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Call: 800-324-3800 cityofbuellton.com
Buellton's early roots
can be traced to the name Rufus Thompson (R.T.) Buell, a rancher who built a
successful business and by 1875, operated Buell Ranch as a town, complete
with a general store, a post office, bunkhouses, blacksmith shop and family
homes. Ranch owner R.T. Buell came from Essex, Vermont to California to find his
fortune in gold mining but gave it up to do what he knew and loved, farming.
After establishing a dairy farm not far from the gold mines in Point Reyes north of San
Francisco, he joined his brothers in the Central California coastal region
to purchase land available from a Mexican land grant sale.
The land that was for
sale was located in the Santa Ynez Valley was owned by Jose Maria Covarrubias
and Joaquin Carrillo of Santa Barbara. He purchased
a portion of the The Rancho San Carlos de Jonata with his brother, Alonzo, and
the thriving business in the lush hills and valleys of California's Central
Coast was so successful, R.T. bought the entire ranch of the land grant and his
brother purchased the Rancho El Capitan. They dissolved
their partnership and in 1920, Buell Ranch became the last of five towns of the
Santa Ynez Valley.
Thanks to the
development of Highway 101 and the desirable California climate and migration in
1911 of Danish settlers to the valley, Buellton has grown slowly as a peaceful
place that's maintained a quality of life as the Gateway to the Santa Ynez
Valley.
Avenue of the Flags
once included Highway 101. The busy freeway was moved in the 1960s to its
current location and Avenue of the Flags continues to serve as the main street
of Buellton.
Buellton became an incorporated city on February 1, 1992. Buellton operates
under a five member city council and it's form of government. Buellton currently
has around 3,900 people.
Rufus Thompson Buell and Roman de la Cuesta who is credited with bringing
Highway 101 to the region are important names in the history of Buellton.
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