Hutton

William Rich Hutton. First to survey the town of San Luis Obispo in August of 1850 on a authorization from the Courts of Sessions, directing that the main street be 20 yards wide and all others should be 15 yards wide. 

William Rich Hutton was born on March 21, 1826 in Washington, D.C., the eldest son of James Hutton (died 1843) and his wife, the former Salome Rich. He was educated at the Western Academy (Washington, D.C.) from 1837-1840 under George J. Abbot and then at Benjamin Hallowell's School in Alexandria, Virginia, where he received special training in mathematics, drawing, and surveying.

Hutton began his professional career in California when he, along with his younger brother James, accompanied their uncle William Rich to work for the United States Army. His uncle was a paymaster for the army and Hutton became his clerk. They traveled around the new state paying the various platoons stationed there, but Hutton also occupied his time by drawing the landscapes and structures he saw in the settlements of Los Angeles, San Francisco, La Paz, Mazatlan, Santa Barbara, Monterey, San Pedro, San Diego, and Cape San Lucas.

He was hired by William G. Dana to survey the Nipomo Ranch in San Luis Obispo County and also surveyed the ranches Santa Manuela and Huer-Huero, both owned by Francis Z. Branch. After his employment with Dana, he became the county surveyor for San Luis Obispo County, where he prepared the first survey and map of the region. He also continued to survey ranches for Captain John Wilson during this time. In August 1851, he resigned from his position as county surveyor and moved to Monterey.

On December 3, 1850 Hutton did a sketch of Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa. Captain John Wilson's two-story wooden house on the corner of Broad and Monterey Street can be seen, along with San Luis Mountain in the background. This image found in the Huntington Library in San Marino.

Hutton Street is located between Branch Street and High Street.