Lompoc, California, United States

🇺🇸 Lompoc is a city in Santa Barbara County, California, located on the Central Coast. Lompoc has been inhabited for thousands of years by the Chumash people, who called the area Lum Poc, meaning "stagnant waters" or "lagoon" in the local Purisimeño language. The Spanish called the area Lompoco after Fermín de Lasuén had established Mission La Purísima in 1787. In 1837, the Mexican government sold the area as the Rancho Lompoc land grant. Following the American Conquest of California, multiple settlers acquired the Lompoc Valley, including William Welles Hollister, who sold the land around the mission to the Lompoc Valley Land Company, which established a temperance colony which incorporated in 1888 as Lompoc. Lompoc is often considered a military town due to its proximity to Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Name The Western Institute for Endangered Language Documentation (WIELD) confirmed that the Chumash Purisimeño word lumpo'o̥ means 'in the cheeks'. Chumash placenames were often named after body parts, such as the eye, face, kneecap, eyelash, shoulder, nose, tongue, and white of the eye. It used to be believed that Lompoc meant 'stagnant waters', as first mentioned in Richard Applegate's 1974 paper Chumash Placenames. In 1981 the writings of John P. Harrington were catalogued at the Smithsonian Museum and quoted Maria Solares with the correct translation. In 2018, WIELD researched and corrected the record.

History Before the Spanish conquest, the area around Lompoc was inhabited by the Chumash people. The Original Mission La Purísima was established in 1787 near what is now the southern edge of the city. Purisimeño, a Chumashan language, was spoken in the region during the mission period. After an earthquake destroyed the mission in 1812, it was moved to its present location 1 mile (1.6 km) north-east of the present city. After independence from the Spanish Empire, the First Mexican Empire was established in 1821. The Mexicans secularized the Spanish missions in 1833, and La Purisima Mission fell into ruins.

In 1893, a diatomaceous earth mine, formerly owned by Johns Manville, World Mineral, and Celite corporation, now Imerys Inc., opened in the southern hills in Miguelito Canyon. It became (and still is) the largest marine diatomite mine in the world, and at one time was the largest employer in the valley. While owned by Johns Manville, the mine employed more than 900 people at its peak, and built housing for its employees onsite and in town; the houses in town are next to JM park, which the mine donated to the city. Another diatomaceous earth company, Grefco, operated here from the 1940s until 1998. The remnants of its mine at the north-east end of town were torn down in 2001.

In 1909, the Sibyl Marston—at the time, the largest steam schooner built on the West Coast—sank nearby while carrying 1,100,000 board feet (2,600 m3) of lumber. Many Lompoc homes were built with lumber from the shipwreck. The wreckage can still be seen south of Surf Beach.

The coastal branch of the Southern Pacific Railroad opened around 1900 and eventually replaced ship transportation. A paved road linked Lompoc to Buellton and the rest of California around 1920. In 1923, the Honda Point disaster, the U.S.'s largest peacetime naval accident, occurred just off the coast; nine U.S. destroyers ran aground, killing 23 people. During the Great Depression, La Purisima Mission was restored by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). During World War II, the coast west of Lompoc was the site of Camp Cooke, a United States Army training camp where large units could practice maneuvers.

Lompoc grew slowly until 1958, when the United States Air Force announced that the former Camp Cooke would be a test site for the Thor family of intermediate-range ballistic missiles and the first operational base for the SM-65 Atlas, an intercontinental ballistic missile. The city then began to grow rapidly to provide housing for thousands of civilians and contractors employed at what was soon renamed Vandenberg Air Force Base. It was the Air Force's first missile base.

The Space Shuttle program was slated to begin launches from Vandenberg in the late 1980s, and the city experienced a boom in restaurant and hotel construction in anticipation of tourists coming to see shuttle launches. But after the Challenger exploded during takeoff from Cape Canaveral in 1986, the West Coast shuttle program was terminated, sending Lompoc into a severe recession.

