San Luis Obispo Octagon Barn

The San Luis Obispo Octagon Barn is an eight-sided structure with a central cupola that rises above its wooden floor made of redwood timbers. The building contains stalls and storage areas typical of early 20th-century dairy operations.

The structure was built in 1906 by Henri LaFranchi and John Damaso as a dairy operation facility. It changed ownership in 1917 when Antonio Stornetta took over the property for milk production.

The barn reflects early 20th-century agricultural practices shaped by Italian-Swiss and Azorean immigrant workers who built and operated it. You can see how different building traditions came together in the wooden structure that served the dairy farming community.

The barn is located at 4400 Octagon Way and hosts weddings, reunions, performances, and educational programs about farm life. Check in advance whether events are scheduled, as they may affect visiting hours or access to the interior.

The barn serves as the starting point of the Bob Jones City-to-Sea Bicycle Trail, which connects San Luis Obispo to Avila Beach. This route takes cyclists through California countryside on their way to the coast.