Cambria, California
| Cambria | |
|---|---|
| Census designated place | |
Burton Drive in Cambria's historic East Village
|
|
 Location in San Luis Obispo County and the state of California |
|
| Coordinates: 35°33′15″N 121°5′15″W / 35.55417°N 121.08750°WCoordinates: 35°33′15″N 121°5′15″W / 35.55417°N 121.08750°W | |
| Country |
 United States
|
| State |
 California
|
| County | San Luis Obispo |
| Named for | Cambria County, Pennsylvania |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8.508 sq mi (22.037 km2) |
| • Land | 8.508 sq mi (22.037 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | 43 ft (13 m) |
| Population (April 1, 2010) | |
| • Total | 6,032 |
| • Density | 710/sq mi (270/km2) |
| Time zone | Pacific (UTC−8) |
| • Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC−7) |
| ZIP code | 93428 |
| Area code | 805 |
| FIPS code | 06-10074 |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1652683, 2407941 |
Cambria /ˈkeɪmbriə/ is a seaside village in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles along California State Route 1 (Highway 1). The name Cambria, chosen in 1869, is the Latin name for Wales. Cambria is situated amidst Monterey pines in one of only three such native forests. Previously, the town had gone by the names of Slabtown, Rosaville, San Simeon and Santa Rosa. The corresponding census designated place (CDP) had a population of 6,032 at the 2010 census, slightly down from 6,232 at the 2000 census.
The earliest human settlement of this area is known to be associated with prehistoric habitation by the Native American Chumash peoples, who exploited marine resources along the coastal area, with emphasis upon sites that were close to rivers.
Although our recorded history of the tribes in this region does not begin until the explorers and missionaries arrived, there is evidence of many tribal settlements in the area later known as Cambria. It is estimated that as many as 30,000 people inhabited the area in the time (some 1000 years) before the Spanish arrived. Experts believe these tribes to have been migratory and used Cambria as a seasonal settlement; other scientists are convinced that they lived there permanently. Most agree that they fed themselves with shellfish and seafood, as well as obtaining food from travels inland to hunt and gather seeds. A variety of artistically-crafted implements have been discovered, including spears points and arrowheads made from obsidian; basalt, sandstone, and granite were used to make mortars and pestles; soapstone kettles and stone hammers were also found. These early inhabitants were skilled basket and net makers and fashioned jewelry from crab claws, abalone shells, and the teeth of sharks and whales. The presence of soapstone (steatite) provides evidence that they traded with the Catalina Island tribes, whereas the lack of metals and glass indicates that they did not trade with Europeans or Asians.
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