5.8 HISTORIC RESOURCES - Long Range Planning Division

5.8 HISTORIC RESOURCES 

5.8-1 

Orcutt Community Plan EIR 

5.8 Historic Resources 

The following information has been taken from Sally L. Simon's From Boom Town to Bedroom 

Community: A History of Orcutt, California, 1904-1982, prepared for Santa Barbara County Resource 

Management Department in 1982. 

5.8.1 EXISTING CONDITIONS 

A. REGIONAL & OPA SETTING 

Historic Overview: The written historic period for the Santa Maria Valley can be divided into three main 

periods: the Spanish Legacy (1769-1821), the Mexican Period (1821-1848), and the American Period 

(1848-present). Land grants first appeared near present day Orcutt after the end of the Mexican War in 

1821. Three large Ranchos (ranches) were created and deeded by Mexican governors between 1839 and 

1844: Ranchos Los Alamos, southeast of Orcutt, Todos Santos y San Antonio, southwest of Orcutt, and 

Punta de la Laguna, west of Orcutt. 

Rancho Los Alamos was granted to Jose Antonio de la Guerra y Carrillo in 1839. The 48,000 acre ranch 

was initially used for cattle grazing. Parts of it were leased or sold around the turn of the century when oil 

deposits were discovered. 

Todos Santos y San Antonio was originally granted to Salvador Osio sometime between 1839 and 1841, but 

regranted to W. E. P. Hartnell in 1841 in recognition for his part in mediating disputes over the Mexican 

government's secularization of the Missions. The Hartnell ranch was home to the first settlement in the 

Santa Maria Valley, called La Graciosa, which was settled around 1868. No physical evidence of the 

townsite has been found, but it is believed to have been located about one mile south of Orcutt near 

Graciosa Road. After Hartnell died in 1854, parts of the ranch had to be mortgaged or transferred to new 

owners. Henry Mayo Newhall, who acquired the land on which La Graciosa was built, ordered it 

dismantled and the buildings moved in 1877. The Graciosa School was moved a mile north to the corner 

of Marcum and Clark, in Old Town Orcutt. 

Punta de la Laguna, a 26,000 acre ranch located adjacent to the northern boundary of Rancho Todos Santos 

y San Antonio was granted to Luis Arellanes and Emidio Ortega in 1844. It was used to graze cattle as well 

as to grow grains, beans, and sugar beets. Today, the land is used for grazing and the production of lettuce, 

broccoli, celery, cauliflower, and artichokes. 

Starting in 1848, the California economy and prevalence in the area gradually declined due to several 

factors: the influx of gold rush immigrants, American acquisition of California from the Treaty of 

Guadalupe-Hidalgo, and the Lands Act of 1851, which required verification of all Spanish-Mexican claims 

by the U. S. government. As a result, resentment towards Americans was great within the Californio 

(Mexican resident) population. A local Californio, Solomon Pico, cousin to Pio Pico, the last Mexican 

governor of California, became an outlaw to avenge his countrymen. He stole from stagecoaches going 

through the Santa Maria Valley on their way to San Luis Obispo and hid out in what would be named the 

Solomon Hills, where he is believed to have buried his gold. The Pico family believes that Solomon has 

been immortalized in fiction and movies as the hero Zorro.




Orcutt's Beginning: The economic focus of the Orcutt area soon made a major turn from farming to 

petroleum development. An important contributor to this shift was William Warren Orcutt, a civil and 

hydraulic engineer who was hired as a geologist for Union Oil in 1898. Orcutt became known as the 

"father of modern oil geology," as he is said to be the first person to apply the science of geology to 

petroleum development. His studies led to the discovery of large petroleum deposits throughout the North 

County region. 

The first commercial oil discovery in Orcutt was made by Western Union Oil Company south of Graciosa 

Ridge in 1900, followed by a discovery on the north side three years later. By the end of 1903, there were 

twenty-two oil wells in the Solomon Hills, producing about 8,000 barrels of oil per day. Oil activity in this 

region became so great that Orcutt selected and planned a townsite in 1904 to serve as a business center for 

the burgeoning oil industry. The town was named after Orcutt by E.W. Clark. It soon became the trading 

and supply center for the North County's Oil District, at which time included Lompoc, Bricknell, Casmalia, 

and Orcutt. 

