Loading map...

1982 Map of Santa Maria

Name: 1982 Topographic Map of Santa Maria
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1983
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1983

About this map

Santa Maria serves as the primary hub of this Central Coast landscape in the early 1980s, where the agricultural wealth of the valley meets the expanding industrial presence of Vandenberg Air Force Base. The map documents a corridor of Spanish colonial heritage, anchoring the region with Mission La Purisima Concepcion near Lompoc and Mission Santa Ines in the south. The Southern Pacific Railroad traces the rugged coastline, connecting remote stations like Sudden and Honda to the larger inland settlements.

Upland from the fertile basins, the Solomon Hills and Purisima Hills separate the valleys, leading into the dense terrain of Los Padres National Forest. Small communities and defunct industrial points like Betteravia highlight the transition from sugar beet processing to a more diverse economy. This survey captures the region just as modern suburban growth began to surround the historical College Rancho and the traditional ranching lands of Los Alamos.