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 11.7 square miles (30 km²), 99.34% land and 0.66% water.

Most of the city is in the valley of the Santa Ynez River, at an elevation of about 80–100 feet (25–30 meters). Expansion has been to the north, on higher ground known as Vandenberg Village, with elevations of 150–300 feet (50–100 meters). Like most rivers in Southern California, the Santa Ynez River has no surface flow most of the year. Underground flow in the sandy river bed recharges the aquifer beneath the city, from which nine wells (a tenth is planned) supply the city with water. Unlike many Southern California cities, Lompoc is not connected to the State Water Project.

Demographics In the 2020 United States census, Lompoc had a population of 44,444. The population density was 3,823.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,476.1/km²). The racial and ethnic makeup was 25,472 (57.3%) Hispanic or Latino of any race; 13,310 (29.9%) Non-Hispanic White; 1,805 (4%) African American; 1,608 (3.6%) Asian; 289 (0.65%) Native American; 98 (0.2%) Pacific Islander; 166 (0.37%) other races; and 1,696 (3.8%) from two or more races.

The Census reported that 41,375 (93%) lived in households, 156 (0.35%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and 2,913 (6.5%) were institutionalized.

There were 14,104 households, of which 5,459 (38.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them; 6,309 (44.7%) were opposite-sex married couple households; 3,919 (27.8%) had a female householder with no husband present; and 2,613 (18.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,210 (2.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships and 77 (0.17%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,256 (23%) households were made up of individuals, and 1,438 (10.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.06. There were 9,453 (67%) families; the average family size was 3.67.

The population included 12,129 (27.4%) people under the age of 18; 2,935 (6.6%) people aged 18 to 24; 12,657 (28.5%) aged 25 to 44, 10,861 (24.4%) aged 45 to 64; and 5,862 (13.2%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 35.7 years old. For every 100 females, there were 109.9 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 111.6 males.

There were 14,609 housing units at an average density of 1,257 per square mile (485/km²), of which 6,687 (45.7%) were owner-occupied and 7,417 (50.7%) were occupied by renters. There are 505 vacant housing units in Lompoc (0.34%). The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.1%

Economy Vandenberg Space Force Base dominates the economy, directly employing a large percentage of Lompoc's residents and contributing $1.7 billion to the regional economy. The base employs the most residents of Lompoc. They employ 6,889 residents. Other mainstays of the economy include the Federal Correctional Institution, the diatomaceous earth mine (today owned by Imerys), the Lompoc Oil Field and associated oil processing facilities north of town, and agriculture, especially seed flowers and vegetables.

Wine production and wine tourism make up an expanding agricultural sector. Lompoc Valley is the gateway to the Sta. Rita Hills AVA wine appellation, internationally recognised for premium pinot noir and chardonnay. Thirty premium boutique wine labels are produced in Lompoc. Numerous other wineries are located along State Route 246 and on Santa Rosa Road. Tasting rooms are located in various parts of Lompoc.

Since the end of the Cold War, many workers employed in Santa Barbara and Goleta have moved to Lompoc to take advantage of lower housing costs, effectively making Lompoc a bedroom community of Santa Barbara. The character of the town has changed considerably with the growth associated with this demographic shift. In addition, new housing developments are spreading into the adjacent hills on the north side of town.

Cannabis Upon the legalisation of the sale and distribution of cannabis in California, the city had seven recreational marijuana storefronts by February 2020 with nineteen cannabis business licenses having been issued by the city. One of the retail establishment is being licensed for on site consumption claiming to be the first between Los Angeles and San Francisco. A manufacturing facility has been established and a testing lab provides the required analysis for growers. Companies must be licensed by the local agency and the state to grow, test, or sell cannabis and the city may authorise none or only some of these activities. Cannabis dispensaries pay a 6% gross sales tax to the city. Local governments may not prohibit adults, who are in compliance with state laws, from growing, using, or transporting marijuana for personal use.