Orcutt's heyday began in 1904 with "Old Maud," one of the biggest oil wells that anyone had ever seen. 

Old Maud produced 12,000 barrels of oil per day, and over one million gallons in the first 100 days. In 

1905 the area around the small town of Orcutt was being developed with residential and commercial units 

by the Twitchell, Marcum, and Gray families to accommodate the increase in population as people flooded 

into the area searching for work in the oil fields. By 1906 Orcutt was the largest trading center in the north 

county, surpassing Santa Maria. Between 1906 and 1920, Orcutt's oil production rose from 95,000 barrels 

to 3,742,249 barrels annually, fed by demand created by U. S. involvement in World War I. Many of the 

structures built during this period still exist today in Old Town Orcutt. 

Starting in the early 1920s, Orcutt began to develop its public electrical and sanitation services. However, 

during this period, productivity began to decline as a result of several factors. The end of World War I 

reduced the demand for food and thus farmers working to produce it. Union Oil adopted new changes in 

its operation, reducing its work force and causing many families to relocate. Route #2 (now Highway 101) 

was moved east of town, completely bypassing Orcutt, and there were several destructive fires that plagued 

the town. These hardships during the 1920s and 1930s caused the center of trade to move north to Santa 

Maria. 

The town of Orcutt held on through the Great Depression and exploded again in the early forties during 

World War II. The oil industry was temporarily stimulated by the war effort, and in the late fifties with the 

building of Camp Cooke, a U. S. military base, many people moved to the area and the economy began to 

boom again. In 1956, Camp Cooke was chosen to become a new missile training center. It was renamed 

Vandenberg Air Force Base in 1958. The construction of the Base thrust northern Santa Barbara County 

into a new era. Many of the Base's families could not be taken in by the town of Lompoc and spread out to 

other nearby towns, especially Orcutt. Many subdivision projects had already begun to meet the needs of 

the Base population during the 1950s and 60s. The population grew from 3000 in 1950 to 19,477 in 1970, 

concentrated in the Orcutt Wye area (a four square-mile area east of the airport).

B. EXISTING CONDITIONS BY SUB-AREA 




Orcutt's rich and varied history has left behind numerous sites and structures that have historical 

significance. The historical structures on developed parcels within Old Town Orcutt are described below 

and shown in Figure 5.8-1. Historical structures and artifacts on Key Sites are described specifically 

within the Key Sites Section of this EIR (Vol. II). This information is summarized below for each subarea. 

Central Urban Core (Old Town): Many of Old Town Orcutt's historic structures like the Graciosa School, 

the Orcutt School, the Orcutt Mercantile, and the Union Oil Worker's Building were destroyed by fire or 

torn down to build modern replacement buildings. The "Whiskey Row" buildings, on the north side of the 

100 block of Clark Avenue, were rebuilt with similar western-style false fronts after a fire consumed them 

(Figure 5.8-1). Elmer's Bar has occupied a space on this block since 1936. Significant historic structures 

still remaining in their original townsite locations as shown in Table 5.8-1. 

Of these structures, two stand out as particularly significant buildings reflecting the character of the era: 

O The James L. Forbes house, located on the northwest corner of Pinal Avenue and Pacific 

Street, was built in 1906. The two-story, white-walled house is well-kept and considered 

the most notable and impressive privately-built residence in Orcutt. 

O The Orcutt Hotel (now called the Orcutt Trading Center), located on the northwest block of 

Clark and Broadway, was built around 1922. Long-time residents maintain that Stephen dal 

Porta (the original owner), an alleged Santa Cruz bootlegger, built the hotel as an outlet for 

his whiskey during Prohibition. 

In addition, three houses built by Standard Oil Company are located at 4715, 4735, and 4755 South 

Blosser, north of Key Site 19 and west of Key Site 20. Key Site 13 has a historic ranch house located on 

Rice Ranch Road, that was moved to this site from its original location. There are many other buildings in 

Old Town that appear to date to the same period (1900 to 1930). Further research should be conducted to 

determine these structures' ages and possible significance. 

