Arroyo Grande, California
Encyclopedia
Arroyo Grande is a city in San Luis Obispo County
, California
, United States
. The population was 17,252 at the 2010 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 5.8 square miles (15 km²), all of it land.
was 2,956.5 people per square mile (1,141.5/km²). The racial makeup of Arroyo Grande was 14,710 (85.3%) White, 156 (0.9%) African American, 125 (0.7%) Native American, 595 (3.4%) Asian, 14 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 856 (5.0%) from other races
, and 796 (4.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2,707 persons (15.7%).
The Census reported that 17,078 people (99.0% of the population) lived in households, 62 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 112 (0.6%) were institutionalized.
There were 7,087 households, out of which 2,027 (28.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 3,741 (52.8%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 653 (9.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 275 (3.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 346 (4.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 42 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,968 households (27.8%) were made up of individuals and 1,017 (14.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41. There were 4,669 families
(65.9% of all households); the average family size was 2.93.
The population was spread out with 3,633 people (21.1%) under the age of 18, 1,193 people (6.9%) aged 18 to 24, 3,704 people (21.5%) aged 25 to 44, 5,229 people (30.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 3,493 people (20.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.4 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.
There were 7,628 housing units at an average density of 1,307.2 per square mile (504.7/km²), of which 4,686 (66.1%) were owner-occupied, and 2,401 (33.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.0%. 11,345 people (65.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,733 people (33.2%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 15,851 people, 6,478 households, and 4,353 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,795.3 people per square mile (1,079.4/km²). There were 6,750 housing units at an average density of 1,190.3 per square mile (459.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.45% White, 0.62% African American, 0.45% Native American, 3.08% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 3.77% from other races
, and 3.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.17% of the population.
There were 6,478 households out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.0% were married couples
living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.5 males.
The median income
for a household in the city was $48,236, and the median income for a family was $55,494. Males had a median income of $41,304 versus $30,688 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $24,311. About 4.3% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
Arroyo Grande is located in the 15th Senate
District, represented by Republican
Katcho Achadjian
, and in the 33rd Assembly
District, represented by Republican Sam Blakeslee
. Federally, Arroyo Grande is located in California's 22nd congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of R +16 and is represented by Republican Kevin McCarthy.
were Chumash Indians, who conducted extensive trade with other Native American
tribes at considerable distance. A photograph appears in Jones book taken in Arroyo Grande of the last known speaker of the native Obispena Chumash language.
The first Europe
an to see the area was Spanish
explorer Juan Cabrillo. The Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
was established nearby, and agricultural activities expanded into the area. The Arroyo Grande valley was found to have particularly fertile ground, and was given the name for "wide riverbed" in Spanish.
Francis Ziba Branch, originally from New York
, saw the area on a hunting expedition during the period when California
was part of Mexico
. Branch married María Manuela Carlón, and this marriage entitled Branch to file claim for a Mexican land grant
. In 1836 he and his wife and baby son moved onto Rancho Santa Manuela
. They were managing a successful cattle ranching operation when California became a U.S. territory, and then a U.S. State
. But some years later they suffered financial difficulties during a drought when many cattle
died. They sold off smaller parcels of land to settlers.
In 1862, the San Luis Obispo Board of Supervisors established the township
of Arroyo Grande. Businesses developed along a road called Branch Street to serve local agriculture. A railroad depot was built in 1882. The city of Arroyo Grande was incorporated
on July 10, 1911.
plant, under an EPA
Clean Water Grant, that removed a growth constraint. This federal grant program required preparation of an Environmental Impact Report
, which document provided much of the initial environmental database for Arroyo Grande.
Arroyo Grande is located in a coastal ecosystem within the California floristic province
, and the native habitats include coast live oak woodland, central coastal scrub, willow and mixed riparian along Arroyo Grande Creek and numerous tributaries, native bunch-grass grassland, coastal prairie
, dune
s and intertidal zone
, and non-native and agricultural areas.
. In 1820, Francis became a sailor out of Buffalo, New York
, working Great Lakes boats for about five years. Early in 1830 Branch found himself in St. Louis, Missouri
where he joined a pack train, possibly led by Ceran St. Vrain
, headed to Santa Fe, New Mexico
. (In 1830, St. Vrain partnered with the Bent Brothers to form the Bent, St. Vrain & Company.) In the fall of 1832 Branch joined a fur brigade being formed by William Wolfskill
in Santa Fe. Wolfskill was planning to trap beaver in the Tulare Valley of California. The trip to California was filled with hardships. The Wolfskill party arrived in the San Bernardino
area in February 1831. The path they took would eventually become known as the “Old Spanish Trail” for travel and trade between Taos
/Santa Fe to Los Angeles. Branch was able to successfully hunt sea otter
, the furs of which commanded a high price in the trade with China, to earn a for three years. With sea otter becoming scarce, he became a merchant in Santa Barbara
for a short period of time. In 1835 he married Manuela Carlon with whom he would eventually have eleven children. In 1836, he joined the Catholic Church, probably becoming a Mexican citizen at this time. On April 6, 1837, Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado
granted Branch Rancho Santa Manuela, at the time an expanse of wilderness. Francis Branch was later the owner of Rancho Arroyo Grande
, Rancho Bolsa de Chamisal
, Rancho Huerhuero
and half of Rancho Pismo
. Francis Branch died of bronchitis
at his home on at the age of 71.
