SANTA MARIA

The winter of 1769 found the Portola Party journeying through the area of present day Santa Maria in pursuit of the elusive Monterey Bay. Eventually, sites were chosen to the north and southwest of Santa Maria for the fifth and eleventh missions in the chain. San Luis Obispo and La Purisima Concepcion, founded in 1772 and 1787, were the impetus for the beginnings of settlement and development in the Santa Maria area. The Mission padres did their work well, and the Missions flourished; however, in 1821 Spain !granted Mexico independence and soon after the Missions were secularized. Their lands were broken up, and individual citizens were granted land ownership for the first time... During the Golden Anniversary celebration of the Incorporation of the City of Santa Maria, the Santa Maria Valley Historical society was organized, chartered, and incorporated on September 7, 1955 as a non-profit organization. At present, it has a membership of about 500 persons. The original chartered..

Primary location: Santa Maria United States