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San Luis Obispo County—the deadliest place in America back in the 1850s

KCBX | By Tom Wilmer
Published September 27, 2017 at 7:28 AM PDT
San Luis Obispo County outlaw from the 1800's Pio Linares
The History Center of San Luis Obispo County

Historian Jim Gregory says, “California was a wild and lawless place in the 1850s, and San Luis Obispo County was no exception with the highest murder rate in America.” Outlaws and bandits passed along El Camino Real leaving a trail of victims. The James brothers, the Daltons and even Al Capone made their mark here. 

Gregory details nefarious episodes from his new book, San Luis Obispo County Outlaws: Desperados, Vigilantes and Bootleggers with correspondent, Tom Wilmer.

Credit Kornreich Design, San Luis Obispo

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Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer winner of the 2016, 2015, 2013 Lowell Thomas Award
Credit SATW Foundation
Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer winner of the 2016, 2015, 2013 Lowell Thomas Award
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NPR OneJim GregorySan Luis Obispo County HistoryAl CaponeWells Fargo stage holdups
Tom Wilmer
Tom Wilmer produces on-air content for Issues & Ideas airing over KCBX and is producer and host of the six-time Lowell Thomas award-winning NPR podcast Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer. Recorded live on-location across America and around the world, the podcasts feature the arts, culture, music, nature, history, science, wine & spirits, brewpubs, and the culinary arts--everything from baseball to exploring South Pacific atolls to interviewing the real Santa Claus in the Arctic.
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