Atascadero is a Spanish name which roughly translates to "a
place where one gets stuck". There is much water here, with
creeks, streams and lakes. In 1833, the Mexican government
began to remove the lands from the Catholic Church to private
ownership. The area that is now Atascadero passed through
several hands before becoming a community. A portion of this
area was the Atascadero Ranch.
Eventually, Edward Garner Lewis, the founder of Atascadero
Colony, became the owner of this portion. He founded his
"utopian colony" in 1913 after coming here from the eastern US.
He was a man of many traits and active until his death in 1950.
The area known as Atascadero became a city on July 1, 1979.
place where one gets stuck". There is much water here, with
creeks, streams and lakes. In 1833, the Mexican government
began to remove the lands from the Catholic Church to private
ownership. The area that is now Atascadero passed through
several hands before becoming a community. A portion of this
area was the Atascadero Ranch.
Eventually, Edward Garner Lewis, the founder of Atascadero
Colony, became the owner of this portion. He founded his
"utopian colony" in 1913 after coming here from the eastern US.
He was a man of many traits and active until his death in 1950.
The area known as Atascadero became a city on July 1, 1979.
In the historic Colony District,
one of the few surviving
examples of original urban
design can be found in the
Rotunda Building located near
the Junior High School on Palma
Avenue in what is now called
the Sunken Gardens.
one of the few surviving
examples of original urban
design can be found in the
Rotunda Building located near
the Junior High School on Palma
Avenue in what is now called
the Sunken Gardens.
Designed by Walter D. Bliss of San Francisco, construction was
completed in 1918 at a cost of $180,000. It served initially as the
headquarters of the Atascadero Colony. The historic City Hall is
adorned with a 40 foot dome atop the third story, originally
intended to house the library. The building was designated a
California Historical Landmark.
completed in 1918 at a cost of $180,000. It served initially as the
headquarters of the Atascadero Colony. The historic City Hall is
adorned with a 40 foot dome atop the third story, originally
intended to house the library. The building was designated a
California Historical Landmark.
Another fine example of
Atascadero's early architecture is
The Carlton Hotel, built in 1929,
located just west of the Sunken
Gardens on El Camino Real, the
city's main commercial street.
Vacant since 1987, David
Weyrich, a local business man,
helped rejuvinate the derelict
building with an approximately 12
million dollar renovation project
and was completed in 2004.
Atascadero's early architecture is
The Carlton Hotel, built in 1929,
located just west of the Sunken
Gardens on El Camino Real, the
city's main commercial street.
Vacant since 1987, David
Weyrich, a local business man,
helped rejuvinate the derelict
building with an approximately 12
million dollar renovation project
and was completed in 2004.
| There's always something happening in Atascadero! |
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