Town Logo by Ralph Quackenbush


OLD DAYS
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Visit Los Alamos for a taste of our laid back lifestyle
amidst the agricultural farmland and hills of oak trees in the heart of Santa Barbara Wine Country

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Spanish for "the cottonwoods" which line the stream banks running through the valley, Los Alamos is located approximately fifty miles north of Santa Barbara beside Highway 101.

It was founded in 1876 by John Bell and James Shaw, both formerly of San Francisco, who had purchased adjoining 14,000 acre ranches from the area's original Mexican land grants. They jointly determined to build a town and allocated one-half square mile from each of their ranches for that purpose. 

The dividing line between the ranches became the town's central street, named "Centennial Street" in honor of the nation's 100th birthday. Today Centennial runs north and south from the flagpole, past the Olga Reed school to Los Alamos Park.  Though the founders intended it to be the commercial center, it became residential instead. The intersecting main street through town was named Bell Street and is the current business district.

"It is hardly possible to conceive the existence of a
pleasanter location than the Los Alamos Valley, or one
combining more valuable resources with natural beauty."  - John Bell's biographer, 1883

 

 

The Los Alamos Valley flourishes due to the high water table and area climate as an agricultural valley, growing many vegetables, grains, and related crops year around.
In addition, cattle and horses are raised on nearby ranches.  The Valley is rapidly becoming a well-known wine producing area with vineyards stretching for miles on either side of town.

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