What drives California Polytechnic State University’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, California Polytechnic State University is more historic than 16% of U.S. towns, #556 of 847 in California State. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of California Polytechnic State University’s overall grade.
California State towns of 2,500+ (847)Ahead of 34%
Few California State towns list much on the Register (a typical California State town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so California Polytechnic State University’s 1.3 sits above most of its state (77% of California State towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1901.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D− to C. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±26.8 points).
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about California Polytechnic State University’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
California Polytechnic State University on the map, 1897 to 1995
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of California Polytechnic State University. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1897San Luis Obispo sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of California Polytechnic State University.
The story
How California Polytechnic State University came to be
From Wikipedia’s history of California Polytechnic State University.
Cal Poly was founded in 1901 as the California Polytechnic School, following the signing of the California Polytechnic School Bill by Governor Henry Gage. The school began classes on October 1, 1903, with 20 students enrolled, offering three-year secondary-level courses.
Originally coeducational, the school enrolled 16 male and 4 female students. In 1929, California Governor C.C. Young prohibited women from attending. Women were readmitted in 1956. By Fall 2023, female students constituted 50.1% of the total student population.
Questions about California Polytechnic State University’s history
What year was California Polytechnic State University founded?
In 1901, according to Wikidata.
How does California Polytechnic State University rank for history?
California Polytechnic State University is more historic than 16% of U.S. towns, #556 of 847 in California State. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in California Polytechnic State University?
One place: the Powerhouse, The (listed 1993).
How old are the homes in California Polytechnic State University?
0.0% of California Polytechnic State University’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±26.8 points), against a typical 3.4% for a California State town.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia and U.S. Geological Survey historical maps. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
