Lompoc Valley Historical Society

Lompoc Valley Historical Society Located in the Lompoc Valley, the Lompoc Valley Historical Society was founded September 5, 1964 as a Reference room open Monday and Thursday 9am to 11 am.

On Halloween—October 31, 1959—then-Senator John F. Kennedy visited Lompoc as part of an unofficial, early swing through ...
08/31/2026

On Halloween—October 31, 1959—then-Senator John F. Kennedy visited Lompoc as part of an unofficial, early swing through California while laying the groundwork for his 1960 presidential campaign.

Key details of the visit include:
Lunch at the La Purisima Inn: Senator Kennedy stopped in town for a luncheon at the historic La Purisima Inn. During his stop, he met with local Democratic figures and community members, including local civic figure Larry Grossman and Democrat Dominic Signorelli.

The "Undercover" Campaign Context:

In late 1959, Kennedy had not yet officially declared his candidacy (which he did in January 1960), but he was traveling extensively across the country to build local party relationships and test the waters in key western states like California.

Cold War Focus: During his stops along the Central Coast around this time, Kennedy frequently addressed national defense, missile readiness, and the space race—topics of intense local interest as nearby Vandenberg Air Force Base (established just a few years prior) was rapidly expanding into the nation's premier Pacific missile test site.

I have done extensive research at the JFK Library in Boston. JFK was impressed with Lompoc and how well he was received. So much so, the Lompoc Senior High School Band was in his Inaugural Parade in January 1961.

Italian cousin Dominic Signorelli who sat next to Kennedy at the old La Purisima Inn luncheon has told me many stories of that Halloween day!

Helen Pedotti was a gem! Enjoy the oral history of Kennedy coming over the grade from Santa Maria to Lompoc. Hilarious! - Richard Schuyler

Volunteers needed
08/16/2026

Volunteers needed

Is does not feel like almost 44 years since the LA Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and Lake Casitas. Now we are getting ...
08/15/2026

Is does not feel like almost 44 years since the LA Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and Lake Casitas. Now we are getting ready for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

The 1984 Summer Olympics Torch Relay passed through Lompoc heading south on Highway 1, Thursday, July 19, 1984.

Key Details of the July 19 Leg:

Route Segment:
The flame traveled south from San Luis Obispo County through Santa Maria, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Lompoc, and down the Gaviota Coast into Goleta and Isla Vista (stopping at the UCSB Olympic Village).

Context:
This occurred nine days before the Opening Ceremony in Los Angeles on July 28, 1984, as part of the nationwide 9,375-mile AT&T Olympic Torch Relay. I stopped along Highway 1 south of Lompoc and took these images of the torch relay. The relay stopped for the night at the Olympic Village at UCSB.

I was fortunate to visit the Olympic Village (host for the Lake Casitas Events). Security was tight. I was given a stash of Olympic Posters, buttons, flags and some t-shirts to give out, a stash in every language that participated. Was able to dispense to friends and others in Lompoc and Santa Barbara. Rick Spicer (R.I.P.) who was the bartender at the LPI in Lompoc was so jazzed, he engraved a large jar showing the La Purisima Mission and presented it to me. His artistry on glass ad mirror etching was seen at the LPI, and the American Legion Post 125 Clubroom at the Veterans Memorial Building in Lompoc, an no doubt elsewhere too.

On a subsequent post I will post a few images when they came down Anacapa Street the next day in Santa Barbara by the Courthouse where I was working at the time. Richard Schuyler

Gone but not forgotten in the Lompoc Shopping Center. - Richard Schuyler
08/09/2026

Gone but not forgotten in the Lompoc Shopping Center. - Richard Schuyler

Ted’s Drive‑In was a classic mid‑century roadside burger stand in Lompoc — the kind with walk‑up windows, carhop service...
08/07/2026

Ted’s Drive‑In was a classic mid‑century roadside burger stand in Lompoc — the kind with walk‑up windows, carhop service, and a simple menu of burgers, fries, shakes, and sodas. It operated during the era when small, family‑run drive‑ins were common across California. A small, no‑nonsense burger shack known for good fries and thick shakes. It was a popular stop for high-schoolers, airmen and families and a place where you could pull up, order from your car and eat right there.

It wasn’t fancy — it was the kind of place where you got a wrapped burger, a paper cup shake, and sat on your car hood talking with friends. McDonalds now sits where it was located. - Richard Schuyler

2026 marks the 60th year for the LHS Class of 1966. I believe this was their 10-year reunion in 1976 at the old Elks Lo...
08/02/2026

2026 marks the 60th year for the LHS Class of 1966. I believe this was their 10-year reunion in 1976 at the old Elks Lodge ? on I Street. - Richard Schuyler

A 'BIG BOY STEAM TRACTOR' made a visit to Schuyler's River bottom years ago. Here is a breakdown of the two vintage tra...
08/01/2026

A 'BIG BOY STEAM TRACTOR' made a visit to Schuyler's River bottom years ago.

