Santa Maria, California, United States

🇺🇸 Santa Maria is a city in the Central Coast of California in northern Santa Barbara County. It is approximately 65 miles (105 km) north-west of Santa Barbara and 150 miles (240 km) north-west of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city in the county and the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA Metro Area. The city is notable for its wine industry and Santa Maria-style barbecue.

History The Santa Maria Valley, stretching from the Santa Lucia Mountains toward the Pacific Ocean, was the homeland of the Chumash people for several thousand years. The Native Americans made their homes on the slopes of the surrounding hills among the oaks, on the banks of the Santa Maria River among the sycamores, and along the coast. They had unique plank-built boats, called Tomol, which they used for ocean fishing.

In 1769, the Portolá Expedition passed through the Santa Maria Valley during the first Spanish land exploration up the coast of Las Californias Province. Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa was established just north of the valley in 1772, and Mission La Purísima Concepción was established near present-day Lompoc in 1787. Rather than rich soil, white settlers were attracted here by the possibility of free land. In 1821, after the Mexican War of Independence, the mission lands in Santa Maria Valley were made available for private ownership under a Mexican land grant called Rancho Punta de Laguna. At the end of the Mexican War in 1848, California was ceded to the United States, and was granted statehood with the Compromise of 1850.

In the late 19th century, 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 remains a key component of the economy for the city and the entire region.

Between 1869 and 1874, four of the valley's settlers, Rudolph Cook, John Thornburg, Isaac Fesler (for whom Fesler Jr. High School is named), and Isaac Miller (for whom Miller Elementary School is named), built their homes near each other at the present corners on Broadway and Main Street. The townsite was recorded in Santa Barbara in 1875. The new town was named Grangerville, then changed to Central City. It became Santa Maria on February 18, 1885, since mail was often being sent by mistake to Central City, Colorado. Santa Maria was chosen from the name Juan Pacifico Ontiveros had given to his property 25 years earlier. Streets named after the four settlers now form a 6-block square centered at Broadway and Main Street, the centre of town.

Oil exploration began in 1888, leading to large-scale discoveries at the turn of the 20th century. In 1902, Union Oil discovered the large Orcutt Oil Field in the Solomon Hills south of town, and a number of smaller companies also began pumping oil. Two years later, Union Oil had 22 wells in production. Other significant discoveries followed, including the Lompoc Oil Field in 1903 and the Cat Canyon field in 1908. Over the next 80 years more large oil fields were found, and thousands of oil wells drilled and put into production. Oil development intensified in the 1930s, with the discovery of the Santa Maria Valley Oil Field in 1934, right underneath the southern and western parts of the city of Santa Maria, which spurred the city's growth even further. By 1957 there were 1,775 oil wells in operation in the Santa Maria Valley, producing more than $640 million worth of oil.

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.4 square miles (58 km²), of which, 22.8 square miles (59 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (2.73%) is water.

Santa Maria is situated north of the unincorporated community of Orcutt, California, and south of the Santa Maria River (which serves as the line between Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County). The valley is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and to the east by the San Rafael Mountains and the Los Padres National Forest. The city of Guadalupe, California is approximately 9 miles (14 km) to the west of Santa Maria.

Economy Agriculture plays an important role in the city's economy. The Santa Maria area is home to an increasing number of vineyards, wineries and winemakers and is centrally located to both the Santa Ynez and Foxen Canyon areas of Santa Barbara County's wine country, and San Luis Obispo County's Edna Valley-Arroyo Grande wine country.

The agricultural areas surrounding the city are some of the most productive in California, with primary crops including strawberries, wine grapes, celery, lettuce, peas, squash, cauliflower, spinach, broccoli and beans. Many cattle ranchers also call the Santa Maria Valley home.

Two of the city's major retail centres, the Crossroads, completed in 1999, and the historic Enos Ranch site, still under development, are both situated adjacent to the U.S. Route 101/Betteravia Road interchange and feature several prominent big-box stores. The city is also home to the Santa Maria Town Center, the only enclosed shopping mall in Santa Barbara County and the largest on the Central Coast, located at the junction of Broadway and Main Street.

Santa Maria also features the historic Santa Maria Inn, located on South Broadway; originally built in 1917 by Frank McCoy, it is a registered historic landmark and features a wide range of amenities. Several famous guests have stayed at this inn, including Charlie Chaplin, Rudolph Valentino, Bette Davis, Bing Crosby, and Herbert Hoover.

