Lompoc, California
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Lompoc (pronounced Lom' poke) is a city located in Santa Barbara County, California. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 41,103.
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History
Prior to the Spanish conquest, the area was inhabited by the Chumash tribe. Mission La Purisma Concepcion was established in 1787, near what is now the center of the city of Lompoc. After an earthquake in 1812, the mission was relocated to its present location 3 kilometers northeast of the present city. In 1821, Mexico became independent from Spain, and subsequently secularized the California missions in 1833. Mission La Purisma gradually fell into ruins. The Mexican government granted the land around Lompoc to various settlers via land patents known as 'ranchos'.
The United States gained control of California in the Mexican-American War, 1846-1848. In 1874, Lompoc was established as a temperance colony. The present city was incorporated in 1888. The coastal branch of the Southern Pacific Railroad replaced ship transportation around 1900. A paved road linked Lompoc to Buellton, and the rest of California, around 1920. In 1923, the largest peacetime naval loss of ships occured, just off the coast: the Honda Point Disaster. During the Great Depression, Mission La Purisma Concepcion was restored by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). During World War II, the coast west of Lompoc was the site of Camp Cooke, a U.S. Army training camp where large units could practice maneuvers.
Lompoc grew slowly until 1958, when the U.S. Air Force announced that the former Camp Cooke would be a test site for the Thor intermediate-range ballistic missile, and the first operational base for the Atlas intercontinental-range ballistic missile. Lompoc then began to grow rapidly to provide housing for thousands of civilian and contractor workers employed at what was soon named Vandenberg Air Force Base.
Geography
Lompoc is located at 34°38'46" North, 120°27'37" West (34.646182, -120.460316)Template:GR. Most of the city is in the valley of the Santa Ynez River at an elevation of about 80-100 feet (25-30 meters); recent expansion has been to the north, on higher ground known as Burton Mesa, with elevations of 150-300 feet (50-100 meters). Like most rivers in Southern California, the Santa Ynez River does not have a surface flow for most of the year. Underground flow in the sandy river bed recharges the aquifer beneath the city, from which wells supply the city with water. Unlike most California cities, Lompoc is not connected to the State Water Project.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 30.1 km² (11.6 mi²). 30.1 km² (11.6 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 41,103 people, 13,059 households, and 9,311 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,363.4/km² (3,532.2/mi²). There are 13,621 housing units at an average density of 451.8/km² (1,170.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 65.81% White, 7.34% African American, 1.58% Native American, 3.90% Asian, 0.32% Pacific Islander, 15.68% from other races, and 5.35% from two or more races. 37.31% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 13,059 households out of which 41.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% are married couples living together, 14.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 28.7% are non-families. 23.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.88 and the average family size is 3.42.
In the city the population is spread out with 29.9% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 113.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 116.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $37,587, and the median income for a family is $42,199. Males have a median income of $35,074 versus $26,824 for females. The per capita income for the city is $15,509. 15.4% of the population and 12.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 20.8% of those under the age of 18 and 6.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Local Economy
Vandenberg Air Force Base dominates the economy, directly employing a large percentage of Lompoc's residents. Other mainstays of the economy include the federal prison complex, a diatomaceous earth mine, and agriculture (especially seed flowers and vegetables). Since the end of the Cold War, many workers employed in Santa Barbara have moved to Lompoc to take advantage of lower housing costs, effectively making Lompoc a 'suburb' of Santa Barbara. But in doing so, the city has lost much of its small town appeal and is encountering the common woes of communities which have grown too much, too fast. Traffic and crime are worsening, and the once-beautiful hills which flank the city are becoming covered with overpriced houses.