Central Urban Core (Key Sites): Of the Key Sites within the Central Urban Core, historic resources were 

found only on Key Site 17. No historic archaeological resources were found on Key Sites 18, 20, 23, 28, 

29 and 30. Important cultural resources could be present on the ten unsurveyed parcels (9, 24, 25, 26, 27, 

31, 32, 34, G, H). 

South Orcutt: The town of La Graciosa was established in 1868 and was located somewhere in the 

Solomon Hills. The townsite has yet to be relocated, but several historical archaeological sites have been 

discovered in the southern portion of the Orcutt Planning Area. The Solomon Hills contain Hartnell Well 

No. 1 (Old Maud), located on Union Oil Company property southwest of Key Site 12 east of Graciosa 

Road.

Figure 5.8-1 



5.8 Historic Resources

TABLE 5.8-1: OLD TOWN HISTORIC BUILDINGS 




APN LOCATION HISTORIC USE/NEW USE YEAR 

BUILT 

105-094-006 NW Union & Pacific Orcutt Church/Heritage House Antiques 1907 

105-131-001 SW Pinal & Pacific Boiler Works Building/ Little People 

Preschool 

1910 

105-071-013 NW Clark & Broadway Bank Building/ABC Realty 1920 

105-093-015 SW Union & First Union Oil Co. Hospital/Trophy Building




remnants of turn-of-the-century residential occupations associated with oil exploration. Key Site 14 has 

two historic sites: SBa 1970H and 2122/H. Key Sites 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, A, B, & F which were surveyed 

previously and Key Sites 1, 2, 10, and 11 which were surveyed in 1995, do not contain above ground 

cultural resources, and are unlikely to contain such resources below the ground surface. 

West Orcutt: Key Site 21 contains historic site SBa 1169H, which is the remains of a late 19 th or early 20 th 

century occupation and SBA 596/H which is a mixed historic and prehistoric site. Other sites may also 

occur on Site 21, as only a portion of the site has been surveyed. There is one recorded historic site west of 

Key Site 21. Key Site 22 contains 8 historic archaeological sites and 10 isolated artifacts. Portions of Key 

Sites 19, D, and E were surveyed prior to 1995 and no cultural resources were found. Key Sites 13, 15, and 

16 have not been surveyed and may contain cultural resources, as could Key Site D. 

East of Highway 101: No historic archaeological sites have been located east of Highway 101, but the 

area has not been surveyed. Existing historic structures are limited to the following: The Newlove 

Mansion, Pleasant Valley Schoolhouse, and Paulding House, which were built in the early 1900s, are now 

located east of Highway 101 at Santa Maria Way. They were moved from their original locations in Old 

Town Orcutt to save them from demolition. The owner, Dr. Roger Ikola, has proposed to create a historical 

park out of these three and other historical structures. 

5.8.2 THRESHOLDS OF SIGNIFICANCE 

As found in the County of Santa Barbara Historic Element, a significant resource a) possesses integrity of 

location, design, workmanship, material, and/or setting; b) is at least fifty years old; and c) demonstrates 

one or more of the following: association with historic events, architecture, construction, traditional 

lifeways, historic themes, or conveyance of a time and place. 

Potentially significant impacts on historic resources are considered to be present when the historic character 

and integrity of a resource may be diminished as a result of development policies included in this plan. The 

historic character and integrity of a resource is considered to be inclusive of all visual qualities that 

establish its links to historic associations, including architectural style and the historic uses of land, 

structures, and setting. On a parcel-specific basis, potentially significant environmental impacts are 

considered to be present when the proposed policies and land use designations: 

a) represent a change from a historic use of a structure or property, 

b) encourage an increase in development densities, or 

c) permit alterations to the historic character of land uses or structures.

