Santa Maria is a city in Santa Barbara County which is located in southwestern California; incorporated 1905. Its economy is based primarily upon petroleum production and agriculture. A junior college is here, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, located nearby, is a major employer. The site was purchased by American settlers in 1837 and was surveyed in 1874. Santa Maria was known as Central City until 1885, when it was renamed to reflect the area's Spanish heritage.