by Doug Jenzen (Author), Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center (Author)
When looking at historical photographs of Guadalupe residents, one sees the faces that represent the area's unique and diverse past. Originally inhabited by the indigenous Chumash and mapped by Spanish explorers, Guadalupe was first named in the 1840s Mexican land grant honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe, the title given to the Virgin Mary. Through the years, waves of immigrants made their way to Guadalupe to take advantage of the fertile soil and unique geographic features, the most prominent of which are the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes, which contain some of the tallest sand dunes on Earth and have been visited by locals and tourists for the last century and a half. It was in the 1920s that Hollywood discovered them and began introducing distant audiences to the region through the cinematic tradition that continues today.