San Luis Obispo County, California
San Luis Obispo County is a county located along the Pacific Ocean in the Central Coast of the U.S. state of California, between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census its population was 269,637, up from 246,681 at the 2000 census...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 17,252 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Arroyo Grande is a small coastal town with historic, suburban, and rural elements located at 35°7′15"N 120°35′12"W (35.120878, -120.586799). It is one of the cities on the Central Coast known as the Five Cities (Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Oceano, Shell Beach, and Pismo Beach).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 5.8 square miles (15 km²), all of it land.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Arroyo Grande had a population of 17,252. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,956.5 people per square mile (1,141.5/km²). The racial makeup of Arroyo Grande was 14,710 (85.3%) White, 156 (0.9%) African American, 125 (0.7%) Native American, 595 (3.4%) Asian, 14 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 856 (5.0%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 796 (4.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2,707 persons (15.7%).
The Census reported that 17,078 people (99.0% of the population) lived in households, 62 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 112 (0.6%) were institutionalized.
There were 7,087 households, out of which 2,027 (28.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 3,741 (52.8%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 653 (9.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 275 (3.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 346 (4.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 42 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,968 households (27.8%) were made up of individuals and 1,017 (14.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41. There were 4,669 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(65.9% of all households); the average family size was 2.93.
The population was spread out with 3,633 people (21.1%) under the age of 18, 1,193 people (6.9%) aged 18 to 24, 3,704 people (21.5%) aged 25 to 44, 5,229 people (30.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 3,493 people (20.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.4 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.
There were 7,628 housing units at an average density of 1,307.2 per square mile (504.7/km²), of which 4,686 (66.1%) were owner-occupied, and 2,401 (33.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.0%. 11,345 people (65.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,733 people (33.2%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 15,851 people, 6,478 households, and 4,353 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,795.3 people per square mile (1,079.4/km²). There were 6,750 housing units at an average density of 1,190.3 per square mile (459.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.45% White, 0.62% African American, 0.45% Native American, 3.08% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 3.77% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.17% of the population.
There were 6,478 households out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.5 males.
The median income
Income
Income is the consumption and savings opportunity gained by an entity within a specified time frame, which is generally expressed in monetary terms. However, for households and individuals, "income is the sum of all the wages, salaries, profits, interests payments, rents and other forms of earnings...
for a household in the city was $48,236, and the median income for a family was $55,494. Males had a median income of $41,304 versus $30,688 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $24,311. About 4.3% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Arroyo Grande is located in the 15th Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Katcho Achadjian
Katcho Achadjian
Katcho Achadjian is an American politician currently serving in the California State Assembly. He is a Republican representing the 33rd district, encompassing San Luis Obispo County and a part of Santa Barbara County...
, and in the 33rd Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Republican Sam Blakeslee
Sam Blakeslee
Samuel Norman Blakeslee is a Republican California State Senator representing California's 15th State Senate district, a former California State Assemblyman from California's 33rd State Assembly district, and a former State Assembly Republican Leader...
. Federally, Arroyo Grande is located in California's 22nd congressional district
California's 22nd congressional district
California's 22nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that covers parts of San Luis Obispo, Kern, and Los Angeles counties. The district is anchored in Bakersfield and takes in most of San Luis Obispo County....
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of R +16 and is represented by Republican Kevin McCarthy.
History
The earliest inhabitants of the Arroyo Grande valleyValley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
were Chumash Indians, who conducted extensive trade with other Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
tribes at considerable distance. A photograph appears in Jones book taken in Arroyo Grande of the last known speaker of the native Obispena Chumash language.
The first Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an to see the area was Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
explorer Juan Cabrillo. The Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa was founded 1772 on the Central Coast of California on a site located halfway between Santa Barbara and Monterey. It was named after Saint Louis of Anjou, the bishop of Toulouse. The Mission church of San Luis Obispo is unusual in its design in that its...
was established nearby, and agricultural activities expanded into the area. The Arroyo Grande valley was found to have particularly fertile ground, and was given the name for "wide riverbed" in Spanish.