Here is a breakdown of the two vintage tractors loaded on the trailer:

1. Case Steam Traction Engine (Back / Large Machine)
Type: Early 20th-century steam traction engine (steam tractor).

Manufacturer: J.I. Case Threshing Machine Company (indicated by "CASE" cast into the smoke box front door).

Key Features: Large steel rear drive wheels with angled cleats/lugs, a high-mounted boiler with a large smokestack, a heavy drive pulley wheel (painted green) on the side for belt-powering stationary farm machinery (like threshers), and an overhead canopy top.

2. Allis-Chalmers Crawler / Track-Type Tractor (Front / Red Machine)
Type: Vintage crawler tractor (tracked tractor / bulldozer frame).

Manufacturer: Allis-Chalmers (identifiable by the signature radiator grill and badging).

Key Features: Continuous metal tracks instead of front wheels for high traction in loose or muddy soil, painted in Allis-Chalmers' distinctive "Persian Orange." We called them "Model M's". Our ranch and orchard had three.

When I was very young, my dad tried having me slowly move it down between a row of Cherry trees so he could spray the tree trunks with a solution to keep bugs and insects from climbing up and attacking the Cherries. I was probably 6 years old. It was a simple task. As he motioned to move ahead as he showed me, I gave it more power and the machine's right crawling track proceeded to climb a tree. Dad jumped on the Model M to stop it. That was the end of my tractor driving on the ranch and orchard. Of course, as I became older, I learned to drive most of the tractors, but never for field work. The Model M on the trailer may well have been one of ours. I know at some point, a couple of the other two Model M's were place along the entry road leading into River Park. They were removed years later.

That steam tractor was huge as you can see! - Richard Schuyler

1905 Lompoc.This is a steam traction engine (often referred to simply as a steam tractor or agricultural steam engine), ...
07/30/2026

1905 Lompoc.

This is a steam traction engine (often referred to simply as a steam tractor or agricultural steam engine), connected to stationary farm equipment—most likely a threshing machine or grain harvester—out in the field during the harvest.

In early 20th-century agriculture across California valleys like Lompoc, these heavy steam engines were the core power source for large-scale crop processing.

Key Features visible on the Engine:
Tall Smokestack with Spark Arrestor: The wide, hooded cone at the top of the stack is a spark arrestor (or spark catcher), vital in dry grain fields to prevent flying embers from igniting dry straw or crops.

Large Rear Drive Wheels & Heavy Flywheel:
The wide belt running off the large flywheel on the side transmitted stationary belt power directly to drive nearby machinery (such as a threshing rig or bean separator) positioned further down the line.

Horizontal Boiler System:
The cylindrical body houses the firebox and boiler tubes, generating steam pressure to turn the piston overhead.

Threshing / Harvest Crew:
Harvesting grain (wheat, barley, or dry beans) was labor-intensive, requiring a sizable crew to pitch sheaves, manage sacks, handle the draft horses used to haul water/fuel and heavy loads, and operate the engine.

The folks in this 1905 photo appear to be having chow break. Note the coffee maker being heated on the steam engine. Those horses earned their keep! - Richard Schuyler

Following a disastrous flood in early 1907 that destroyed the Robinson Bridge, a temporary cable car system known locall...
07/30/2026

Following a disastrous flood in early 1907 that destroyed the Robinson Bridge, a temporary cable car system known locally as an "airboat" or "air-ship" conveyance was rigged up to carry people and supplies across the swollen Santa Ynez River.

What Happened in 1907:

The Bridge Collapse:
On January 9, 1907, a massive deluge swept down the Santa Ynez River. The torrent tore out the original wooden Robinson Bridge, leaving the eastern and west sides of the Lompoc Valley isolated from the main town center.

The Temporary Solution:
Because the river remained too high and swift for horses or wagons to cross, locals stretched a heavy steel cable high above the water between both banks.

The "Air Ship" Conveyance:
Suspended from this high wire was a small car/basket (referred to in local historical records as a "little airboat" or aerial trolley). It served as the primary aerial lifeline for residents, midwives, mail, and essential goods until the river subsided enough to break a horse crossing and begin rebuilding the bridge. Local historical accounts preserved by the Lompoc Valley Historical Society note that during this stranded period in early 1907, families relied entirely on this cable system to get necessary aid and supplies across the river. - Richard Schuyler

Address

207 N L Street
Lompoc, CA
93436

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 11am
Thursday 9am - 11am

Telephone

+18057354626

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