San Miguel History Project

This month is a focus again on earlier times in San Miguel.  Thought you might be interested in some of early development and struggles that have had their impact.

This month we share another writing by Ella Adams that we believe she wrote in  1980's.  She shares some of her knowledge of the local Indians.  I do want you to be aware that the word "Squaw" is no longer politically correct.  The meaning meant someone who had no worth...something that was dispensable, had no value. The photo at the end is from Steve Kalar, Ella's nephew.  It is a picture of a mortar bowl found by his father while farming on the ranch.

This month is  about the original El Camino Real, establishment of the characteristic Bell markers, and changes to the roadway locally from 1913 to 1931

This month is about Doc Murphy who was one of 5 doctors in San Miguel in the late 1880's into early 1900.  He played a very active part in development of the community. 

This month we share  an article taken from the  June 1886 Inland Messenger, which was the first San Miguel Newspaper .   In the article, the editor is responding to a piece written by the editor of the Paso Robles newspaper, the Paso Leader,   allocating the importance of San Miguel to the mission.  The beginning of the San Miguel article is the piece from the Paso Leader followed by an elaboration on the many facets of the importance of San Miguel besides the mission, as he sees it in 1886.   Wonder what our list might look like today? (FYI:  the Lerdo branch was in reference to the original plan that had been for the railroad to turn east toward Bakersfield  just north of the Estrella River  at about where the Mission is located.  Paso Robles wealthy leaders pushed through a change shortly before the rail got to San Miguel; and thus the present path of the railroad.)