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Templeton's Historical District in Templeton, CA

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Templeton, California's Historic Main Street.

Templeton is a small, historic town in San Luis Obispo County, California. It was first settled by native Salinan people. The first Europeans passed though in the late 1760's. Its land was part of what is now known as the San Miguel Mission about 20 miles north. When the missions passed into Mexican hands from the Spanish, the land was part of a grant given to Pedro Narvaez in 1844. It changed hands many times before the territory was surveyed and the town was laid out about halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The railroad reached the area in 1886.

Parcels of land were being advertised for sale before the railroad actually arrived, and it began to be obvious that the town needed a name. The town was first named Crocker after Col. Frederick Crocker. Unfortunately, Crocker didn't want the town named after him, and after two years, at Crocker's suggestion, the town was renamed Templeton after Crocker's two-year-old son.

Many of Templeton's buildings were constructed before 1935. At least half of these are on Main Street. All are within walking distance of the center of town. Let's walk around..

Driving directions

Templeton has four exits off US 101. Vineyard Dr. will take you to Main Street, which leads to the historic district if you go east on Vineyard and north on Main St. If you are coming from the north, you can exit on Las Tablas, take it east until it ends, then turn right and take Old County Rd. right for about a block. Turn left on First St. and take it to Main to get to the historic district.

The Templeton Feed and Grain at Fourth and Main

Templeton Main Street's Most Striking Building

This is the first building in town you will notice because it is visible all over the historic district. You can't miss it. It's very close to the center of town. This view is looking at it from the south side. It's one of Main Street's busiest buildings. It demonstrates that Templeton is an agricultural town.

Compare this picture to the one above.

This was painted by artist John Mack and is used with his permission.

"Hi! Templeton" by artisit John Mack and used with his permission.

This painting shows the building the way it looked before it was destroyed by fire fifty years ago.
You can read about John Mack, an artist from Atascadero, and see more of his work here.

Templeton is a friendly town with real community spirit. It celebrates its roots and is proud of its history.

The Swedes come to Templeton

Bethel Lutheran Church at Third and Crocker.

Although people of many backgrounds settled in Templeton, more were were of Swedish descent than any other. Ads had been seen in Swedish newspapers in the East and Midwest for the almost free land, and that land was a big attraction. Many were also able to find jobs in the lumber industry.

The Bethel Lutheran Church was organized in 1887, and the building was completed in 1891. Until 1940s the services were conducted in Swedish to minister to the large Swedish community. The church is still active today and I have friends who attend it. I think it's one of the loveliest churches in the area.

Latest news about Templeton, CA

Templeton is so small we don't have much news. That's one reason I like it.
Michael Henry Barre
11 at 1 pm In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Mike ?Bulldog? Barre Memorial Football Scholarship Fund, Templeton High School, 1200 Main St., Templeton, CA 93465 or in his name to the Atascadero Bible Church, PO Box 987, Atascadero, ...
Joda Harington
Family members are brother William R. McGaughey, age 90, and his 4 children; daughter Judy (and John) Van Duzer of Denver, CO and son William (and Janice) Harington of Templeton, CA; Van Duzer grandchildren, David, Corrie, Daniel, Catherine, ...
Gittenstein, scut cu gloanţe oarbe pentru Băsescu
Nu tot ce face Templeton ca fond de investi?ii cu interese globale este automat ?i în interesul statului român care administreaz? capitalul public. În contextul vânz?rii pe burs? a ac?iunilor Romgaz, Hidroelectrica, Nuclearelectrica, dar ?i al altor ...
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Templeton, CA Stats

The population of 93465 is 8,451.

That's #9999 out of all 42,305 zip codes.

85% of the population is white, which is 11 points more than the national average.

The average household income in 93465 is $52,376, which is $22,678 more than the typical average.

This contributes to the average house being worth $236,200. When the survey was done in 2000, that represented a difference of 200% from the typical value.

Men make up 46% of the population, and the typical age in this part of CA is 38.3.

Stats about: Templeton, CA

Population: 8,451
Number of Households: 2,822
Average House Value: $236,200
Average Income per Household: $52,376
Elevation: 234 ft

Population Breakdown:

Population Chart

Let's Walk Around the Historic Business District

Is this as busy as you would expect it to be on Saturday after Farmers Market?

