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Points of Interest Interesting Facts • "Nipomo is on a scenic stretch of US 101" - AAA Tourbook • It is located in an area designated by the "Places Rated Almanac" as having the best climate in the nation, with a perfect score of 100. • Commercial nurseries deliver cut flowers to florists around the world. Other agriculture includes citrus farms, strawberry and vegetable fields, vineyards, and cattle ranches. • It is famous for its fine restaurants, including Santa Maria style steakhouse, Jocko's Restaurant, and Antonio's Ristorante with Greek specialties • The circa 1886 Barber Shop, complete with hitching post in front, is still open for business. • The Kaleidoscope Inn (130 E. Dana), a Bed and Beakfast Inn, was also originally built (as a residence) in 1886. • The Olde Towne Nipomo Association works to create a quaint village of shops and eateries in the original center of town. It has accomplished infrastructure improvements and the installation of old-fashioned street lights so far. • The Cypress Ridge golf course was rated 4 1/2 stars by Golf Digest (only Pebble Beach rates higher in California). There are two other 27-hole golf resorts, Blacklake and Monarch Dunes. • Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Preserve is part of the 18-mile stretch of coastal dunes. The dunes complex has been designated as part of a National Natural Landmark (NNL) by the Department of Interior (National Park Service). • The Dana Adobe is a California State Historic Landmark and is currently being restored by the Dana Adobe Nipomo Amigos (DANA). • A majority of the population of Nipomo is located on the Nipomo Mesa. Youth Organizations American Youth Soccer Association 929-6181 Boy Scouts of America (Boys 10.5 - 18 yrs.) San Luis Obispo Co. Office 461-4018 Santa Barbara County Office 925-1955 Nipomo Troop 450 343-1911 Nipomo Troop 405 929-5124 Venture Crew 4 (boys 14-21 yrs.) 929-5223 Camp Fire Boys & Girls 489-7345 Confident Kids 614-2824 Girl Scouts of America (Girls grades 1st - 12th) 541-8336 4-H Clubs (Youth ages 9 - 18 yrs.) Nipomo 4H 929-3210 Adobe 4H 929-8061 County Line 4H 925-1420 Nipomo-Foothill 4H 929-5397 Lifebound Leadership 929-1865 Nipomo Little League (Youth ages 6 - 12 yrs.) 929-4624 Nipomo Youth Football (Youth ages 8 - 14 yrs.) 929-5948 Nipomo Youth Basketball League 929-5437 Rancho de Los Animales 489-4751 Nipomo Youth Coalition/Healthy Start 473-5560 Nipomo Recreation Center 929-5437 Adult Organizations Assistance League of San Luis Obispo County 438-5896 Black Lake Gyro Men’s Club 343-6256 Citizens for a Vehicle-Free Nipomo Dunes 929-3647 Dana Adobe Nipomo Amigos (DANA) 929-5679 Friends of the Nipomo Library 929-3888 Kiwanis Club of Greater Nipomo 343-6256 Nipomo Area Senior Citizens Club 929-1615 Nipomo Dunes 929-3647 Nipomo High School Boosters 474-3300 Nipomo Men’s Club 929-4338 Nipomo Native Garden 929-6710 Nipomo Newcomers Club 343-6256 Nipomo Senior Nutrition 929-1066 Nipomo Women’s Club 929-5166 Olde Towne Nipomo Association 929-2352 Rotary Club of Nipomo 929-4588 Salvation Army 929-1380 Save the Mesa 489-8384 Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10978 929-4875 VFW Ladies Auxiliary Post 10978 929-3345 Schools Elementary • Nipomo Elementary (K-6) 190 E Price, Nipomo. Attended primarily by students living east of US 101. • Dana Elementary (K-6) 920 W. Tefft St., Nipomo. For students west of US 101 living nearby. • Dorothea Lange Elementary (K-6) 1661 Via Alta Mesa, Nipomo. Attended by other Nipomo area students living west of US 101. Middle School • Mesa Middle School (7th-8th) 2555 Halcyon Road, Arroyo Grande. Located within original Rancho Nipomo boundaries. Stresses character education, and competes in basketball, volleyball, wrestling, track, and soccer. Also known for drama and music programs. High School • Nipomo High School (9th-12th) 525 