| Official name | City of Santa Maria |
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| Native name | |
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| Nickname | BBQ Capital of California, Santa (pronounced Sahn-ta) |
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| Settlement type | City |
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| Map caption | Location in Santa Barbara County and the state of California |
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| Pushpin map | |
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| Pushpin label position | |
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| Subdivision type | Country |
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| Subdivision name | United States |
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| Subdivision type1 | State |
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| Subdivision name1 | California |
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| Subdivision type2 | County |
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| Subdivision name2 | Santa Barbara |
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| Leader title | Mayor |
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| Leader name | Larry Lavagnino |
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| Leader title1 | |
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| Leader title1 | Senate |
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| Leader name1 | Sam Blakeslee (R) |
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| Leader title2 | Assembly |
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| Leader name2 | Katcho Achadjian (R) |
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| Leader title3 | U. S. Congress |
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| Leader name3 | Lois Capps (D) |
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| Established title | Founded |
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| Established date | 1874 |
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| Established title2 | |
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| Established title3 | |
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| Unit pref | |
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| Area total km2 | 51.2 |
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| Area land km2 | 50.1 |
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| Area water km2 | 1.1 |
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| Area total sq mi | 19.7 |
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| Area land sq mi | 19.3 |
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| Area water sq mi | 0.4 |
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| Population as of | 2009 |
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| Population total | 86,935 |
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| Population density km2 | 1512.2 |
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| Population density sq mi | 5683.86 |
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| Population metro | 166,474 |
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| Timezone | PST |
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| Utc offset | -8 |
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| Timezone dst | PDT |
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| Utc offset dst | -7 |
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| Coordinates display | inline,title |
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| Coordinates type | region:US_type:city |
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| Elevation footnotes | |
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| Elevation m | 67 |
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| Elevation ft | 220 |
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| Postal code type | ZIP codes |
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| Postal code | 93454-93458 |
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| Area code | 805 |
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| Blank name | FIPS code |
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| Blank info | 06-69196 |
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| Blank1 name | GNIS feature ID |
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| Blank1 info | 1652791 |
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| Website | http://www.ci.santa-maria.ca.us/ |
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Santa Maria is a city in Santa Barbara County, on the Central Coast of California. Santa Maria's estimated population in November 2008 was 91,972 and has surpassed that of Santa Barbara, making it the largest city in the county. The estimated population of the area is about 161,227, which includes the Santa Maria Valley, the city of Guadalupe and the unincorporated township of Orcutt. 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 thousands of years. These
Native Americans made their homes on the slopes of the surrounding hills among the
Oaks, the banks of the Santa Maria river among the
Sycamores, and along the beach areas. They had plank-built
boats, called
Tomol, for ocean fishing.
In 1769, the Portolà Expedition passed through the Santa Maria Valley on the first Spanish land exploration up the coast of the Las Californias Province, in route to the Monterey Bay area. Soon Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa was established to the north in 1772 and Mission La Purísima Concepción was established south of the valley near present day Lompoc in 1787. In 1821, when Spain left Alta California after the Mexican War of Independence was won, the mission lands in Santa Maria Valley became a Mexican land grant called Rancho Punta de Laguna in 1844.
In 1850, when California gained statehood, the rich soil drew farmers and other settlers, and 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.
Between 1869 and 1874, four of the valley's prominent settlers, Rudolph Cook, John Thornburg, Isaac Fesler, and Isaac Miller, farmed the land that today corners on Broadway and Main Street. The townsite map was recorded in Santa Barbara in 1875. The new city was first called Grangerville, then Central City. The city's name was changed to "Santa Maria" on February 18, 1885, because mail for the community was being sent by mistake to Central City, Colorado. "Santa Maria" comes 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, Union Oil discovered the large Orcutt Oil Field in the Solomon Hills south of town, and along with a number of smaller companies began pumping oil. By the end of 1903, Union Oil had 22 wells in production. Several significant discoveries followed. In the next 80 years several large oil fields were found, and thousands of oil wells were drilled and put into production in the area. Oil development intensified in 1930s, with the discovery of the Santa Maria Valley Oil Field 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.
with respect to the State of California]]
Geography
Santa Maria is located at (34.951377, -120.433373).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it (2.23%) is water.
Santa Maria is situated north of the unincorporated township 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 to the west of Santa Maria.