This is Hewitt's Hardware Store, which has been in business since1923. A Hans Petersen purchased this building from a Mr. Griffith in 1888 and he had a farm supply store that also sold groceries and hardware -- a sort of general store. In 1897 there was a fire. When the building was rebuilt it became Hewitt Hardware.

This is Hewitt's Hardware Store, which has been in business since1923. A Hans Petersen purchased this building from a Mr. Griffith in 1888 and he had a farm supply store that also sold groceries and hardware -- a sort of general store. In 1897 there was a fire. When the building was rebuilt it became Hewitt Hardware.

This is Hewitt's Hardware Store, which has been in business since1923. A Hans Petersen purchased this building from a Mr. Griffith in 1888 and he had a farm supply store that also sold groceries and hardware -- a sort of general store. In 1897 there was a fire. When the building was rebuilt it became Hewitt Hardware.
This is Herrmann's Chocolate Lab, and although it hasn't' been there as long as I've lived in the County, it's a very popular place. I'm still looking into the history of the building. The owner of this business, Fritz Herrmann, just left a comment that he has been forced to close it, because of his wife's health crisis. But it has still been a part of Templeton's history and we will keep the picture here, since this is a historical lens.
I believe I'm looking south from Third Street here. You can see the feed store in the background on the left. Keep in mind that this is the noon rush on the main drag in Templeton on Saturday. Note the traffic jam. That's one reason I like living in Templeton better than in my previous cities in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.
This is McPhee's Grill. McPhee is our local chef and his grill is a very popular place to get fresh, seasonal food for lunch and dinner. You will notice it actually has cars parked in front of it and it is during the lunch hour when I walked past.
This is A.J. Spurs, another very popular place to eat. The center portion of this building used to be the Wm. Horstman Building. Mr. Horstman had a mercantile here in 1891. He leased the parts of the building he didn't use -- the right side as a nursery and the left as a notions store.
This is another street scene in peaceful Templeton.
This is the back of the Presbyterian Church in Templeton, viewed from Main Street. See all the cars? They are part of the Farmers Market crowd. This is a block away from Templeton City Park where the Farmers Market is currently going on, as well as an Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by one of the local churches, but not this one. This was the Saturday before Easter in 2009. On Saturday morning, parking spaces around the park are almost as hard to find as parking spaces in a normal city. The park is the real center of community life. There are other parks in Templeton, but when people talk about the park, they mean this one.
This is a side view of the present Adelaide Floral shop. It's full of interesting gift items.
Here's a front view of the Adelaide Floral shop that shows some of their items to better advantage.
Although this is the first stop on the actual walking tour, and where you obtain the itinerary for it, I put it last because it leads to my next group of photos. On this particular day, the fire department was celebrating is 100th birthday and they were preparing for a parade. The next group of pictures will deal with the parade itself. I may have to add that later. But the firemen are gathering behind this building, since the warehouse -- the gray building in background, is where some of the old vehicles are coming from.

The Historic District is Only One Part of Templeton.

See some of the rest of it.

In my lens on Templeton, California you can visit Farmers Market, walk around the neighborhood, and see the western, more rural section of Templeton where I live. Don't miss it.

See how much you've learned about Templeton.

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If you want a really good score, also read this page before you take the quiz so you know a bit more about the other aspects of Templeton. Templeton, CA
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How Much Do You Know About Templeton, CA

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Maybe you've had a special experience in Templeton or passed through on your way to somewhere else. I probably passed Templeton on the 101 Freeway at least 50 times before I ever actually got out of the car and went to the park to let the kids stretch their legs. I never suspected I'd ever live here. I hope if you pass by, you will get out of your car and visit the park or the historic district on Main Street for a taste of what life used to be.

