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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/06/1992, 1 - - ME�� ��VG AGENDA DATE 4ITEM COPS TO: �❑/.Demotes Acton��/ ❑ FYI L7 cg 6Q CDD DiX �/ E3 �•DIR Historic Homes 115 years young I� ACAO ❑ rHRE 04IEF /►TTOwt-y 13 MAI DIR. 535 Higuera Street CLEW/ORM. ❑ Poi ICE 04. ❑ MGMT.TE.3.h:1 D P.EC.DL^ San Luis Obispo, California 93401 1Tt EYF jqL°.... April 4, 1992 -- L` To The Honorable Mayor APR s 002 CITY COUNCIL Dear Mr. Ron Dunint SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA My family has had a deep respect and especially my Mother, Pauline Bray Martin. I have read with complete horror the article in the Telegram Tribune for today, April 4, 19929 on page 6 of section A. It states the Downtown Design Committee will unveil its vision of the future of downtown San Luis Obispo on Monday in a special joint meeting of the Planning Commission and City Council. The poster map prepared allows the city to share with private landowners in the development of downtown properties according to City Administrator John Dunn. It further states that "some landowners might be surprised with the plans for their property. " "A mid-block promenade with a generous expanse of grass is planned for the area bounded by Nipomo, Carmel, Marsh, and Higuera streets. " Then some streets would be closed. There would be built an arched entryway into town by the intersection of Marsh and Carmel streets. It concludes by saying that "the Design Committee hopes the city will adopt the poster as a specific plan for the downtown area, according to Dunn. Its ideas will then be used to determine the success or failure of future development applications in the downtown. " This is why I am writing in that my historic home is located right where the plan would have a promenade. My Mother, Pauline Bray Martin came to this home in..,.1915. She bought this home in 1917 when she was the first girl to work in any bank which was the Commercial Bank and then Pacific Southwest and then Security First National and then Security Pacific on the corner of Higuera and Chorro Streets. She married Eugene Martin-, (Alford Eugene Martin) in 1927 and I was born on April 14 , 1934. 2 This has been my only home down through the years. I am 58 years young this month, and I pray God that I will live my entire life in this my beloved home with my roots and history. _. I have dedicated my life to the education of young children in the elementary schools of the San Luis Coastal Unified School District for 33 years and pray God that I will be able to continue for years ahead as I love teaching my Second Graders at Sunnyside in the Los Osos. I have taught at Fremont School on Peach Street and Quintana School in the Eer-ft-fint.hHeghts. I have seen much history take place on my higuera Street in the 500 block. When I was a little girl we had the gas street lights which the high school boys turned on and off. Also, I went every week to the Creamery for milk products when it was the Golden State and later Foremost Dairy with Mother. There were glass gallons of milk we carried home and we could get ice cream cones for a nickel with generous portions. I remember when the trailer park across the street was a beautiful home with landscaped gardens and. peacocks roaming throughout with wonderful walnut trees and a beautiful fence in front. I remember when the Campbell family (John and Thera now 80 years)bought the p1bperty across the street and started Campbells Refrigeration. They worked 'so hard. The apartment house (Logan Apartments) used to be a barn for race horses and Mother remembered when they sold hay,, grain, and feed with a scales there in front. As a child one could read the sign on the side of the building. My Grandfather, E.D. Bray,drew the plans to change the barn to apartments. The Logan boys built the apartments. As a girl growing up we had a good number of homes in this block. Mother and Daddy and I have all loved our home and we have decided that this was our only home, please God. I want to die right here. We have enjoyed telling the history of San Luis Obispo to tourists going by who enjoy looking at our garden and home. We love San Luis Obispo dearly. 3 Pauling Martin, my Mother, has always been active in affairs of our city, county, state, and national governments and communicated with all levels. I have that same government interest, but I give my days completely to teaching the children and doing a good work with the families. !his historic home was built by Robert Pollard in September 1876. He is mentioned in the famous San Luis Obispo County History Book by Myron Angel, and he worked in the County Government under Nathan king. Mother kept in touch with the Vwo daughters of Robert Pollard for years until they both pelssed on. They were related to the famous Dana Family. They would visit our home in the summers, and love to talk about how it was when theyV ived here. They were Frankie and Josie and worked for the paper and did special sewing. Mother, Daddy, and I have kept our home historical and kept it always neat and beautiful on our street. My Father was Superintendent for the Shell Oil Company for 25 years when the plant was by Cal Poly near the railroad tracks on Foothill Blvd. . He helped the Poly students with their projects concerning oil, and he was friends with the faculty. I was among the historic coeds that returned to Cal Poly in the Fall of 1956 and graduated with honors in the top 2% in 1958. I continued in the summers and received my M.A. Degree and credentials in Administration and Supervision. I am a Life Member of the Alumni. The home at the corner of Marsh and Carmel (the Wilkinson Home) which is now a law office was built by my Grandfather, E.D. Bray. He built some of the most beautiful homes at that time in this area, and many are still today standing and very very beautiful. He also built the Santa Maria Club as the Martin Home for my Grandmother, Henrietta Louise Newlove Martin. It was very famous and it is still standing as the Landmark Square across from 'the Santa Maria Inn. in Santa Maria. My Grandmother, my Mother, and I attended the Emerson School and we are a strong part of history here, and my Father's people were Pioneers in Santa Maria and important members of the community. Timewise I would be here 5 generations in S.L.O. if I had married and had children because. I am old .enough to be a grandmother.