ROOTED HERE
Behind the downtown streets.
A whole city’s story.
Santa Maria's markets, barbecue tradition and valley neighborhoods reflect the working heart of northern Santa Barbara County.
People made the city.
These milestones are an introduction, not a complete local history. Follow the linked city and museum sources to explore the people and places behind them.Read the local historical account.
Watch the city’s history
FROM THE ARCHIVES
The history of Santa Maria, California
A local history film shared by World History Official tv.
Watch on YouTube ↗- 1769
The Portolá expedition
The Portolá expedition crossed the Santa Maria Valley during Spain's first land exploration of coastal California.
Santa Maria city reference ↗ - 1875
The townsite is recorded
Settlers recorded the new townsite with Santa Barbara County.
Santa Maria city reference ↗ - 1885
The Santa Maria name
The community adopted the Santa Maria name to avoid mail confusion with Central City, Colorado.
Santa Maria city reference ↗ - 1902
Orcutt Oil Field
Union Oil's discovery of the Orcutt Oil Field began a major era of petroleum development in the valley.
Santa Maria city reference ↗ - 1905
City incorporation
Santa Maria incorporated as a California city.
Santa Maria city reference ↗
See the history for yourself.
Walk downtown to see surviving commercial architecture, then explore the Historical Preservation Society’s museum and visiting information. Check current opening dates before setting out. Historical Preservation Society.
For deeper research, the Santa Maria library resources is a starting point for archival material and research help. Historic photographs have their own permissions; we link to the collection instead of treating every old image as free to reuse.
Selected milestones researched September 13, 2026. This is an introduction, not a complete account of the city’s history.