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  • Reply
    Rick Ragan Jul 20, 2011 @ 4:00 pm | delete
    So glad I saw this site. My family moved to Templeton in 1954 when I was seven. My father Larry Ragan was a teacher and coach at Templeton High. My sister Betsy was the validictorian of the class of 1961.
    The pictures bring back so many memories although when we came to Templeton the population was around 600. I'm sure the store mentioned in Samuella's comment was Petersons market.
  • Reply
    Andres Laconich Nov 19, 2010 @ 9:36 am | delete
    My only son Alejandro Laconich is spending such a great time in Templeton as an exchange student from my country Paraguay. My son really doesn't have enough words to explain how nice people treated him that he feels at home as he'd been born there!!! His host family is the Coopers, Damon and Rhonda, whom I owe so much for all the values and care provided to his "new son". Also, I'd like to thank all the families in Templeton because at last, all are taxes payers allowing to run The Templeton High School where my son attends. So once again, thank you to everyone in Templeton, great town that I haven't been yet, and not knowing it in real, but I take'em all in my heart. Cheers to Templeton city.
  • Reply
    Fritz Herrmann owned Herrmann's Chocolate Lab May 18, 2010 @ 1:46 am | delete
    Having been born just 5 miles fro Templeton and grown up in the area I can say that Templeton has not changed a whole lot in 60 years. Main St is no longer highway 101 and the fronts of some buildings are changed. The movie Stunts was filmed here in the late 70s and released in 1984, it shows a different look of Templeton. Many of our buildings were built in the 1886 to 1930s.
    Unfortunately after 13 years Herrmann's Chocolate Lab had to close. Not due to the economy. but due to bad doctors that killed my wife's left leg, which had to be amputated. And no she is not diabetic.
  • Reply
    BarbRad May 18, 2010 @ 2:07 am | delete
    Fritz, in case you are subscribed to the comments, I want to tell you how sorry I am that you have had to close. I was just in there in late January, and this is hard to believe. your store was talked about by many I know here. I hope you and your wife will recover from the shock of this double loss and find healing and new opportunities . We will miss Herrmann's Chocolate Lab in Templeton, but it will still be featured here as part of Templeton's history.
  • Reply
    Samuella Apr 24, 2010 @ 9:05 pm | delete
    In the 1950s to the mid 60's my grandparents owned a 3 acre farm in Templeton. Back then it was a tiny community. Their property was backed by the railroad tracks. With a wide open view of the country side and the huge weeping willow that sat beside the mailbox at the end of the driveway it was indeed a magical place. My only memory of town was a general store where farmers sat on a porch and visited with one another. I was very young at the time but when passing through a few years back, I recognize nothing of the old rural farm town. The true Templeton is long gone and progress happened..Howver the meories remain of a time long ago...
  • Reply
    BarbRad Apr 24, 2010 @ 11:33 pm | delete
    I think that has probably happened to most of the hometowns of the 1950's. I know I dont' recognize any of the towns where I used to live anymore. I grew up in the middle of Bellflower, CA, and when I googled the home I moved out of in 1964, I couldn't even see it because they had planted a tree in the middle of the front yard that completely obscured the view of the house. I can't believe that tree has grown so large, since I wasn't there when my mom moved out in 1995. People move into your old homes and plant or cut down trees, change the landscaping, etc. But most of all the land around where you used to live that was just fields get developed. That's what happened to our home in Newbury Park.And I can't recognize Thousand Oaks anymore either. I moved to Templeton in 1993. There is hardly any undeveloped land left within a mile of 101. Fields everywhere have turned to houses and shopping centers. It is sad.
  • Reply
    OhMe Oct 9, 2009 @ 7:33 am | delete
    I really enjoyed reading about Templeton, CA and seeing the great pictures. Super SquidZipper. Blessed!
  • Reply
    WindyWinters Oct 6, 2009 @ 2:47 pm | delete
    I haven't been to Templeton but love visiting old historic towns. The scenery is wonderful. Lensrolling to Josh Brolin. I believe he was born in Templeton, CA :)
  • Reply
    CastleRoy Oct 5, 2009 @ 2:59 pm | delete
    wow sounds wonderful would love to visit.
  • Reply
    Evelyn_Saenz Oct 3, 2009 @ 10:36 pm | delete
    I've never been there but now I sure want to.
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Lodging in Templeton, CA

Actually, Templeton is so small it doesn't have any lodging of its own at this time. There are lots of lodging choices in nearby Paso Robles, about ten minutes away.
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Dunning Vineyards Guest Villa
A private, luxurious one-bedroom guest suite with panoramic vineyard and coastal mountain views. The...
Hidden Hills Bed and Breakfast
Nestled in a private rural setting hidden behind an oak-lined seasonal creek and an olive grove, thi...
High Ridge Manor
Surrounded by oaks and vineyards, each luxurious and extravagant guest room at this bed and breakfas...
Inn Paradiso
Each of the three well appointed guest rooms at this lovely inn boasts fine linens, fireplaces, trav...
Le Domaine at Moss Ridge Vineyard
French Country Manor on Hilltop Vineyard with panoramic views in all directions and offering 3 luxur...

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BarbRad

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