Fourth Series by amending Ordinance #1 through 7 of the previous series. Indeed, possibly
confused by the number of laws already on the books, ten months later, the Council directed
that all ordinances from May 4, 1870 were to be abstracted and given to Judge McDowell R.
Venable to be revised and corrected. A few of the ordinances in this series have been found
and preserved.
Ordinance #8 passed on July 11, 1873 addressed “Public Safety.” It basically warned everyone
not to ride or drive on sidewalks. While not many, the wooden walks were for people. If convicted
of the offense, fines ranged from 5 to 15 dollars or 5 to 15 days in jail or both.
Dogs maintained their municipal primacy in Ordinance 11 (October 31, 1873) as each was
required to have a license ($2.50). Any animal found wandering without an identifying “metallic
plate” had 48 hours to live. Since the Marshal issued the license, he kept 25% of the fee. If
he needed to first capture the animal, he kept the entire fee if an owner claimed the animal
for $2.50 before the execution.
A most unusual ordinance was #12 (12/8/73) concerned in part with morals. Undoubtedly quaint
to some today, the law forbade being “naked, or in a dress not belonging to his or her sex.”
Apparel could neither be “lewd” nor “indecent.” “Profane language, words or epitaphs” would
certainly enrich municipal coffers (fine: $100) if the law today. Of course, public drunkenness
(the most often reported offense) was not tolerated nor “any disorderly house or house of ill-
fame.” Lastly, everyone was warned to not allow “hogs, goats, or cattle” to roam around town.
Surprisingly modern, Ordinance 16 protected trees from being used to hitch animals. It was also
forbidden to “cut, mark, hew (or) hack” one. Most urgent for the times was an often repeated
order to decrease fire hazards. This time, the rule required yearly cleaning of chimneys. A
Board of Fire Wardens could issue citations to offenders. Inevitably, when Governor William
Irvin signed “An Act to incorporate the City of San Luis Obispo” on March 4, 1876, a new
series was born.
Contact: jacarotenuti@gmail.com