Nipomo
Nipomo’s original settlers were the Chumash Indians, who lived in the area for over 9,000 years, and gave the town its name from the Indian word ne-po-mah meaning "foot of the hill". The founder of present-day Nipomo, William G. Dana of Boston, was a sea captain that was granted Rancho Nipomo (38,000-acre land) by the Mexican governor in 1837. In fact, Nipomo was one of the first and largest of the Mexican land grants in San Luis Obispo County. Shortly after, Captain Dana built his home, The Dana Adobe, which served as an important stop for travelers on El Camino Real between Mission San Luis Obispo and Mission Santa Barbara. The adobe was a stage coach stop and became the exchange point for mail going between north and south in the first regular mail route in California.
Since the founding days, Nipomo has steadily grown to a population over 16,714 , according to the 2010 Census. While Olde Towne Nipomo is historical, moving west onto the mesa showcases the beauty of the area. The Nipomo Mesa is home to three major golf courses just a short drive apart. Blacklake Golf Resort, Monarch Dunes and Cypress Ridge are all world class courses each with their own unique flavor. The prevalence of golf has lead some to refer to Nipomo as a mini Pebble Beach, only with better weather. Along these areas, thousands of Blue Gum Eucalyptus trees still remain since being planted in 1908. Two men who formed the Los Berros Forest Company planted the trees with the idea of selling the trees as hardwood. Groves of these non-native trees still exist, even in rows as they were originally planted.
Home to world famous Jacko’s Steakhouse, Nipomo has been rated as the area having the best overall climate in the nation by Places Rated Almanac. Agriculture continues to be the dominant business in Nipomo with dozens of greenhouses providing cut flowers nationwide, orchards filled with citrus and avocados and fields of strawberries and vegetables.