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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

Vandenberg Air Force Base occupies a massive stretch of the coastline, shaping the geography of this part of Santa Barbara County. The map details the transition from the specialized military and aerospace installations on the Burton Mesa to the agricultural and urban centers of Santa Maria and Lompoc. Historic land use is evident in the sprawling ranch lands and the presence of the La Purisima Mission State Historical Mon, which anchors the valley's colonial history near the Santa Ynez River.

Transportation and industry are defined by the Southern Pacific railroad lines and the Pacific Coast Hwy, which link the coastal terraces to inland settlements like Guadalupe, Orcutt, and Solvang. The terrain moves from the Pacific Ocean through the Casmalia Hills and into the high ridges of the San Rafael Mountains, illustrating the diverse topography that supported both the mid-century oil industry and the traditional cattle and farming heritage of the Santa Maria River valley.