Climate
Santa Maria experiences a cool
Mediterranean climate (
Köppen climate classification Csb) typical of coastal areas of California.The climate is mostly sunny refreshed by the ocean breeze. Fog is common. Snow in the lowest parts of the city is virtually unknown, being the last brief flurry in the pier recorded in January 1949. The only previous known case of snow was in January 1882.
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.
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.
Top Employers
According to the City's 2008 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1"
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of Employees
|-
| 1
|Santa Maria-Bonita School District
|1,724
|-
|2
|Marian Medical Center
|1,450
|-
|3
|Allan Hancock College
|890
|-
|4
|Santa Maria Joint Union High School District
|725
|-
|5
|City of Santa Maria
|647
|-
|6
|Orcutt Union School District
|586
|-
|7
|Bonipak
|533
|-
|8
|C & D Zodiac
|491
|-
|9
|Den-Mat
|361
|-
|10
|VTC Enterprises
|340
|-
|}
Demographics
According to the 2000
census, there were 77,423 people, 22,146 households, and 16,653 families residing in the city. The
population density was 4,005.8 people per square mile (1,546.5/km²). There were 22,847 housing units at an average density of 1,182.1/sq mi (456.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 66.0%
White, 1.87%
African American, 1.78%
Native American, 4.74%
Asian, 0.18%
Pacific Islander, 28.02% from
other races, and 5.36% from two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino of any race were 47.3% of the population.
There were 22,146 households out of which 42% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% were non-families. 20.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.40 and the average family size was 3.85.
In the city the population was spread out with 31.6% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 15.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 103.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $51,739, and the median income for a family was $48,233. Males had a median income of $28,700 versus $22,364 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,780. About 15.5% of families and 19.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.5% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.
Law and government
Courts
Santa Maria is home to one of three official Superior Court locations in Santa Barbara County, with the other courthouse located in
Santa Barbara. From 2003-2005, the Superior Court handled a
felony complaint against
Michael Jackson (see ) which reached a not guilty verdict on June 13, 2005. The District Attorney chose to present the trial in Santa Maria due to its close proximity from
Neverland Ranch where the alleged incident took place.
Politics
Santa Maria is split down the middle of the
political spectrum as compared to Santa Barbara, which tends to lean on the more liberal side of the spectrum. Perhaps due to this political division, along with irrigation and water-supply issues, many attempts have been made to split the county in half, with the northern portion of the county (roughly from
Point Conception north) to be named Mission County. Over the course of many years, however, this secession movement has proved unsuccessful.
Law enforcement
As the primary
law enforcement agency for the City of Santa Maria, the Santa Maria Police Department handles approximately 130,000 calls for service each year. The Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Department also operates within the city and in the surrounding communities. The SMPD is administratively divided into the three divisions,
Administration,
Operations, and
Support, and has 112 sworn officers and 51 full-time support personnel.
Transportation
Road
U.S. Route 101 runs through the middle of the
Santa Maria Valley and is the main
expressway 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. There was recently a widening project that expanded the freeway from four to six lanes between Santa Maria Way and the Route 135 overcrossing. The $32 million project was completed in late 2008 / 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 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.
Air
Santa Maria Public Airport offers regular commercial flights to
Los Angeles by United,
Las Vegas by
Allegiant Air. Alternative airports are found at
San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport in
San Luis Obispo and
Santa Barbara Municipal Airport in
Goleta.
Rail
The
Santa Maria Valley Railroad (SMVRR) is a shortline freight
railroad to
Guadalupe. Main business includes storage of railroad cars when northern California and southern California storage area are full.
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 Paso Robles 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.
San Luis Obispo RTA also runs the line 10 that travels between Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo primarily on weekdays, with three trips in each direction on Saturdays & Sundays. It costs $1.75.
The Breeze Bus provides service to Lompoc, Vandenberg Air Force Base, and Santa Maria.
Long-distance intercity bus service is provided by Greyhound Lines.
Education
The
Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (SMJUHSD) is the oldest high school district in the State of California and runs the 3 primary public high schools in the area, including
Santa Maria High School,
Pioneer Valley High School, and
Ernest Righetti High School. There are also two notable private high schools in the valley,
St. Joseph High School, a private Catholic high school, and Valley Christian Academy. The
Santa Maria-Bonita School District is home to 13,700 students in 15 elementary schools (K-6th grade) and four junior high schools (7th-8th grade). The schools in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District serve students who live within the city limits of Santa Maria, the county area of Tanglewood and the county area just outside of Santa Maria heading toward Guadalupe. The SMBSD schools are on a traditional calendar schedule and offer a quality, comprehensive education. The Orcutt Union School District serves students who live in the unincporporated community of Orcutt. The Orcutt Union School District recently added a new school known as Orcutt Academy High School in the 2008-2009 school year. It is located on the Orcutt Junior High School's campus.
