SHTOIRICHISTORIC SHTOIRIC P U B LIC W ORK S P ROJE TSCP ROJE CTS P ROJE TSC ON THE CE N TRA L OCA STCOA ST OCA ST Compiled by Douglas Pike, P.E. Printing Contributed by: Table of Contents Significant Transportation P rojects......2 El Camino Real................................................... 2 US Route 101...................................................... 3 California State Route 1...................................... 6 The Stone Arch Bridge ..................................... 11 Cold Spring Canyon Arch Bridge..................... 12 Significant W ater P rojects...................14 First Dams and Reservoirs................................ 14 First Water Company........................................ 14 Cold Spring Tunnel........................................... 15 Mission Tunnel ................................................. 16 Gibraltar Dam ................................................... 16 Central Coast Conduit....................................... 18 Water Reclamation In Santa Maria Valley....... 23 Twitchell Dam & Reservoir.............................. 24 Santa Maria Levee ............................................ 26 Nacimiento Water Project................................. 28 M iscellaneous P rojects of Interest.......30 Avila Pier .......................................................... 30 Stearns Wharf.................................................... 32 San Luis Obispo (Port Harford) Lighthouse..... 34 Point Conception Lighthouse............................ 35 Piedras Blancas Light ....................................... 36 Space Launch Complex 10 ............................... 37 Central Coast Indian Trade/Commerce History 38 Past APWA Presidents...................................... 40 Page 1 of 43 Significant Transportation P rojects 2. Mission Santa Inez, founded Carlos IV, September 17, 1804; containing 17.34 acres. 3. Mission La Purisima Concepcion, in Santa Barbara County. foundedA under map Carlos of III, El Camino Real December 8, 1787; containing1920 14.04 traces acres. 4. Mission San Luis Obispothe, founded mission under Carlos The main travel and supply route from Mexico was what III, September 1, 1772; containingtrail in Baja 52.72 acres. has become the El Camino Real (Spanish for The Royal California Road, also known as The King's Highway) usually refers Between 1683 and 1834, Spanish asmissionaries it existed established a to the 600-mile (966-kilometer) California Mission Trail, series of religious outposts throughout the present-day U.S. connecting the former 21 Spanish Catholic missions (along State of California and the present-dayin 1769 Mexican states of with a number of support sites), 4 presidios, and several Baja California and Baja California Sur. To facilitate pueblos, stretching from Mission San Diego de Alcalá in overland travel, mission settlements were approximately 30 San Diego in the south to Mission San Francisco Solano in miles (48 kilometers) apart, so that they were separated by Sonoma in the north. one day's long ride on horseback along the 600-mile (966- kilometer) long El Camino Real. Heavy freight movement In fact, any road under the direct jurisdiction of the Spanish was practical only via water. Tradition has it that the padres crown and its viceroys was a "camino real". Examples of sprinkled mustard seeds along the trail in order to mark it such roads ran between principal settlements throughout with bright yellow flowers. Spain and its colonies such as New Spain. Most caminos reales had names apart from the appended "camino real". Once Mexico won its independence from Spain, no road in Mexico, including California, was any longer a camino US Route 101 real. The name was rarely used after that and was only revived in the American period in connection with the The natural roadways for development between San Mission Revival movement of the early 20th century. Francisco and Los Angeles and San Diego was the along the early El Camino Real. Automobiles followed suit. In The route originated in Baja California Sur, Mexico, at fact, one of the goals of the early the site of Misión San Bruno in San Bruno (the first automotive adventurers was a visit to the mission established in Las Californias), though it was only various missions along the route. Small maintained as far south as Loreto. gas pumps appeared in front of the general stores. Livery stables and blacksmith In Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties the shops began servicing these mechanized California Mission System includes four Missions: carriages. 