CAYUCOS
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Cayucos is one of the last great little beach towns on
California's Central Coast. Rich in history and popular for its
great beaches, it is known for its fishing pier, beautiful beach
and western-style false-front buildings.
Shops, restaurants, and antique stores line its colorful
Main Street and its long sandy beach offers mild weather,
surfing, swimming, and tidepooling.
California's Central Coast. Rich in history and popular for its
great beaches, it is known for its fishing pier, beautiful beach
and western-style false-front buildings.
Shops, restaurants, and antique stores line its colorful
Main Street and its long sandy beach offers mild weather,
surfing, swimming, and tidepooling.
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The term was early applied to this area, and was well established when the Cayucos land grant was given by
Spain to Vicente Feliz on April 27, 1842.
This land grant was later combined with the Moro when the land was patented to James McKinley on January
19, 1878. In the mid-1800’s, the area was predominantly devoted to ranching, and some of the county’s oldest
families with Swiss Italian or Portuguese names hail from this early time. In the middle of the nineteenth century,
the little community of Cold Creek was established in the same general area where Old Creek Road is today.
The town originates with the arrival of Scottish seacaptain James Cass in 1867. The captain's home, the Cass
house, still stands near the foot of Cayucos Pier. Cass built the Cayucos Pier and warehouse. The warehouse
is now home to the Cayucos Vets Hall.
During the early 1900s the warehouse housed an abalone-drying enterprise. The abalone was shipped to San
Francisco and Japan at a rate of about 3 tons per year. At one time there was a 700-foot long hitching post
outside the warehouse next to the wharf; as many as 125 teams of horses would be hitched there on "butter
days".
The pier was a regular stop for the ships of the Pacific Coast Steamship Company. San Luis Obispo was the
leading county in the state for the production of dairy products, and in June, 1883, 94,600 pounds of butter and
2700 pounds of cheese left Cayucos in the company's steamers.
The post office was established as Cayucas in 1879, and changed to Cayucos on February 28, 1883. That
same month, a stagecoach line began running from Cayucos via Paso Robles to San Miguel, carrying the mail
and giving people along the route a chance to catch the weekly steamer.
Spain to Vicente Feliz on April 27, 1842.
This land grant was later combined with the Moro when the land was patented to James McKinley on January
19, 1878. In the mid-1800’s, the area was predominantly devoted to ranching, and some of the county’s oldest
families with Swiss Italian or Portuguese names hail from this early time. In the middle of the nineteenth century,
the little community of Cold Creek was established in the same general area where Old Creek Road is today.
The town originates with the arrival of Scottish seacaptain James Cass in 1867. The captain's home, the Cass
house, still stands near the foot of Cayucos Pier. Cass built the Cayucos Pier and warehouse. The warehouse
is now home to the Cayucos Vets Hall.
During the early 1900s the warehouse housed an abalone-drying enterprise. The abalone was shipped to San
Francisco and Japan at a rate of about 3 tons per year. At one time there was a 700-foot long hitching post
outside the warehouse next to the wharf; as many as 125 teams of horses would be hitched there on "butter
days".
The pier was a regular stop for the ships of the Pacific Coast Steamship Company. San Luis Obispo was the
leading county in the state for the production of dairy products, and in June, 1883, 94,600 pounds of butter and
2700 pounds of cheese left Cayucos in the company's steamers.
The post office was established as Cayucas in 1879, and changed to Cayucos on February 28, 1883. That
same month, a stagecoach line began running from Cayucos via Paso Robles to San Miguel, carrying the mail
and giving people along the route a chance to catch the weekly steamer.
| The Cayucos Pier is one of the oldest surviving piers in San Luis Obispo County, having been built in 1875.Cayucos State Beach, at the Cayucos Pier, has a picnic area and children's play equipment. |
The Shoreline Inn in Cayucos maintains a continually updating webcam with a great view of the beach and pier.
Cayucos ranch will stay rural. Nine hundred acres of Cayucos ranch land overlooking the
Estero Bluffs will stay rural under protections finalized Wednesday. A $1.1 million conservation easement
recorded in San Luis Obispo covers two miles of land on Highway 1 overlooking the Estero bluffs shoreline area
acquired by the state in 2000.
The agreement restricts new building on Jim Maino’s San Geronimo Ranch to two homes, both of which must
be out of view of the federally designated “All American Highway” and Estero Bluffs coastline property. For
generations, the Maino family has used the land as a working cattle and agricultural ranch, an operation that will
continue.
This easement complements the Estero Bluff easement which specifically allows public access for four miles
directly across the highway from San Geronimo. The views from the California Coastal Trail on Estero are now
protected on both sides of the highway.
Estero Bluffs will stay rural under protections finalized Wednesday. A $1.1 million conservation easement
recorded in San Luis Obispo covers two miles of land on Highway 1 overlooking the Estero bluffs shoreline area
acquired by the state in 2000.
The agreement restricts new building on Jim Maino’s San Geronimo Ranch to two homes, both of which must
be out of view of the federally designated “All American Highway” and Estero Bluffs coastline property. For
generations, the Maino family has used the land as a working cattle and agricultural ranch, an operation that will
continue.
This easement complements the Estero Bluff easement which specifically allows public access for four miles
directly across the highway from San Geronimo. The views from the California Coastal Trail on Estero are now
protected on both sides of the highway.
Estero Bluffs. The Estero Bluffs are the stretch of coastal land just north of the town of Cayucos. The
Bluffs are pristine coastal grasslands stretching four miles along the coast. Thanks to the Cayucos Land
Conservancy, this historic coastal terrace is preserved in perpetuity as an important coastal viewshed and open
space.
The Cayucos Land Conservancy offers "Bluff Walks" led by experts in marine wildlife, geology, bird watching
and natural history.
The walks are free to the public, and meet at the windmill parking area north of Cayucos on Highway 1, across
from San Geronimo Creek Road. For more info: www.cayucoslandconservancy.org.
Walks are also listed on our events page.
Bluffs are pristine coastal grasslands stretching four miles along the coast. Thanks to the Cayucos Land
Conservancy, this historic coastal terrace is preserved in perpetuity as an important coastal viewshed and open
space.
The Cayucos Land Conservancy offers "Bluff Walks" led by experts in marine wildlife, geology, bird watching
and natural history.
The walks are free to the public, and meet at the windmill parking area north of Cayucos on Highway 1, across
from San Geronimo Creek Road. For more info: www.cayucoslandconservancy.org.
Walks are also listed on our events page.
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The name Cayucos is a Spanish version of the Eskimo
word kayak. It probably relates to the excellent canoes built
by the Chumash Indians, who were indigenous to this area.
word kayak. It probably relates to the excellent canoes built
by the Chumash Indians, who were indigenous to this area.
More about Cayucos
Population (2003): 2,991
65+ (2000): 23.5%
Founded: 1875
Unincorporated
Population (2003): 2,991
65+ (2000): 23.5%
Founded: 1875
Unincorporated
