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San Luis Obispo (also "SLO" or "San Luis"), California is the County Seat of San Luis Obispo County , and home to California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly SLO). As of the 2000 Census , the City had a total Population of 44,174. HISTORY The City of San Luis Obispo serves as the commercial, governmental and cultural hub of California’s Central Coast. One of California’s oldest communities, it began with the founding of Mission San Luis Obispo De Tolosa in 1772 by Father Junípero Serra as the fifth mission in the California chain of 21 missions. The mission was named after Saint Louis, a 13th Century Bishop of Toulouse, France. (San Luis Obispo is Spanish for "St. Louis, the Bishop".) DEMOGRAPHICS As of the Census of 2000, there were 44,174 people, 18,639 households, and 7,697 families residing in the city. The Population Density was 1,600.0/km&2 (4,144.5/mi&2). There were 19,306 housing units at an average density of 699.3/km&2 (1,811.3/mi&2). The racial makeup of the city was 84.11% White , 1.46% African American , 0.65% Native American , 5.28% Asian , 0.13% Pacific Islander , 4.82% from Other Races , and 3.55% from two or more races. 11.65% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The median household income is $31,926, and the median family income is $56,319. The Per Capita Income is $20,386. Although the city is quite prosperous and home to many wealthy retirees, 26.6% of the population and 7.1% of families were below the Poverty Line ; these numbers are skewed by the large student population. HOUSING Though San Luis Obispo county has sustained enormous growth over the past two decades, San Luis Obispo itself has not because of a slow growth policy. Because of this policy, along with many wealthy retirees moving to the area, housing prices have skyrocketed. As of January 2006, only 7% of San Luis Obispo's residents qualified to buy the median priced home. EDUCATION San Luis Obispo is home to California Polytechnic State University , or Cal Poly for short. Cal Poly has approximately 20,000 students, and six colleges of Engineering , Architecture and Environmental Design , Agriculture , Science and Math, Business , and Liberal Arts . Besides Cal Poly, there is one other college, Cuesta College . Roughly one third of San Luis Obispo's population is of college age or attending college, and the large student population gives the city a youthful energy and vitality. TOURISM Because of San Luis Obispo's location almost halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, it has long been a stopping point for travelers. In fact, the word " Motel " was coined here, when the Motel Inn of San Luis Obispo was established in 1925 . Since then, the pleasant year-round climate, pretty scenery and well-preserved, walkable downtown have made the city a tourist destination in itself. One of the main draws for tourists is the San Luis Obispo Farmers' Market, a large festival held downtown on Higuera street every Thursday year-round. About 3/4 of a mile of the street is closed to cars, live entertainment is featured, and nearby farmers and residents of the city sell goods and produce. Downtown San Luis Obispo is centered around the carefully restored Mission San Luis Obispo De Tolosa , originally built in the late 18th century. It's one of the best preserved examples of Spanish Mission architecture, and among the oldest buldings in California. Shopping in downtown San Luis Obispo is a real treat, boasting many eclectic shops including one of the largest and finest used book stores anywhere. Another big tourist attraction is Hearst Castle , the vast estate of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst , 43 miles to the north. Other places of interest include the Madonna Inn . Established by Alex Madonna in 1958 , the inn is a famously eccentric building, known for its generous helping of pink and wildly kitschy decor, with themed guest rooms, and a large waterfall in its men's restroom. One dubious attraction is Bubble Gum Alley, located downtown. Since about 1960, people have been sticking their chewed gum on the walls. The alley can be found on Higuera Street, between Broad and Garden Streets. People may add their own gum to the walls, if they wish, but littering anywhere else risks a substantial fine. A field station of the Marine Mammal Center is located in San Luis Obispo to support sea rescue and beach stranding rescue operations for this section of the California coast. TRIVIA
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