1. Mission Santa Barbara, founded under Carlos III, Small diners offered food and rest. San Luis Obispo was December 4, 1786; containing 283.13 acres. the location of the first motel. In December 1925, architect Page 2 of 43 Page 3 of 43 Arthur S. Heineman opened a group of cottages that US 101 is one of the last remaining and longest US Routes permitted lodgers to drive to their doors. It was originally still active in the state. US 101 was also one of the original named the Milestone Motel, but was later called the "Mo- U.S. Routes established in 1926. Tel Inn." It was located at 2223 Monterey Street, and accommodated 160 guests. It is next to the current Apple North of Ventura, U.S. 101 is an intermittent freeway (i.e. Farm restaurant and motel. there is occasional cross traffic) but there are no traffic signals until one arrives at San Francisco. The last traffic The adjacent map signals along this stretch of the highway were removed in shows the master the early 1990s when the section through downtown Santa plan for Barbara was constructed after years of resistance from the California State Santa Barbara community. Highways adopted by the The Gaviota Tunnel (officially known as the Gaviota Legislature in Gorge Tunnel) was completed in 1953 . It is 420 feet 1896. (128.016 m) long and 17 feet, 7.5 inches (5.3721 m) tall. Only the northbound lanes of U.S. Route 101 (El Camino US Route 101 Real) pass through it. Because it is the only major route (US 101) begins between the Santa Barbara County South Coast and the in the South in Santa Ynez Valley, bicycles are allowed through it. LA and extends northward to Brookings Oregon, for a total length of 808.9 miles. It appeared as a sketched route on an 1896 map of a recommended system of state roads which was accepted by the Legislature and a new era to fund new highways began. A large bond issue in 1910 earmarked the first large funding effort for 101. More funding came in 1923 and 1925. The The Santa Ynez River bridge extended the Coast Highway Central Coast route of US 101 has evolved over the years (now Highway 101) through the Buell Ranch in 1918 and allowed for the creation of the town of Buellton. At the Gaviota pass, on Christmas Day, 1846, natives and soldiers from the Presidio of Santa Barbara lay in ambush Page 4 of 43 Page 5 of 43 for Lieutenant Colonel John C. Frémont, U.S.A., and his believed to be somewhere on the Pacific coast beyond New battalion. Frémont learned of the plot and, guided by Spain, and a route connecting the North Pacific to the Benjamin Foxen and his son William came instead over the North Atlantic. Cabrillo reached Santa Barbara on the 13th San Marcos Pass, to capture Santa Barbara without bloodshed. California State Route 1 State Route 1, often called Highway 1, is a state highway that runs along a large length of the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. It is famous for running by some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, leading to its designation as an All-American Road Through the Central Coast, much of US 101 and California State Route 1 (Hwy 1) are concurrent. Where they diverge On an old HWY 1 alignment near Gaviota, we can still find a is typically where US 101 sweeps inland and Highway 1 “Metal Riveted Pratt Through Truss” bridge, typically used for spans from 125'-0" to 250'-", and was the inconspicuous remains along the Coast. truss of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Hwy 1 from San Luis Obispo of October 1542 and Pt. Concepcion on the 17th. After Northward is officially some further exploration as far north as Monterey, they named "Cabrillo Highway" returned to San Miguel Island. Cabrillo died January 3, in the State Highway Code 1543, on San Miguel Island, and may have been buried on (Assembly Bill 1769, Catalina Island. He died from complications of a broken Chapter 569, in 1959, §635.) leg incurred from a fall during a brief skirmish with Juan Rodríquez Cabrillo natives. was the leader of one of the first European expeditions to Much of Highway 1 in our area is designated scenic, California. In 1542, Cabrillo including Las Cruces (Gaviota) to Pismo Beach via the led the first European vicinity of Lompoc, Vandenberg Air Force Base, and expedition to explore what is Guadalupe., Oceano to Pismo Beach, and from San Luis now the west coast of the Obispo Northward United States. Cabrillo was commissioned by Pedro de Alvarado, Governor of Guatemala, for a voyage up the One interesting recent route change was in 1988, when the California coast under the flag of Spain. Cabrillo hoped to route was relocated to serve Vandenberg AFB by find the fabulously wealthy cities known as Cibola, incorporation of the route of former County Route S20. Page 6 of 43 Page 7 of 43 The previous alignment of Route 1 became Harris Grade "Lost Almost" and at Los Olivos they said they were "Lost Road. Harris Grade Road was a windy route through the Altogether". hills north of Lompoc, and is also through a unique preserved natural Bishop Pine forest. The arrival of the Pacific Coast Railway established Los Alamos as a transportation hub. Los Alamos became the Sources: southern terminus of the narrow gauge railway. That also 1. www.historyinslocounty.com made it an important stagecoach stop. Travelers would 2. Lost Almost in Los Alamos By Curt Cragg 3. Wikipedia 4. City of Buellton Web Site 5. http://www.cahighways.org 6. www.sandiegohistory.org San Luis Obispo to Los Alamos Narrow Gauge Railway The narrow-gauge Pacific Coast Railway ran between San Luis Obispo and Los Olivos from 1882 to 1940.