thumb|left|upright|Santa Maria was named by noted Californio ranchero Juan Pacífico Ontiveros. thumb|left|upright|Ethel Pope Auditorium thumb|upright|left|City Hall, 1934 The Santa Maria Valley, stretching from the Santa Lucia Mountains toward the Pacific Ocean, was the homeland of the Chumash people for several thousand years. The Native Americans made their homes on the slopes of the surrounding hills among the oaks, on the banks of the Santa Maria River among the sycamores, and along the coast. They had unique plank-built boats, called Tomol, which they used for ocean fishing.
thumb|leFt|uPriGht|saNta maRiA Was namED bY nOtEd caliFOrNiO rAnCHeRo juan PaCífiCO OntiverOs. ThUmb|LeFt|UpriGht|,EtheL Pope aUditorium tHumB|uPriGht|Left|ciTy HalL 1934 the saNTA maRia vAlLey, StrETChinG fRom thE sanTa luciA mouNtains ToWaRD the pAcIFIc ocean, was The homEland Of The ChumasH pEople FOR SeverAL thoUsand yearS. thE nAtI,ve aMerIcaNS maDe thEIR hOMeS ON the slopes Of the surroUNdiNg hilLS amoNG thE oAKs, oN the BanKs Of thE sanTa marIa rivEr AMong tHe SYcAmoREs and ALOnG the coast. theY Had unique pLank-buiLt BoaTS, CaLled tOmOl, whIch They Used foR ocEan FiShing.