Lompoc Visitors Guide

Lompoc Valley Visitors Guide 5 T he Lompoc Valley is located on scenic Pacific Coast Highway (California Hwy 1) and Highway 246, 55 miles northwest of Santa Barbara, 155 miles northwest of Los Angeles and 270 miles southeast of San Francisco. Vandenberg Air Force Base is a mere ten miles northwest. Elevation is 88 Feet above mean sea level. Rolling hills surround the Valley in the north, south and east. The Pacific Ocean is only 9 miles west of downtown Lompoc. The Santa Ynez River (dry most of the year) runs east to west through the Valley while Burton Mesa, a chaparral forest with sandy soil, lies to the north. Climate: The Lompoc Valley enjoys a mild climate. Summers are usually highlighted by a morning ma- rine layer which usually clears by mid-day. Septem- ber through December features some of our best weather, while January through April may be breezy and cool with intermittent rains. A northwest ocean breeze (average hourly wind speed: 6 mph) kicks up almost every day in the afternoon. There is moder- ate rainfall and no snow. Local History: The first settlers in the Lompoc Valley were the Chumash Indians. Lompoc is a Chumash word meaning lagoon, and here’s a locals’ tip: it’s pronounced LOM-POKE The establishment of La Purisima Mission in 1787 marked the earliest European settlement of the Lompoc Valley. The re- stored mission is now a State Historic Park. The Lompoc Valley Land Company was formed and incorporated in August of 1874. The Company undertook the settlement of Lompoc Valley as a temperance colony and it was incorporated as a City on August 13, 1888. Early Lompoc was essentially agricultural, but the community economic and labor base grew and diversified. This was due in part to the establishment and growth of Camp Cooke Army Base, now Vandenberg Air Force Base. In the com- ing years, the community expects to continue to grow and diversify, while retaining the rich heritage and values characteristic of early Lompoc. Demographics: The Lompoc Valley offers af - fordable central coast living, with fabulous weather, numerous outdoor activities and a close-knit, small town atmosphere. Vandenberg Village, the Village Country Club, Mesa Oaks and Mission Hills are located just out- side the city limits, in the unincorporated area of Santa Barbara County. Vandenberg Air Force Base is located just ten miles northwest and is home to some of the major employers in the area. There is a diverse labor base in Lompoc, although agriculture, mining, oil development and aerospace are ma- jor categories in the area. The work force includes semi-skilled and professional employees in most disciplines. Public Schools: The Lompoc Unified School Dis - trict (LUSD) serves K-12 students living in the City of Lompoc, Vandenberg Village, Mesa Oaks, Mission Hills, Vandenberg Air Force Base, and rural areas adjacent to these communitites. LUSD offers an ex - emplary educational program for nearly 10,000 stu- dents and has specialists at all levels who provide support to bilingual children, children with disabili