Pismo Location 16

Location #16

The historic Price House, and adobes. Most of the time, I try to stay confined to just the main route of the old highway, but this historic location impressed me so much that I decided to include it in the project. I feel somewhat justified also in the fact that the route of 2, and later, 101, from 1920 to 1961, went down Price St. in Pismo Beach, which was named after John Price, one of the first settlers of this area, and the builder of these homes.

From the south end of the old steele bridge in location #15, there exists a gate, and a dirt road that winds north up the side of the hills south of Pismo Creek for about 800 yards which takes you to the old Price House and adobes. I'll give a brief history here, but a very good place to visit for detailed history of the Price House, and the history of Pismo Beach in general is Effie McDermott's website at http://www.beachtown.com/history.html The specific link to her Price House page is at http://www.beachtown.com/parkplan.html

The Price House was built in 1893 for John and Andrea Price as an anniversary present just one year before the arrival of the SP railroad to the area. John agreed to let SP put the tracks through his property on the condition that they build a Pismo Beach station. He was pretty upset when SP built only a small shack near where the old county road crossed over the tracks about 200 yards south of the steele highway bridge. They lived there until their deaths in 1902, and 1912, and the property remained in the Price family until the 1950's. The adobes just north of the Price House were built starting around 1840. The first structures were built by Jose Ortega for his family, and later by John Price in 1850-1852. A third 2-story adobe was built as a schoolhouse, but it completely collapsed in the 1980's. In addition to the Price homes, another historic home in Pismo Beach was moved to a place just south of the Price House just a few years ago. It is the Meherin house, and was originally built in 1905 for Michael and Mary Anne Price Meherin. It was moved twice as the 101 was widened over the years, and was at 1920 Matte Rd. before being moved to this location in sections. Both the Price House, and the Meherin home are currently undergoing restoration by the Friends of the Price House, Inc. group. The adobes are not currently being restored or preserved. Hopefully this will change soon.

	The Price House. View looking southeast.
	View facing north with the front porch.
	A fireplace and cabinets inside on the ground floor. Currently being restored.
	This is a curious little space in one of the upper rooms. Its like a walk-in closet for midgets, and also drops down about 6 inches below the floor level.
	A similar type thing in the other upstairs room. It may have been caused by a contruction mistake.
	The following photos are of the ruins of the adobes just north of the Price House. This may be the original adobe built by Jose Ortega in 1840.
	I will be trying to get more info to describe these pictures soon.
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	This small building is on the NW corner of the property.
	This rusted out old tractor is located just south of the Price House front porch.
	The transplanted Meherin House. View looking East.
	View facing south of the front of the Meherin House. Needs a little TLC.

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