Nipomo, founded in 1882, is the southernmost community in San Luis Obispo County. Its name is derived from the Chumash Indian word "Nepomah", meaning "the foot of the hills".

THEN . . .
The Chumash Indians had lived in this area for over 9,000 years, unknown to the Europeans until the coming of the Spanish in the 1700’s. Rancho Nipomo, consisting of 38,000 acres, was granted in 1837 to William G. Dana, a Boston sea captain. (His cousin, Richard Henry Dana, wrote "Two Years Before the Mast", an account of the harsh treatment of sailors). The founder of present day Nipomo, Captain William Goodwin Dana, was born in the eastern U.S. and led an adventurous life on the high seas in his youth. His travels led him to California where he married Maria Josefa Carrillo, the daughter of a leading early California family. Casa de Dana, the 13-room adobe home that Dana and the mission Indians built in 1839, still stands on South Oakglen Avenue (east of U.S. 101, near Story Avenue). The adobe is currently being restored and is available for tours on Sundays.

Rancho Nipomo and Casa de Dana, located in the center of the California coast, for many years served as an important stop for those traveling on El Camino Real, "The King’s Highway", between Missions San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara. Captain Dana built an immense adobe home for his wife and their 13 children. Dana raised stock, farmed, engaged in trade, and made soap and furniture. He was well known as a generous host who gave lavish fiestas -- sometimes lasting a week -- which included food, wine, music, dance, bullfights, cockfights and horse races. The Adobe was a popular place and later became a stop on the pony express route.

Dana demonstrated his hospitality, up to a point. When Captain John C. Fremont and 430 soldiers stopped at the rancho on their way south to Los Angeles in 1846, Dana ordered 40 head of cattle slaughtered for a barbecue and complied with Fremont’s request for 30 fresh horses. When the soldiers left, Freemont also took three of the Dana family’s favorite steeds. That evening, several of Dana’s men visited Fremont’s camp, reclaiming the three steeds -- and the thirty horses!

In 1882 two of Captain Dana’s sons gave Pacific Coast Railway the right to cross their land, and donated land for a depot, warehouse, and loading platform. The Danas later held a lot auction with more than 1,000 people bidding. The town grew rapidly. In 1888 a serious fire burned most of the downtown businesses and reduced Nipomo’s commercial area significantly. In spite of this setback, Nipomo continued to grow and some of the original buildings may be seen today.

NOW . . .

Nipomo continues as an agricultural area with a variety of crops raised in its rich alluvial soil, washed down from the Nipomo foothills at the eastern edge of town. When driving through the town of 12,000, (estimates go as high as 22,000 when encompassing outlying areas), located on either side of U.S. 101, visitors see a host of citrus orchards, vegetable farms and commercial nurseries. Eucalyptus trees cover the mesa area of Nipomo, where Black Lake Golf Course is located. Thousands of the blue gum eucalyptuses were planted as seedlings on the mesa in 1908 by two men from Pasadena, who formed Los Berros Forest Company with the idea of selling the trees as hardwood. Fortunately for the area’s scenic beauty today, the mature eucalyptus did not yield good timber.

The past few years have seen the new homes increase and many new developments are being built. Many are on 5 acre plots, some on one or one and 1/2 acre lots, and some with smaller residential size lots, so there is something for everyone.

Located ¾ of a mile west of U.S. 101 (on West Tefft Street at Pomeroy Road) is Nipomo Regional Park. This 132-acre park, shaded with eucalyptus, oak and pine trees, contains facilities for a number of activities tennis, handball, softball, baseball, football, volleyball and horseshoes. Picnic tables and barbecues are located throughout the park, and a natural area features a ring and trails for equestrians. A playground on the south side provides a good stopping place for travelers with children. There is also a new fenced in area for a dog park where pets can run free off their leash while their owners play with them or visit.

The Woodlands Project along Highway 1 on the Nipomo Mesa will consist of 1300 housing units combined with retail, restaurants, a business park, a resort hotel, parks and open space and 27 holes of golf (18 are currently open).

Nipomo Town Square north of W. Tefft St. and west of Mary Ave. will include restaurants, retail, housing, office space and an assisted care facility.

Flately Homes is planning a mixed use development on the south side of west Tefft St. just north of Tefft Center. The plans are for 19 live-work units and 3 commercial buildings.

The Village at Nipomo south of W. Tefft St. along Mary Ave. will include 38,000 sq.ft. of commercial space in five buildings with an included extension of Mary Ave. to Hill St.

Nipomo Commons is planned for 50 residential units, retail and office space at the intersection of S. Frontage Road and Hill St.

King Ventures has a planned project on S. Frontage Road south of Hill St. that will include residential, commercial and restaurants.

Lucia Mar Unified School District will open Dorothea Lang Elementary School in Nipomo for the fall 2006-2007 school year.

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