Francis Ziba Branch, originally from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, saw the area on a hunting expedition during the period when California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
was part of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Branch married María Manuela Carlón, and this marriage entitled Branch to file claim for a Mexican land grant
Land grant
A land grant is a gift of real estate – land or its privileges – made by a government or other authority as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service...
. In 1836 he and his wife and baby son moved onto Rancho Santa Manuela
Rancho Santa Manuela
Rancho Santa Manuela was a Mexican land grant in present day San Luis Obispo County, California given in 1837 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Francis Ziba Branch. The grant encompassed present day Arroyo Grande.-History:...
. They were managing a successful cattle ranching operation when California became a U.S. territory, and then a U.S. State
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
. But some years later they suffered financial difficulties during a drought when many cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
died. They sold off smaller parcels of land to settlers.
In 1862, the San Luis Obispo Board of Supervisors established the township
Township
The word township is used to refer to different kinds of settlements in different countries. Township is generally associated with an urban area. However there are many exceptions to this rule. In Australia, the United States, and Canada, they may be settlements too small to be considered urban...
of Arroyo Grande. Businesses developed along a road called Branch Street to serve local agriculture. A railroad depot was built in 1882. The city of Arroyo Grande was incorporated
Municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
on July 10, 1911.
Environmental factors
This community experienced rapid growth in the 1970s and 1980s, partially due to the expansion of the wastewater treatmentWastewater Treatment
Wastewater treatment may refer to:* Sewage treatment* Industrial wastewater treatment...
plant, under an EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
Clean Water Grant, that removed a growth constraint. This federal grant program required preparation of an Environmental Impact Report
Environmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
, which document provided much of the initial environmental database for Arroyo Grande.
Arroyo Grande is located in a coastal ecosystem within the California floristic province
California Floristic Province
The California Floristic Province is a floristic province with a Mediterranean climate located on the Pacific Coast of North America with a distinctive flora that bears similarities to floras found in other regions experiencing a winter rainfall, summer drought climate like the Mediterranean...
, and the native habitats include coast live oak woodland, central coastal scrub, willow and mixed riparian along Arroyo Grande Creek and numerous tributaries, native bunch-grass grassland, coastal prairie
Coastal prairie
Coastal prairie may refer to either:* The California coastal prairie, a plant community found along the coasts of California and Oregon* The Western Gulf coastal grasslands of Louisiana, Texas, and Tamaulipas...
, dune
Dune
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by wind. Dunes occur in different forms and sizes, formed by interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind...
s and intertidal zone
Intertidal zone
The intertidal zone is the area that is above water at low tide and under water at high tide . This area can include many different types of habitats, with many types of animals like starfish, sea urchins, and some species of coral...
, and non-native and agricultural areas.
Francis Ziba Branch
Francis Ziba Branch (July 24, 1802 - May 8, 1874) was born in Scipio, New YorkScipio, New York
Scipio is a town in Cayuga County, New York, United States. The population was 1,713 at the 2010 census. The town name was provided by a clerk with an interest in the classics....
. In 1820, Francis became a sailor out of Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, working Great Lakes boats for about five years. Early in 1830 Branch found himself in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
where he joined a pack train, possibly led by Ceran St. Vrain
Ceran St. Vrain
Ceran St. Vrain , also known as Ceran de Hault de Lassus de St. Vrain, was a major fur trader near Taos, New Mexico, where he and his partner William Bent established the trading post of Bent's Fort. St...
, headed to Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
. (In 1830, St. Vrain partnered with the Bent Brothers to form the Bent, St. Vrain & Company.) In the fall of 1832 Branch joined a fur brigade being formed by William Wolfskill
William Wolfskill
William Wolfskill was a cowboy and agronomist from Los Angeles, California, who was highly influential in the development of California's agricultural industry in the 19th century.-Valencia orange:...
in Santa Fe. Wolfskill was planning to trap beaver in the Tulare Valley of California. The trip to California was filled with hardships. The Wolfskill party arrived in the San Bernardino
San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
area in February 1831. The path they took would eventually become known as the “Old Spanish Trail” for travel and trade between Taos
Taos
Taos can meanPlaces*Taos Pueblo, a Native American pueblo, Tua-tah*Taos dialect, a dialect of the Tiwa language*Taos County, New Mexico, United States*Taos, New Mexico, a city, the county seat of Taos County, New Mexico...
/Santa Fe to Los Angeles. Branch was able to successfully hunt sea otter
Sea Otter
The sea otter is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg , making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the smallest marine mammals...
