Living by the Sea
A History of Central Coast Residents' Reliance on the Ocean
For centuries, the ocean has remained the iconic centerpiece of the Central Coast. From trade to agriculture and everything in between, residents of the Central Coast have long relied on the Pacific Ocean for survival. Let's take a closer look at this history.
Early Beginnings
Layout of the Central Coast from Point San Luis to Ragged Point, Circa 1948 (USGS)
Thousands of years ago, before the Central Coast was subject to Spanish or American influence, Chumash and Salinan tribes made up the entirety of the human population.
Abalone Shell Container similar to those crafted by Chumash and Salinan tribes (UCLA, The Fowler Museum at UCLA)
A strong majority of Chumash and Salinan tribes lived by the Central Coast in order to sustain their constant reliability on the ocean and its vast resources. The ocean was used for harvesting seaweed, hunting marine mammals like seals, and repurposing wildlife, like the abalone shell container seen left.
A sandstone pestle created by the Chumash to grind material (UCLA, The Fowler Museum at UCLA)
In addition to utilizing the ocean directly, these groups also used many plants for survival. Coastal plants by marshes and estuaries were utilized to weave baskets and duck traps, while sandstone was carved into objects like pestles in order to mash fruit and other materials (above). More information is provided in the short video below:
The Chumash and Salinans made use of these sustainable oceanic practices to live along the Central Coast for thousands of years, until the colonization by the Spanish between the 18th and 19th centuries brought upon drastic consequences.
A New Influence
San Luis Obispo, 1877 (Black Gold Cooperative Library System / Santa Barbara Public Library)
Paradigm Shifts
Cattle grazing on a beach in California, 1900 (USC Digital Library / California Historical Society)
Deadliest Catch
To learn more about the San Simeon whaling industry, see the video below:
Whaling on the Central Coast
Influence from Across the Pacific
Cayucos: 1910 vs. 2020
(History Center of San Luis Obispo County)
Not a Job, a Lifestyle
"[It was] a chapter in history that we could never repeat again; that we were lucky enough to be in the right place and the right time."
