Overview

Though Spanish explorers and missionaries visited California's Central Coast as far back as the 16th century, it wasn't until around 1870 that people began to settle the area along the banks of the Santa Maria River. In those days, the little pioneer community that had begun to flourish was known as Central City � city leaders changed the name to Santa Maria in 1865. For the first fifty or so years of existence, Santa Maria was a quiet farming community nestled between the rolling foothills of the Sierra Madres and the waters of the Pacific Ocean. In the 1920s, however, the fortunes of this sleepy corner of Santa Barbara County began to change with the arrival of the U.S. Military, who began training pilots at the new Santa Maria Airfield. During World War II, the Army opened Vandenberg Air Force Base, which would grow to become the region's largest employer. Today, Santa Maria's fortunes sail ever higher, and its friendly population enjoys a moderate cost of living and a flourishing business sector without dealing with the urban woes of California's larger cities. Indeed, within an hour's drive of the city, a traveler can visit the Santa Ynez Valley or Santa Maria Valley wine country, watching waves crash against the shore at Pismo Beach, or taking in views atop majestic Figueroa Mountain.

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