Santa Maria and Orcutt

A Brief History

Santa Maria began as a farming town for settlers in the 1800s, soon the Santa Maria River Valley became one of the most productive agricultural areas in the state. Agriculture is still a key component of the economy for the city and the entire region. The valley had four prominent settlers that farmed the land that today corners on Broadway and Main Street: Rudolph Cook, John Thornburg, Isaac Fesler, and Isaac Miller.

The town was originally known as Grangeville - or Grangerville - for a Grange

co-operative store started by John Thornburgh, one of the town's founding fathers. Later, it took a new name, Central City, because the town lay midway between Guadalupe and Sisquoc. But the name Central City, California, kept getting confused with Central City, Colorado. Mail intended for Central City, CA was being sent to the Colorado city of the same name. The post office was adamant. Central City, Colorado, was there first so the California city had to change its name. Mr. Thornburgh reportedly came up with the name "Santa Maria" from the name that settler Juan Pacifico Ontiveros had given to his property 25 years earlier.

The Santa Maria Valley saw oil exploration begin in 1888, leading to large-scale discoveries around the turn of the century. In 1901, William Orcutt urged his company (Union Oil) to move forward by leasing more than 70,000 acres within a year. Faced with the need to provide local governance to the rapidly growing population attracted to the Valley due to the discovery of oil, Santa Maria incorporated as a general law city in 1905.

 

The Santa Maria Valley throughout its history has remained primarily agricultural in its nature and economy. Agriculture, as always, continues to serve as one of the City's prime economic influences;  primary crops including strawberries, wine grapes, celery, lettuce, peas, squash, cauliflower, spinach, broccoli and beans. The Santa Maria area is home to an increasing number of vineyards, wineries and winemakers, and cattle ranchers.

 

Santa Maria is a city in Santa Barbara County, in Southern California. It is approximately 150 miles (240 km) northwest of downtown Los Angeles. The 2010 census population was 100,062, putting it ahead of Santa Barbara (the county seat) for the first time and making it the largest city in the county. The estimated population of the area is 171,227, which includes Santa Maria, the city of Guadalupe and the unincorporated township of Orcutt.

 

In the late 19th century, after California gained statehood in 1850, the area's rich soil attracted farmers and other settlers. By the end of the century, the Santa Maria River Valley had become one of the most productive agricultural areas in the state. Agriculture is still a key component of the economy for the city and the entire region.

 

The city is notable for its wine industry and Santa Maria-style barbecue.

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In recent years, other industries have been being added to the city's agricultural and retail mix, including: aerospace; communications; high-tech research and development; energy production; military operations; and manufacturing. The petroleum industry has had a large presence in the area since oil was first discovered at the Orcutt Oil Field in 1902. By 1957 there were 1,775 oil wells in operation in the Santa Maria Valley, producing more than $640 million worth of oil.