The Dana Adobe Nipomo Amigos (DANA) is a local nonprofit organization that formed 12 years ago to restore and revitalize the Dana Adobe building and surroundings in Nipomo. The beautiful property is playing host to a benefit concert by cowboy singer/songwriter Dave Stamey, whose music evokes the past of the historical location.
“The Dana Adobe was built in 1839,” said DANA executive director Marina Washburn. “It was the only stopping point between the San Luis Obispo Mission and the Santa Ynez Mission.”
The property the Adobe sits on is just a small part of the 38,000-acre land grant awarded to Captain William G. Dana, Washburn explained. Back then, the area was known as the Rancho Nipoma. Nipoma is a Chumash word that translates to “foot of the hill.”
Capt. Dana and his family lived at the Adobe, but it was also a rest stop, so to speak, between San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara. During the Mexican-American War, the Dana Adobe was host to U.S. Army Capt. John C. Fremont and his battalion on their way to Santa Barbara and then Los Angeles.
“We actually found a military button under the veranda last year that dates back to one of the five battalions sent from the East Coast to battle in the Mexican- American War,” Washburn said.
DANA has been working at restoring this piece of local history since the nonprofit formed. In 2008, the group actually secured 29 acres surrounding the building, followed by a 100-acre lease signed with San Luis Obispo County in 2009. In 2010, they acquired all the necessary funds to restore the Dana Adobe. The restoration, according to Washburn, should be done in six to eight months.
“Dave Stamey has been a wonderful supporter of the restoration and development of the Adobe for many years,” Washburn said. “We are very fortunate to have him come back again for this concert, which is a fundraiser for the operational support for the organization as we continue to develop the park.”
The grant funding the organization receives from the government, Washburn explained, doesn’t cover operational expenses for the park, which include water, electricity, and staffing. That’s why benefit events, like Stamey’s concert, are so important to the nonprofit.
“Several of his songs are inspired from stories of the Adobe,” Washburn said. “His video of the vaquero song was shot here, and he said he was inspired by the story of the Adobe to write that song.”
The vaqueros are what we now call cowboys, and the best vaqueros in the area, according to Washburn, where the Chumash, many of whom were hired by Capt. Dana himself.
Dave Stamey’s song “The Vaquero” is a heartfelt tribute to the lives of the vaqueros. The first stanza even mentions Capt. Dana by name: “My name is Juan Medina. A vaquero once was I. Now I live in the air above the pepper trees. Where are all the cattle that belonged to Captain Dana? They’re blown away like ashes in the California breeze.”
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Stamey’s style hearkens back to a simpler time, when the vaquero ruled the mesa.
Having lived the cowboy life himself—his website tells of him being bucked, booted, and stomped by his fair share of horses, cows, and other livestock—Stamey’s music offers an authenticity and historicity not common in contemporary music.
“It’s cowboy poetry,” Washburn said. “It’s storytelling, and it’s history, sometimes of characters and personalities, and I’m a sucker for those things. I enjoy the stories and the music.”
The setting for Stamey’s performance isn’t inside the Dana Adobe itself, though the building will be open for docent-led tours the day of his performance. The beautiful creekside setting and the Nipomo hills will serve as a backdrop. Barbecue and drinks will be available for purchase as well.
“[Stamey] used to live not far from us, close by,” Washburn said, “and we’ve heard that he really enjoyed the country setting, the open space that Nipomo had to offer, the slow cowboy life. He actually donates his talent for this event, and that is a wonderful gift for us.”
The gates will open at 2:30 p.m. with a barbecue, tours, and information available to all. Stamey’s performance starts at 4 p.m. and will run until 7. DANA representatives will also share plans for upcoming developments such as a Nature Education Facility, and field questions about programs. All proceeds from the event will help with operational costs for DANA.
“We are trying to share with people the significance of the Rancho era and its significance in our community,” Washburn said. “I’m a Nipomo girl, and I didn’t know the history that was lying in our backyard.”
More outdoors
The City of Santa Maria Parks and Recreation Department presents “Concerts in the Park,” featuring free performances by local bands including Soulamente on July 31 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Rotary Centennial Park, 2625 S. College Dr., Santa Maria. More info: 925-0951, Ext. 260.
Music at the Maverick
The Maverick Saloon in Santa Ynez is host to country band Randy Emmett and the Sideshow on July 29 at 8:30 p.m., followed by DJPJ at 11:30 p.m. “Concert on the Deck” with The Belmores is July 30 at 3 p.m. Randy Emmett and the Sideshow performs July 30 at 8:30 p.m. followed by DJPJ at 11:30 p.m. Tickets are available at talesfromthetavern.com or 688-0383.
Contact Calendar Editor Joe Payne at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jul 28 – Aug 4, 2011.
