Cashin's Stage Station

Cashin’s Stage Station was located in Paloma Valley in south Atascadero. It was facing present day Viejo Camino, along Halcon Road, east of El Camino Real, a little north of Santa Barbara Road.

It is unknown when Cashin’ Stage Station began but Tom Cashin was operating his stage stop between 1873 and 1883.

An undated, unnamed newspaper obituary states ”…Cashin was a native of Ireland, 79 years of age and had lived in San Luis Obispo County for many years previous going to San Jose. In the early (18)seventies, he was a familiar figure at the Cashin Station, in the locality now known as Dove on the border of the Atascadero Ranch. At the time, 1873, the Coast Line Stage Company made its connections with Southern Pacific Company at Salinas. The line was run for some years previously by Flint, Bixby & Co. and known as the San Juan and Los Angles Stage Co. until it afterward passed into the hands of Buckley, Carr & Taylor. The time by stage and rail between San Luis Obispo was thirty-six hours and the fare $17 and many travelers in the years between 1873 and 1883 will remember Cashin who was always at the front door… A stop was made at Cashin to change horses and business thrived during the stage days. As time went on and Southern Pacific Railroad drew closer to San Luis Obispo, the stage business was wiped off the map…”

Thomas Cashin and wife, Mary, are buried in Old Mission Cemetery, San Luis Obispo. No date of their birth or death are given on the headstone.