What's in a Name?

It took almost a decade for Cambria to settle on a name. In 1869, after going by Slabtown, Rosaville, San Simeon and Santa Rosa, the name Cambria was officially adopted. An amusing controversy continues over the correct pronunciation of Cambria. Visitors and newcomers usually call it Came-bria, while most residents agree on Camm-bria.

Cambria Through the Years

Cambria was settled in the early 1860s, with the town's center located in what is now East Village. By the 1880s Cambria was the second largest town in the county, with an active center of shipping, mining, dairy farming, logging, and ranching. In 1894, railroad lines were extended into the San Luis Obispo from the south, resulting in the decline of coastal shipping and the isolation of Cambria. It was more than a quarter century before the first improved road to Cambria was completed. In 1927, the Cambria Pines Lodge was built and a large tract of land called Cambria Pines was subdivided into small residential lots. Today tourism is the town's main industry.