Public safety The Lompoc Police Department is the city's primary law enforcement agency. The city is also served by the Lompoc Fire Department (LFD), which responds to more than 3,800 emergency and non-emergency calls per year.

American Medical Response Santa Barbara County (AMR SBC) provides the primary emergency medical response and ambulance services. The LFD provides mutual aid to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department as well as primary fire protection and emergency medical response to the United States Penitentiary, Lompoc.

The Federal Correctional Complex between Lompoc and Vandenberg SFB includes the medium- and low-security Federal Correctional Institution, Lompoc, two minimum-security camps.

Education Lompoc is served by the Lompoc Unified School District.

The two high schools in the area are Cabrillo High School and Lompoc High School.

The two middle schools in the area are Vandenberg Middle School and Lompoc Valley Middle School.

Allan Hancock College operates the Lompoc Valley Center (LVC).

Transport State Route 1 is the major north–south artery through Lompoc. State Route 246 heads east to Buellton and the Santa Ynez Valley.

The Surf train station is located to the west at Surf Beach and is served by Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner line. Amtrak Thruway buses stop in town. Lompoc is also served by City of Lompoc Transit, the Clean Air Express to Santa Barbara/Goleta, and the Breeze Bus to Buellton/Solvang and Santa Maria.

Culture The Lompoc Valley Flower Festival, held the last week of June, features a parade, carnival, food vendors, and craft show. In 2002, the Bodger Seed Company planted a "floral flag" as a tribute after the September 11 attacks. The "flag" was 740 feet by 390 feet, covered 6.65 acres (2.69 ha), and was estimated to contain more than 400,000 larkspur plants.

The Lompoc arts scene features artists, musicians, and bands ranging from singer-songwriters to psychedelic blues-rock bands. At the centre of this scene is Certain Sparks Music, a music store and frequent venue for Lompoc's musicians. Certain Sparks opened in 2006 and moved in 2015 from the corner of H & Laurel to South H Street.

Local artists One of Lompoc's most successful musical artists is the rock band Saint Anne's Place, which formed in 2008 and released its first EP, Speak Easy, in 2011. The band's music has been called a "blistering yet rustic mix of blues, psychedelia, and folk rock with the chops of players twice their senior". In 2011, it won the Santa Barbara Independent battle of the bands. It released its second EP, The Earth Shaker, in 2012.

Emily Wryn is a Lompoc songwriter whose music has been featured on NPR’s Morning Becomes Eclectic. Her first EP, Head on Straight, was released in 2012, and she played at the Indie Week festival in Ireland in 2014. Wryn also collaborates with Saint Anne's Place and a group called The Lights Electric.

Another band, Millions, led by Randall Sena, played along the Central Coast. Sena was also in a performing band called Le Petite Protest. He recorded and produced Wryn's Head on Straight and Saint Anne's Place's Speak Easy in his recording studio, Certain Sparks.

Lompoc Theatre The Lompoc Theatre, which opened in 1927, was owned and operated by the Calvert family for many years. It encountered financial trouble in the 1970s because of competition from multiplexes and television. The last time a movie was shown on its screen was in 1987.

In 2003, a nonprofit group, the Lompoc Housing and Community Development Corporation, announced plans to restore the theater. With the city's assistance, the LHCDC raised funds to buy the theater. By 2008, the cost of renovating the building was estimated at just under $10 million. The LHCDC could not raise the money needed for renovations, and the building accumulated three liens. The Lompoc Theatre Project Organization formed in 2012 with the help of Howlin' Byroon's Music Store owner Brian W. Cole, Donelle Martin, Carol Benham, Michelle Shaefer, and others. It was formally sold to the grassroots group the Lompoc Theatre Project in 2016. As of January 2020, restoration and fund-raising is ongoing.

Lompoc Pops Orchestra Founded in 1996, the Lompoc Pops Orchestra consists of about 45 semi-professional musicians under the direction of Brian Asher Alhadeff. Its four annual performances include musicals, Broadway hits, jazz pieces, big band, gospel, and patriotic music.