In recent years, other industries have been 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 long 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.

Top employers According to a recent Financial Report, the top employers in the city include: 1 Vandenberg Space Force Base ; 2 Santa Maria-Bonita School District ; 3 Marian Regional Medical Center; 4 Allan Hancock College ; 5 C&D Zodiac Aerospace; 6 Santa Maria Joint Union High School District ; 7 Windset Farms; 8 City of Santa Maria; 9 Walmart ; 10 Agro-Jal Farms.

Tri-Tip and Santa Maria-style barbecue Santa Maria-style barbecue is a regional culinary tradition rooted in the Santa Maria Valley. The tri-tip steak has its roots in Santa Maria. Tri-tip is a cut of beef from the bottom sirloin. It is a small triangular muscle, usually 1.5 to 2.5 lb (680 to 1,130 g) per side of beef. In the United States, this cut was typically used for ground beef or sliced into steaks until the late 1950s, when it became a local specialty in Santa Maria. "Santa Maria-style" barbecue is usually used in reference to the seasoning of tri-tip or other meats (most notably top sirloin, or "top block") when rubbed with salt, pepper, and spices and cooked whole on a rotisserie or grilled over local red oak wood. The side dishes complementing a typical "Santa Maria-style" barbecue generally consist of garlic bread, pinquito beans, and a salad.

Sunset Magazine's August 2013 issue features a 10-page spread on Santa Maria Style BBQ, crowning Santa Maria as "The West's Best BBQ Town".

Wine Santa Maria, along with the neighboring Lompoc, Los Alamos and Santa Ynez Valleys, combine to create one of the nation's largest wine-producing regions, referred to as the Santa Barbara Wine Country.

The often foggy and windswept Santa Maria Valley is the northernmost appellation in Santa Barbara County. The region's first officially approved American Viticultural Area (AVA) enjoys extremely complex soil conditions and diverse microclimates. Chardonnay and Pinot noir are two varietals which especially benefit from the ocean's influence, and are the flagship wines of this appellation.

Santa Maria Valley grapes are also used by wineries throughout Santa Barbara County and at many wineries outside of the county. The Santa Maria Valley name is used on labels from wineries that are based far away from the Santa Barbara County sunshine. The Santa Maria Valley appellation is bounded by the San Rafael Mountains and the Los Padres National Forest to the east, and by the Solomon Hills and the city of Santa Maria to the west.

Theatre Santa Maria's Allan Hancock College is the home of The Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (PCPA), a theatrical school and production company. Notable alumni include: Robin Williams, Kathy Bates, Kelly McGillis, Mercedes Ruehl, and Zac Efron. An additional PCPA theatre is located in Solvang, California in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Santa Maria is also home to two large indoor Regal Edwards movie theaters; one located in the Town Center Mall, and one located off the 101 Freeway.

Santa Maria also has a small community theatre, the Santa Maria Civic Theatre which is located on the north-west side of town.

Parks and recreation Santa Maria Fairpark, located at Stowell Road and Thornberg Street, is home to the annual Santa Barbara County Fair, which began in 1891. It is also home to the annual Strawberry Festival, in addition to a wide variety of other events, concerts, and conventions.

Waller Park is a 154-acre park located at the south end of Santa Maria, featuring two large duck ponds with water fountains, several playgrounds, picnic and sports areas, a hiking trail, and a frisbee golf course. The first parcels of land that would become Waller Park were donated by the Santa Maria Golf and Country Club in 1928, and the remainder of the land was purchased in 1964 and 1967.

Preisker Park, located at the north end, is home to large open fields, a disc golf course, playgrounds and picnic areas. Its main feature is the large pond with a small replica of the Santa Maria ship, which children can play on.

The Santa Maria Skate Park is located in Fletcher Park. There is also the Paul Nelson Aquatic Center/Abel Maldonado Community Youth Center. Rotary Centennial Park has a basketball court, a baseball field, a large open grass area, and two playgrounds. Each year, the Annual Free Family Kite Festival organized by the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum is held there.

Allan Hancock College Allan Hancock College is a California public community college located in northern Santa Barbara County. Allan Hancock College was ranked as one of the five best community colleges in California and one of the nation's top 120 community colleges. Approximately 11,500 credit students enroll each semester at one of the college's four locations in Santa Maria, Lompoc, Solvang, or at Vandenberg Air Force Base. The main campus is in a 105-acre park in Santa Maria. Allan Hancock College is known for its distinguished athletic programs which have included former head football coaches John Madden and Ernie Zampese, as well as Gunther Cunningham. The college is also home to the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, one of the state's finest theatre programs.