5.8.3 IMPACT ANALYSIS 

Methodology 




The historic information for this document was acquired from two documents prepared by the Orcutt 

Historical Society (Nelson 1987 & Simon 1990). The County conducted a record search at the Information 

Center at UCSB in 1995, and historic records and maps housed at the UCSB Library Maps and Imagery 

Laboratory were examined. A professional archaeological (historic and prehistoric) field survey was 

conducted by ISERA Group for the County in 1995. The field survey was conducted by traversing the 

developable areas of certain Key Sites at 15 meter transects and recording and mapping information about 

resources that were found. The results of this survey are summarized below. Specific information 

regarding historical sites has been intentionally left out of this EIR in order to protect the resources from 

pilferage and vandalism. The technical report (ISERA Group, 1995) is on file at the County and at UCSB 

and is not available to the general public. 

A.Project Impacts 

Impact HIST-1: Construction of structures, roads, paths and trails, utility lines, and parks on historic sites 

could result in destruction of historic resources which is potentially significant. 

Impact HIST-2: Development in the Solomon Hills where Old Maud and the Newlove Schoolhouse still 

stand, and where the remains of former residences lay scattered, could have a potentially significant impact 

on their integrity by removing them from their historical context or significantly altering their surroundings. 

Impact HIST-3: Removal of historically significant and prominent structures in the Old Town would 

remove the last remaining historical structures that mark the beginning of this community and is a 

potentially significant impact. 

Impact HIST-4: The construction of homes and other structures that are not consistent with the density 

and style of the remaining historic structures could have a potentially significant impact the historic 

character of the Old Town. 

B.Policy Impacts 

The proposed Community Plan does not contain any policies applicable to the protection of historical 

resources. 

5.8.4 MITIGATION MEASURES 

The following mitigation measures shall be applied to public and private development projects pursuant to 

the Santa Barbara County historical guidelines, the State Office of Historic Preservation. All mitigation 

measures shall be funded by the developer, and imposed prior to the issuance of a development permit. 

Site-specific mitigation measures are stated in the Key Sites Section (Volume II) for Key Sites where more 

specific measures are required. These mitigation measures require avoidance of impacts. However, where




avoidance is not feasible, alternate measures may be available which could mitigate the impact to 

insignificant levels, eg: Phase II evaluation, capping the site, etc. 

A. Mitigation Measures 

Mitigations ARCH-1 and ARCH-2 shall apply. (Addresses Impact HIST-1) 

Mitigations ARCH-3, -4, -6, -7, -8 and -10 shall apply to all development where historic sites are located 

if avoidance is not feasible. (Addresses Impact HIST-1) 

Mitigation HIST-1: Any significant impact to historic resources in the rural area that cannot be feasibly 

mitigated onsite should be mitigated by providing improvements to the character and integrity of Old 

Town. (Addresses Impact HIST-1) 

Mitigation HIST-2: The Open Space Overlay (Figure 2-14) shall be applied in a manner that preserves 

the historical context of the Solomon Hills to the greatest extent feasible. (Addresses Impact HIST-2) 

Mitigation KS12-ARCH-2 shall be applied to Key Site 12. (Addresses Impact HIST-2) 

Impacts HIST-3, HIST-4 and HIST-5: 

Mitigation HIST-3: In cooperation with private citizens, the County shall establish a Historic District in 

Old Town Orcutt with the intent of protecting, restoring the community's most valuable historic homes 

through a combination of incentives and regulations, and maintaining and enhancing the overall historic 

character of the old town. The boundaries of this district should be North Avenue, Gray Street, Clark 

Avenue, Highway 135, Pinal Avenue, Dyer Street, Rice Ranch Road, and Marcum Street (Figure 5.8-1). 

(Addresses Impacts HIST-3, -4, and -5). 

Mitigation HIST-4: As funding becomes available, the County should adopt an ordinance or modify 

Section 35-243.1 of Article III of the County Zoning Ordinance in order to prevent demolition of 

historically significant structures by neglect, and avoid demolition without examining alternative methods 

for preserving the structure such as finding another location. The ordinance should require, prior to 

issuance of a Land Use or Building Permit to demolish or modify the structure, the applicant shall be 

required to prepare a Phase I historical architectural building evaluation for all structures over 50 years 

old(Addresses Impacts HIST-3, -4, and -5). 

5.8.5 RESIDUAL IMPACTS 

Implementation of the mitigation measures will reduce the impact to historic sites and structures to Less 

than Significant (Class II).

5.8 HISTORIC RESOURCES - Long Range Planning Division

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