Expressions of community pride impress me, and I found some good ones to share.

I recently took a drive through Lompoc on my way to and from the beach and found myself focusing on the city’s mural art, which shows the depth of the city’s community pride.

While driving around to look for more, I came across large artistic murals covering entire sides of buildings. These expansive artworks depict history, culture and identity, and collectively they gave me a very good feeling about Lompoc.

The span of history goes literally back to the dinosaurs, then moves forward showing local native tribes, then along a timeline portraying wagon trains, growth of the town, agriculture, war, and culminating in art illustrating the influence of what is now Vandenberg Space Force Base. The murals collectively tell a very full story.

It impresses me to see a community express itself in art in such vivid ways. Because I know someone who is in the business of working with management in various cities to help create the artistic vision and connect with artists who can do it, I know how much commitment is required to accomplish what is so proudly displayed in Lompoc’s Old Town section.

Should you wish to visit some of this art, I suggest starting in the vicinity of I Street and H Street between West Cypress Avenue and West Walnut Avenue.

In that vicinity I found roughly a dozen murals, and not all were facing toward the street. Some faced parking lots between buildings, so definitely do some diligence looking about the area.

I have a strong hunch I only saw a part of what is available for viewing, yet that was all I had the spare time for on that day. Exploring more of the town may turn up many more.

I have seen other towns invest in murals illustrating local cultures and history, and I’m always happy to see that.

Based upon my own experiences, Lompoc deserves an award for its mural expressions, and I doff my well-worn hat to the town.