Santa Maria is also home to Santa Barbara Business College, which has been serving the community since 1982.

Television The following TV stations broadcast in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Maria Television Market Area: • KEYT 3, an ABC/CBS television affiliate; • KSBY 6, an NBC television affiliate; broadcast from San Luis Obispo • KCOY 12, a Dabl television affiliate; broadcast from Santa Maria • KKFX 24, a FOX television affiliate; license to San Luis Obispo studios broadcast from KCOY in Santa Maria. Also seen on cable channel 11. • KTAS 33, a Telemundo affiliate; broadcast from San Luis Obispo • KPMR 38, a Univision affiliate, and

Radio • 1240 KSMA News/Talk • 1380 KVSM "Mario 1380" Regional Mexican • 1410 KTNK Classic Country • 1440 KUHL News/Talk • 1480 KSBQ "La Mexicana"Ranchera • 1600 KTAP "Radio Ranchito Regional Mexican • 88.9 KXWB "La Nueva Radio Vision" "Spanish Christian Talk" • 89.7 KCLM NPR operated by Cal Lutheran • 90.5 KGDP "Family Life Radio" Contemporary Christian • 91.5 KRQZ "RadioU" Christian Rock • 94.1 KLMM "Radio Lazer" Regional Mexican • 95.7 KPAT "The Beat" CHR-Rhythmic • 96.7 KSYV "Mix 96.7" Adult Contemporary • 97.1 KRTO Rhythmic Oldies • 99.1 KXFM "Old School 99.1 FM" Rhythmic Oldies • 100.3 KRQK, "La Ley" Regional Mexican Lompoc. • 102.5 KSNI "Sunny Country" Country • 103.3 KRUZ Classic Hits Broadcast from Santa Barbara, California • 104.1 KBOX "Pirate Radio" Adult Hits • 105.1 KIDI "La Buena" Regional Mexican • 106.7 KSMY "La Mejor" Spanish Oldies.

Roads U.S. Route 101 runs through the middle of the Santa Maria Valley and is the main freeway connecting many West Coast cities. It has been improved to freeway status (meaning all at-grade intersections have been eliminated) within the city of Santa Maria itself. A $32 million widening project that expanded the freeway from four to six lanes between Santa Maria Way and the Highway 166 exit was completed by early 2009.

State Route 1 runs around the western edge of the city and connects it to nearby Vandenberg Air Force Base near Lompoc. The section of US 101 in the city is a freeway, and a small part of a nearby section of Highway 1 that runs between the city and the base is also a freeway, but the two freeway segments do not directly connect to each other.

State Route 135 is considered to be the major artery through the city. It comes from Los Alamos, a town to the south of Santa Maria, and it enters Orcutt and Santa Maria as an expressway. The expressway runs all the way to Santa Maria Way. Highway 135 then turns into Broadway and runs through the heart of the city and all the way up to the Santa Maria River and U.S. 101.

Rail The Santa Maria Valley Railroad (SMVRR) is a shortline freight railroad to Guadalupe where the Union Pacific Railroad Interchange point is. Main business includes storage of railroad cars when northern California and southern California storage area are full. In the 1990s, the city proposed a light rail service to replace the SMV's right-of-way, as its future was uncertain.

The nearest train station with long-distance Amtrak service is in Guadalupe, to which Amtrak provides bus service from Santa Maria. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner provides twice daily service in each direction, running to San Luis Obispo to the north and to San Diego via Los Angeles to the south.

Bus SMAT, Santa Maria Area Transit, is a local bus service provided by both city and county-run lines, it has recently expanded its services during the evening that stretch to 10:15 P.M. The Breeze Bus provides service to Lompoc, Vandenberg Air Force Base, and Santa Maria. RTA Route 10 connects Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo. The Guadalupe Flyer connects Santa Maria and Guadalupe.

Long-distance intercity bus service is provided by Greyhound Lines. The Clean Air Express commuter bus runs between Santa Maria and Goleta as well as a line to Santa Barbara weekdays.

Airport The Santa Maria Public Airport is served by two airlines, United Airlines. United Airlines announced service to Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco daily starting June 4, 2020. United is now booking flights to San Francisco and Denver starting Fall 2021, instead of this summer which was previously announced. Allegiant Air operates nonstop jet service three days a week to Las Vegas.