Also included in the city is Allan Hancock College, a two year community college 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 PCPA, one of the state's finest theatre programs. The Orcutt Union School District operates six elementary schools and two junior high schools: Lakeview Junior High School and Orcutt Junior High School. In August 2008, Orcutt Academy Charter School will open with two campuses; a K-8 grade school located in Casmalia and a high school in Old Orcutt.
Culture
Tri-Tip and Santa Maria Style BBQ
Santa Maria is perhaps most notable for an excellent variety of
barbecued meat. 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 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 complimenting a typical "Santa Maria Style" barbecue generally consist of
garlic bread,
pinquito beans, and a
salad.
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 the Santa Barbara Wine Country.
The often foggy and windswept Santa Maria Valley is the northern most 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.
"No viticultural region in America has demonstrated as much progress in quality and potential for greatness as... the Santa Barbara region, where the Burgundian varietals Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are planted in its cooler climates." - Robert Parker Jr., "Food & Wine".
The quality of Santa Maria Valley grapes is so widely recognized that the fruit is not just used in winemaking at wineries in the 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.
Some of the valley's notable table wineries include: Au Bon Climat, Foxen, Cambria, Byron, Rancho Sisquoc and Bien Nacido Vineyards.
Theatre
Santa Maria's
Allan Hancock College is the home of The
Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (
PCPA), a highly touted 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.
Film
The
Santa Maria Valley has long been a major filming location for
Hollywood. Some of the films shot in the valley include:
, (2007)
Voodoo Moon, (2007)
, (2006)
Sideways, (2004)
Hidalgo, (2003)
Rockets Red Glare, (2000)
Rocky & Bullwinkle, (1999)
Cowboy Up, (1998)
The Odd Couple II, (1997)
G.I. Jane, (1996)
Amelia Earhart, (1993)
Barton Fink, (1991)
LA Story, (1991)
The Rocketeer, (1991)
The Spirit of St. Louis, (1957)
The Ten Commandments, (1923)
Titus (tv sitcom), (2000)
Notable residents
Entertainment:
*Beverlee McKinsey, Soap Actress
*Jane Russell, Actress
*Aurora Snow, Actress
*Chuck Negron, Singer and founding member and of Three Dog Night
*Kim Miyori, Actress and former PCPA student
*Robin Williams, Actor and former PCPA student
*Zac Efron, Actor and former PCPA student
*Kathy Bates, Actress and former PCPA student
*Nino Del Pesco, Musician, Screenwriter
*Gary Coleman, Actor
Sports:
*Gunther Cunningham, former head football coach of the Kansas City Chiefs
*Doug Bernier, Major League Baseball second baseman for the Colorado Rockies
*Ozzie Smith, Hall of Fame Major League Baseball player
*John Madden, Hall of Fame NFL football coach / commentator
*Ken Zampese, NFL football coach
*Ernie Zampese, NFL football coach
*Robin Ventura, Major League Baseball player
*Jimy Williams, Major League Baseball manager
*Mark Brunell, NFL football player
*Bryn Smith, retired Major League Baseball pitcher. Pitched for Santa Maria High School and Allan Hancock College.
*Joe Cansteal, Gold medalist figure ice skater
*Carlos Diaz (pitcher), retired Major League Baseball pitcher.
*Marla Runyan, marathon runner
*Jim Lonborg, MLB player for the Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies.
*Quentin Sims, NIBL player for the Golden Dukes, drafted by the Boston Celtics
Auto Racing:
*Blaine Johnson late NHRA Top Fuel driver, killed in an on-track accident in 1996.
*Alan Johnson, Legendary NHRA crew chief, helped two drivers win eight championships from 1997-2007.
Politics:
*Abel Maldonado, Lieutenant Governor of California
Other:
*Owen W. Siler, 15th Commandant of the United States Coast Guard (1974–1978)
*Richard C. Perkins, Reality Show Contestant
*Inga Muscio, Author and Activist
*James Lamar McElhany, President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists from 1936 to 1950.
References
External links
City web site, also linking to Santa Maria Area Transit (SMAT)
Department of Finance Population Estimates
Category:Populated places established in 1874
Category:Cities in California
Category:Cities in Southern California
Category:Populated places in Santa Barbara County, California
