San Luis Obispo County Genealogical Society

09/04/2025

Throwback Thursday:
It’s hard to believe, but in the 1850’s, San Luis Obispo had a reputation for lawlessness, stagecoach robberies, and vigilantism. So much so that it was given the nickname “Tiger Town”, or “Barrio del Tigre” in Spanish. The name was a nod to its wild and dangerous nature.

This is a great reminder that even the quietest places have a wild history in their past.

09/03/2025

You never know what you will find…

09/03/2025

On This Day in History: 1838, abolitionist Frederick Douglass made his dramatic escape from slavery. He boarded a train in Baltimore dressed as a free sailor, using a borrowed “seaman’s protection certificate” to help him travel to the North.

This story is a powerful reminder that many of our ancestors made incredible, brave choices. When you hit a roadblock in your own research, remember that some stories are not in the record book, but are found in the details of a community’s history and the spirit of survival.

09/02/2025

Fact or Fiction?

09/02/2025

Tuesday Tip: Master the Marriage Record

Marriage records are a gold mine for genealogists. They often contain the full names of both the bride and groom, their parents’s names (including mother’s maiden name!), and their places of birth. Finding this one document can help you jump back another generation.

09/01/2025

09/01/2025

Labor Day: Honoring the Hands That Built Our Family Tree

This Labor Day, as we celebrate the American Worker, let’s take a moment to honor the hands that built our family tree. The farmers, the milliners, the miners, the teachers - every one of our ancestors had a story to tell through their work.

Your challenge this week: Go beyond the names and dates. Use your family’s history to learn about the work they did. Were your ancestors part of the 10,000 workers who marched in the first-ever Labor Day parade in New York City in 1882? Did they work in a factory that powered the Industrial Revolution? Or were they homesteaders who tamed the wild frontier?

Their labor, struggle, and perseverance are not just part of a holiday - they are the very foundation of your legacy. Happy Labor Day!

08/30/2025

“Discovering more about your family history is a life-enriching experience," said Woods, noting that the digital revolution and advancements in AI indexing tools have democratized access to genealogical information."

New Boston exhibit kickstarts journey to uncover family history

Where do you come from? The Family Heritage Experience offers up questions and introduces tools to help you find the answer.

08/29/2025

Friday Facts: That’s Not Their Real Name!
It’s a fact of genealogy that many ancestors didn’t use their full names in everyday life. For example, a man named William Henry might have been known simply as Henry or even by a nickname. Women often went by their middle names. If you’re stuck, try searching with just the first name and a surname, or look for more common nicknames in the time period and location.

08/28/2025

Throwback Thursday: The First Motel
Did you know that the concept of the “Motel” was born right here in San Luis Obispo? In 1925, Arthur Heineman opened the “Milestone Motel Inn” on what is now Monterey Street. He combined the words “motor” and “hotel” to create a new kind of lodging specifically for travelers with cars. At the time, it was a revolutionary idea that changed the American landscape.

Your ancestors who traveled the California coast might have stayed there!

08/27/2025

On This Day in History: August 27, 1859, the first commercially successful oil well was drilled in Titusville, Pennsylvania. While this event changed the world, for many of our ancestors, it meant a new beginning. I you have ancestors from western Pennsylvania, consider looking at city directories, employment records, or newspaper articles from this time. They may have been part of the first generation of boom-town oil workers