N. Thompson Road, Nipomo. It was opened in 2002. Before that students attended Arroyo Grande High School. NHS has become known for high scholastic standards, outstanding drama and musical productions, strong girl's volleyball and boy's wrestling teams, golf and swim teams, and its agriculture dept. The enthusiastic boosters organization promotes both academics and athletics simultaneously. The community has created scholarships for college-bound graduates. Colleges and Universities • Allan Hancock Community College, Santa Maria • Cuesta Community College, San Luis Obispo • California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) School District • Lucia Mar Unified School District Church Services
History • The original settlers of Nipomo were the Chumash Indians, who have lived in this area for over 9,000 years. • The founder of present day Nipomo, William G. Dana of Boston, was a sea captain. Dana's travels led him to California where he married Maria Josefa Carrillo of Santa Barbara. • Rancho Nipomo (the Indian word ne-po-mah meant "foot of the hill") was one of the first and largest of the Mexican land grants in San Luis Obispo County. In 1837, the 38,000-acre Rancho Nipomo was granted to Captain Dana by the Mexican Governor. • The Dana Adobe, which was started in 1839 by Captain Dana, served as an important stop for travelers on El Camino Real, "The Kings' Highway," between missions San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara. It was the exchange point for mail going between north and south in the first regular mail route in California, and a stage coach stop. <http://www.danaadobe.org> • The Danas had children, of which 13 reached adulthood. They learned both English and Spanish, as well as the language of the Chumash natives. The Danas celebrated fiestas that brought people together. • U.S. Army Captain John C. Fremont and his soldiers stopped at the rancho on their way south to Santa Barbara and Los Angeles in 1846. Captain Dana hosted a barbecue and gave Fremont’s men 30 fresh horses. • By the 1880s the Dana descendants had built homes on the rancho and formed a town. Streets were laid out and lots were sold to the general public. • The Pacific Coast Railroad (narrow gauge) came to town in 1882. Trains stopped running through Nipomo in the depression of the 1930's. By the end of 1942, the tracks were removed for the war effort. • Thousands of Blue Gum Eucalyptuses were planted on the Nipomo Mesa in 1908 by two men who formed the Los Berros Forest Company with the idea of selling the trees as hardwood. • Nipomo is the location of one of the most famous photographs of the American Depression, "Migrant Mother" [1], taken by Dorothea Lange. • Thompson Road was originally US highway 101, on which Dorothea Lange no doubt traveled. The current US 101 freeway was constructed in the late 1950's. Restaurants
Lodging Kaleidoscope Inn & Gardens - 1-866-504-5444, (805) 929-5444 130 E. Dana St., Nipomo email: info@kaleidoscopeinn.com Web: http://www.kaleidoscopeinn.com/ Best Western Big America - 922-5200, (fax) 922-9865 Hotel and Suites 1725 N. Broadway, Santa Maria e-mail: welcome@bigamerica.com Website: http://www.bigamerica.com/ Edgewater Inn and Suites 773-4811 280 Wadsworth, Pismo Beach Useful Numbers 800-743-5000 Pacific Gas & Electric www.pge.com 800-427-2200 So. Cal Gas Company www.socalgas.com 800-483-4000 Verizon Telephone www.verizon.com 805-811-7070 Pacific Bell Telephone Public.pacbell.net 805-481-8432 Woodland Park Water 805-544-2688 Charter Cable www.charter.net/ 800-531-5000 Direct TV www.directtv.com 800-200-0711 Dish Network www.dishnetwork.com 800-310-2355 AT&T www.att.com/gen/landing-pages?pid=3308 800-777-0133 DMV 805-489-3534 Nipomo Trash 805- 929-1133 Nipomo Community Services District, Sewer, Water www.ncsd.ca.gov 800-275-8777 Nipomo Post Office 805-929-1583 Nipomo Chamber of Commerce www.nipomochamber.org/ |