, the furs of which commanded a high price in the trade with China, to earn a for three years. With sea otter becoming scarce, he became a merchant in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
for a short period of time. In 1835 he married Manuela Carlon with whom he would eventually have eleven children. In 1836, he joined the Catholic Church, probably becoming a Mexican citizen at this time. On April 6, 1837, Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado
Juan Bautista Alvarado
Juan Bautista Valentín Alvarado y Vallejo was a Californio and twice Governor of Alta California from 1836 to 1837, and 1838 to 1842.-Early years:...
granted Branch Rancho Santa Manuela, at the time an expanse of wilderness. Francis Branch was later the owner of Rancho Arroyo Grande
Rancho Arroyo Grande
Rancho Arroyo Grande was a Mexican land grant in present day San Luis Obispo County, California given in 1842 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Zeferino Carlón. The grant extended along Arroyo Grande Creek east of present day Arroyo Grande. Much of the grant is now covered by Lopez Lake.-History:José...
, Rancho Bolsa de Chamisal
Rancho Bolsa de Chamisal
Rancho Bolsa de Chamisal was a Mexican land grant in present day San Luis Obispo County, California given in 1837 by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Francisco Quijada...
, Rancho Huerhuero
Rancho Huerhuero
Rancho Huerhuero was a Mexican land grant in present day San Luis Obispo County, California of one square league given in 1842 by Governor Juan Alvarado and another three square leagues given in 1846 by Governor Pío Pico to José Mariano Bonilla. The grant extended along Huerhuero Creek and...
and half of Rancho Pismo
Rancho Pismo
Rancho Pismo was a Mexican land grant in present day San Luis Obispo County, California given in 1840 by Governor Pro Tem Manuel Jimeno to José Ortega. The grant extended along the Pacific coast and encompassed present day Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, Shell Beach and parts of Arroyo...
. Francis Branch died of bronchitis
Bronchitis
Acute bronchitis is an inflammation of the large bronchi in the lungs that is usually caused by viruses or bacteria and may last several days or weeks. Characteristic symptoms include cough, sputum production, and shortness of breath and wheezing related to the obstruction of the inflamed airways...
at his home on at the age of 71.
Notable residents
- Lou FerrignoLou FerrignoLouis Jude "Lou" Ferrigno is an American actor, fitness trainer/consultant, and retired professional bodybuilder. As a bodybuilder, Ferrigno won an IFBB Mr. America title and two consecutive IFBB Mr. Universe titles, and appeared in the bodybuilding documentary Pumping Iron...
— TV and movie actor, including The Incredible Hulk' - Horace Grant — former professional basketball player
- Jordan HasayJordan HasayJordan Melissa Hasay is an American female middle-distance runner. She grew up in Arroyo Grande, attending Mission College Preparatory Catholic High School. She was unanimously selected 2008 Girls High School Athlete of the Year by the voting panel at Track & Field News...
— middle-distance runner - Sheila VarianSheila VarianSheila Varian is a breeder of Arabian horses who lives and works at the Varian Arabians Ranch near Arroyo Grande, California. She grew up with a strong interest in horses, and was mentored in horsemanship by Mary "Sid" Spencer, a local rancher and Morgan horse breeder who also introduced Varian to...
— breeder of Arabian horseArabian horseThe Arabian or Arab horse is a breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest breeds, with archaeological evidence of horses...
s - Robin VenturaRobin VenturaRobin Mark Ventura is the current manager of the Chicago White Sox. He is a former professional baseball player, a third baseman who played for four major league teams, most notably for the Chicago White Sox...
— former professional baseball player - Zac EfronZac EfronZachary David Alexander "Zac" Efron is an American actor. He began acting professionally in the early 2000s and became known with his lead roles in the Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical, the WB series Summerland, and the 2007 film version of the Broadway musical Hairspray...
— actor
See also
:Category:Arroyo Grande, California- Arroyo Grande High SchoolArroyo Grande High SchoolArroyo Grande High School is an American public high school located in Arroyo Grande, California. It serves grades 9-12 as part of the Lucia Mar Unified School District .-Campus:...
- Lopez LakeLopez LakeLopez Lake is a reservoir near the city of Arroyo Grande in San Luis Obispo County, California. The lake is formed by Lopez Dam on Arroyo Grande Creek, upstream from the Pacific Ocean. The creek drains about above the dam and below. The dam was built in 1969 and is operated by the San Luis...
- The Pit (mixed martial arts)The Pit (mixed martial arts)The Pit is a professional mixed martial arts association and training camp that operates in Arroyo Grande, California. Founded in 1986, its fighters have competed in various promotions all which have been trained by Justin Jeffrey Lucas, who has trained fighters such as Chuck Liddell.-History:The...
- Cypress Ridge Golf CourseCypress Ridge Golf CourseCypress Ridge Golf Course is located in Arroyo Grande, California—which is on the Central Coast of California. The golf course is a Peter Jacobsen Signature Golf Course, designed by Jacobsen Hardy Design. They utilized the natural surroundings of the area to make this central coast golf course...