"Cayuco is a nautical term applied to a small fishing boat, which is like a canoe and often made of skins. A point on the coast of California that was early used as a port was called by that name because the schooners, pausing offshore from the mouth of a small stream, had commerce with the land by means of these small boats. The creek, the little settlement that grew up near its mouth, and eventually the land nearby were all known by the name.
     In 1842 Rancho Moro Y Cayucos was granted to Martin Olivera, from Rancho Sausal in Monterey County, and to Vicente Feliz, former mayordomo of another rancho. It was later owned by James McKinley, a Scottish sailor, who married Carmen Amesti, daughter of Jos and #233 Amesti of Rancho Corralitos. McKinley sold it in smaller tracts for dairy farms. History of San Luis Obispo County dtd 1883 states C.H. Phillips purchased Morro y Cayucos in 1875. The town was laid out under his supervision giving Cayucos wide streets.
     In 1867 this coastal region was served by a weekly stage running from San Luis Obispo to San Simeon. In this year James Cass came to the vicinity of Cayucos Landing and lived first in the hills just back of the settlement, but soon he built a large house that still stands on Ocean Avenue at C Street near Cayucos Creek in the town of Cayucos. Because of his well-directed efforts the settlement began to increase. He built a wharf in 1870 and soon afterward a store and warehouse.     In 1875 the broad streets of the town were laid out, and in the early 1880's a stage bringing passengers from San Miguel and way stations made connections with a weekly boat at Cayucos.
For many years considerable shipping was done from here, but finally a storm destroyed a large part of the pier and motor transportation eliminated the need of steamer calls. Only a small pleasure wharf is now on th site of the wharf build by Captain Cass."