California was a wild and lawless place in the 1850s, and San Luis Obispo County was no exception. Outlaws and bandits passed along the El Camino Real, now Highway 101, leaving a trail of victims. Despite attempts to stem the tide of crime with a vigilante committee and a string of executions, notorious men continued to be drawn to the central coast well into the next century. The James brothers, the Daltons and even Al Capone made their mark here, while lawmen worked to tame this piece of the western frontier. Author Jim Gregory details nefarious activities lost to time.

California was a wild and lawless place in the 1850s, and San Luis Obispo County was no exception. Outlaws and bandits passed along the El Camino Real, now Highway 101, leaving a trail of victims. Despite attempts to stem the tide of crime with a vigilante committee and a string of executions, notorious men continued to be drawn to the central coast well into the next century. The James brothers, the Daltons and even Al Capone made their mark here, while lawmen worked to tame this piece of the western frontier. Author Jim Gregory details nefarious activities lost to time.

San Luis Obispo was founded in 1772 as a mission in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains on California's Central Coast. The city that grew from a rustic pueblo, with its scattering of adobe buildings, today has a wealth of architectural styles. From the simple barns of the outlying farm community, to the grand hotels and lively saloons kept busy by the Southern Pacific Railroad depot, and back full circle to the Mission Revival style edifices of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo's architecture has echoed its history. Motor travel brought the world's first motel to this half-way point on California's historic Highway 101, and the famously zany tourist attraction, the Madonna Inn.

On December 7, 1941, war came to Arroyo Grande when two local sailors were killed on the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. People from the small town were thrust into great circumstances and quickly answered the call for action. A local storekeeper's son won the Silver Star after he brought his flaming B-17 safely back to base. A valley farmworker served with the famed 442nd Regimental Combat Team, largely composed of soldiers of Japanese descent. Chinese guerrillas commanded by Mao Zedong--the future Chairman Mao--threw a birthday party for an Arroyo Grande soldier. At home, community groups like the Arroyo Grande Women's Club brought packed lunches for their Japanese American neighbors on the morning they were forced to leave for the internment camps. Local author Jim Gregory brings to life the sorrows and triumphs of a dramatic period in local history.

For more than 100 years, Avila Beach has represented the best of what California's Central Coast has to offer. Inhabitants of Avila have, since before its inception as a town, borne witness to the many changing faces and cultures representing the California landscape. Its earliest inhabitants were the Chumash Indians, who populated the Central Coast until the arrival of the Spanish missions. Later, the San Miguelito Rancho land grant was awarded to Don Miguel Avila, for whom the town itself was named. Avila eventually became a thoroughfare for the fishing industry. Other industries prospered as well, notably due to the ingenuity of early pioneer John Harford, who was instrumental in the development of numerous piers at Avila and at Port San Luis. The access to the sea allowed the region to benefit from the steamer ships that serviced California's coast.

Since 1850, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department has proudly served the community as the chief law enforcement agency. The office of sheriff was originally created by the California Constitution to meet the public safety needs of each county. From horseback to gigabit, the sheriff and his deputies have responded to the needs of the citizens by providing the highest quality of protection. While the manner in which service is delivered has changed significantly since 1850, the quality of protection has remained high throughout history and is chronicled in this unique portrayal.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1882.

Step into the wild, untamed world of the American frontier with ""Life and Adventures of Frank and Jesse James: The Noted Western Outlaws."" Join the legendary brothers on their daring escapades through the rugged landscapes of the Old West. But what drove these notorious outlaws to become the stuff of legend? Explore the depths of their characters and the thrilling exploits that captured the imagination of an entire nation. Discover the untold stories behind the infamous James brothers as they ride through history, leaving a trail of mystery and intrigue in their wake. What secrets lie buried beneath the tales of their daring robberies and narrow escapes? Uncover the truth behind the myth of Frank and Jesse James. Delve into short, gripping paragraphs that unveil the raw essence of life on the frontier, where danger lurked around every corner and survival meant living on the edge. Are you ready to ride alongside the most notorious outlaws of the Wild West? Dive into the heart-pounding adventures of ""Life and Adventures of Frank and Jesse James: The Noted Western Outlaws"" and experience the thrill of the chase. Don't miss your chance to own a piece of American history. Purchase ""Life and Adventures of Frank and Jesse James: The Noted Western Outlaws"" now, and embark on an unforgettable journey into the lawless frontier.

A state-by-state review of the history of outlaws and outlaw activity in the Old West.

Beginning with the epitaphs of Civil War veterans in his California home town's cemetery, author Jim Gregory traced fifty veterans to the battlefields of their youth--Shiloh, Antietam, Gettysburg, Missionary Ridge, The Wilderness and finally to the pursuit that led to the surrender at Appomattox. Using primary as well as secondary sources--including diaries, letters and official reports--Gregory describes the sights and sounds of battle, the leaders and the private soldiers, the excitement young men felt in combat and the profound depression many experienced in adjusting to postwar life in stories from the most destructive conflict in American history. Just as remarkable is the postwar story of the fifty veterans, part of a remarkable, restless, and haunted generation, who would find a sense of renewal and purpose in the farms they established in a beautiful valley near the Pacific coast. This is a new telling of the Civil War from the vantage point of young men from Ohio. Michigan, Iowa, New Jersey or Missouri who lived out their lives as Californians. Here, they left the legacy of their war behind for later generations to discover.