TAYLOR HOVING REALTY GROUP - Key Persons
Edward Gardner Lewis, a magazine publisher from the East, founded Atascadero in 1913 as a utopian, planned colony. He had previously created such a community, at University City, Missouri. After purchasing the Atascadero Ranch in 1912, Lewis put together a group of investors, paid J.H. Henry $37.50 per acre ($93/ha), and celebrated acquisition of the ranch on July 4, 1913. As investors came to homestead the land that they had bought with their down payments, the area was transformed into a "tent city" with tents situated on land now occupied by Century Plaza and Bank of America. Lewis employed the services of experts in agriculture, engineering and city planning to develop his dream colony for the anticipated 30,000 residents. In 1914 the land was surveyed and subdivided. Thousands of acres of orchards were planted, a water system was installed, and construction began on an 18 mi (29 km) road (now Highway 41 west) through the Santa Lucia Mountains to the ocean (Morro Bay), where Lewis built cottages and a beachfront hotel called the Cloisters.
The first civic building in Atascadero, The Printery, had the first rotogravure presses west of Chicago. Lewis then published the Atascadero News newspaper and the Illustrated Review, a photo/news magazine. The centerpiece of Lewis' planned community was an Italian Renaissance-style building, which was the home to Atascadero City Hall and the Museum until it was damaged in the 2003 earthquake. After significant upgrades and renovations, the building was re-opened in August, 2013. Built between 1914 and 1918 with bricks made from local clay, this unique and beautiful building has become one of California's Historical Landmarks (No. 958).
Founded in 1913 by Edward Gardner Lewis and incorporated in 1979, the Atascadero Colony as it was known at the time was originally envisioned as a model community. Little evidence of Atascadero's original architecture and urban design remain, as historic buildings and homes have been torn down to make way for more modern developments and the Sunken Gardens bisected by U.S. Route 101. One of the few surviving examples of original urban design can be found, however, in the Rotunda Building located near the Junior High School on Palma Avenue in the Sunken Gardens public park. Designed by Walter D. Bliss of San Francisco, construction was completed in 1918 at a cost of $180,000. It was the headquarters for the Atascadero Colony, built of reinforced concrete and locally produced brick, it had also served as a private school for boys, a veteran's memorial building, and county offices. Location: 6500 Palma Ave, Atascadero. This building was purchased by San Luis Obispo County in the 1950s as a Memorial Building. The building housed the county library, Atascadero Historical Social Museum and then the city offices following incorporation in 1979. The historic City Hall is adorned with a 40 ft (12 m) dome atop the third story, originally intended to house the library. The building was designated a California Historical Landmark. The City Hall was damaged by the magnitude 6.5 San Simeon earthquake on the morning of December 22, 2003.
Job Titles:
- Owner of the Rancho Santa Margarita
Santa Margarita Valley, with its year round running streams and abundant acorns, was a meeting place for northern Chumash and southern Salinan around 6500 CE. The de Anza Expedition traversed the Cuesta Grade into the valley in 1776. After Fr. Junipero Serra founded the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, he realized that an assistancia (sub-mission) was needed. The Santa Margarita de Cortona Asistencia was founded circa 1775, and was named for the Italian Saint, Santa Margarita de Cortona. The Spanish El Camino Real trail past it is the city's present day main street.
In 1841 after Mexico's 1822 independence and 1830s mission secularization, Joaquin Estrada became the owner of the Rancho Santa Margarita. Estrada was famed for his "Rancho Hospitality" with rodeos, BBQs and fiestas. After downturns in the economy and personal debts, Estrada sold the Rancho to the Martin Murphy family in 1860.
Co-owners Ken Taylor and Glenn Hoving, both hailing from national franchise backgrounds, believe the big-box, training-ground real estate model has become increasingly cumbersome and expensive for clients and agents alike.
Ken Taylor is a seasoned real estate Broker with over 30 years experience in the industry. As the prior co-owner of a major Central Coast real estate franchise, Ken supervised thousands of real estate transactions and trained hundreds of other REALTORS® as Broker, office manager, sales trainer, and director of print and internet marketing. He sold his interest in the company in 2005 and remained a top-selling agent for an additional 8 years, always in the top 10% in production year after year. Ken has personally listed and sold hundreds of homes on the Central Coast in all kinds of markets - good and bad.
Striving to always remain flexible and adaptable, his goal is to provide the best service possible with the least amount of inconvenience for those he serves. With his reputation for fair-play, knowledge of the industry, a positive work ethic, and most importantly, his love for his wife and their four children, he is a true leader in every aspect of the word.
Interests: Travel, history, hiking, time with family, and an occasional poker game with old friends.
Glenn Hoving leads with his positive energy, ability to motivate, competitive spirit and his ability to train and assist associates to reach their highest potential. As a former Cal Poly Football Team Captain, Glenn credits balancing the rigorous schedule of college athletics & academics for his competitive attitude when it comes to surviving in the business world.
Glenn began his real estate career in 1996 with Century 21- Ken Taylor was his first Broker. He was a natural salesperson and became Rookie of the Year, and he was a consistent top producer and winner of the Customer Service award until he moved into management in 2003. Glenn introduced a new franchise to the Central Coast in 2003 and within two years grew the company to 116 associates. He has been General Manager & CEO of real estate offices in Pismo Beach, Marin County, and Santa Maria and is now focused on building THRG into the most productive and agent friendly company on the Central Coast.
Interests: Public speaking, giving youth leadership & public speaking workshops, family outings of any kind.
Morro Rock later gave its name to the town. The descriptive term morro is common to the Spanish, Portuguese and Italian languages, and the word is part of many place names where there is a distinctive and prominent rock formation. Note that the similar Spanish descriptive word "moro" indicates a bluish color rather than a shape.
The first recorded Filipinos to visit America arrived at Morro Bay on October 18, 1587, from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Se�ora de Esperanza; one of whom was killed while scouting ahead by local Native Americans.
Patrick Murphy worked to restore the Rancho to a working agricultural ranch. On April 20, 1889 the Southern Pacific Railroad reached Santa Margarita from Templeton. A "Grand Auction" was held to sell lots for the new town of Santa Margarita along the El Camino Real. While construction down the Cuesta Grade took place, the railroad terminus was in Santa Margarita. This created a boom time in the community. All freight had to be loaded for stage transportation up and down the Cuesta Grade. Town boasted a hotel, restaurants, taverns, blacksmiths, and ice cream parlors. Once the "gap" was closed from Santa Margarita to San Luis Obispo in 1894 the town grew quiet.