Santa Barbara is a coastal city in Santa Barbara County, California, of which it is the seat of government. Situated on a south-facing section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States excepting Alaska, the city lies between the steeply rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Santa Barbara's climate is often described as Mediterranean, and the city has been dubbed "The American Riviera". According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the city's population was 88,665.
El Presidio Real de Santa Bárbara, also known as the Royal Presidio of Santa Barbara, is a former military installation in Santa Barbara, California, United States. The presidio was built by Spain in 1782, with the mission of defending the Second Military District in California. In modern times, the Presidio serves as a significant tourist attraction, museum and an active archaeological site as part of El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park.
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA) is an art museum located in downtown Santa Barbara, California.
Los Rancheros Visitadores or the "Visiting Ranchers" is a social club in the United States. The group meets on ranch land in Santa Barbara and embarks northward on a 60-mile (97 km) journey across the countryside after receiving a blessing at the Santa Ynez Mission. It attracts over 700 riders on its annual trek.
The Casa de la Guerra was the residence of the fifth commandant of the Presidio de Santa Barbara, José de la Guerra y Noriega, founder of the Guerra family of California from 1828 until his death in 1858. Descendants of José lived in the home until 1943. The site is currently owned and operated by the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation as a historic house museum. The address is 15 East De la Guerra Street, Santa Barbara, California.
George Washington Smith was an American architect and painter. He is known particularly for his work around Santa Barbara, California, and for popularizing the Spanish Colonial Revival style in early 20th Century America. His notable works include Casa del Herrero, the Lobero Theater, the Santa Barbara News-Press building, and buildings at the Santa Barbara Cemetery. He also designed several private houses in Montecito.
The Santa Barbara County Courthouse (Courthouse) is a well-known example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and is located in Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County, California. Started in 1926 and completed in 1929, the Courthouse originally served as Santa Barbara County’s (County) superior courthouse, jail, and administrative office. The Courthouse was included on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981, was made a City of Santa Barbara Historic Landmark in 1982, a California Historical Landmark in 2004, and a National Historic Landmark in 2005. Over the years, most County administrative offices were relocated to other County buildings. The current Courthouse houses six County Superior Court rooms, the Mural Room, the County Hall of Records, the County Public Defender's Office, offices of the County General Services Department, and the McMahon Law Library. The Courthouse is open to the public and is a popular site for community gatherings and weddings. Architect Charles Willard Moore called it the "grandest Spanish Colonial Revival structure ever built," and the prime example of Santa Barbara's adoption of Spanish Colonial as its civic style.
The Orella Adobes at Cañada del Corral on the Gaviota Coast about 20 miles (32 km) west of Santa Barbara are Santa Barbara County landmarks. The adobes may trace back to the late 18th century, as a tile was found during a remodel in the 1930s imprinted with the year "1798".
The Paseo de la Guerra is a complex of historic buildings in downtown Santa Barbara, California. Since 1977 it is listed in National Register of Historic Places. It is named for the Guerra family of California, a historically prominent Californio family in Santa Barbara.
Peter Josiah Barber was an American carpenter, architect, and prominent citizen of Santa Barbara, California. A native of Ohio, he was drawn to California during the Gold Rush in 1852 and settled in Santa Barbara in 1869, where he established himself as the city's foremost architect and served as postmaster and for two terms as mayor. His works include the Arlington Hotel, the second County Courthouse, and the original Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, as well as several private houses. As mayor, he was also responsible for public works projects, most prominently the tree-lined boulevard, now called Cabrillo Boulevard, at East Beach. Three of the buildings he designed are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Francis W. Wilson was an American architect. His practice in Santa Barbara, California included work for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and its associated Fred Harvey Company hotels, as well as many residences.
The Brinton Museum located on the Quarter Circle A Ranch and formerly known as the Bradford Brinton Memorial Museum, is a museum and historic ranch located 2 miles (3.2 km) southwest of Big Horn, Wyoming. The ranch was built in 1893 by William Moncreiffe, a Scottish immigrant and successful businessman. In 1923, Bradford Brinton bought the ranch from Moncreiffe and expanded it to its current appearance. Brinton collected art and historical materials, particularly those relating to Native American history; after his death in 1936, his sister Helen converted the ranch to a museum displaying his collections.
Wright Saltus Ludington (1900–1992) was an art collector, artist and one of the founding members of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.
Edward Borein (1872–1945) was an American etcher and painter from California. His artwork depicted Spanish Colonial California, the Old West, and Mexico.
Joe De Yong (1894-1975) was an American sculptor, etcher, and historical consultant for Western movies. His sculptures and etchings depicted the Old West, including Native Americans and cowboys, as well as polo players.
The Covarrubias adobe is a California Historical Landmark in Santa Barbara, California. The house is one of the oldest in Santa Barbara, built in 1817. The adobe became a California State Historical Landmark No. 308 on September 12, 1939. The house is also on the Santa Barbara City Landmark. The house is located at 715 Santa Barbara Street. The house is a L-shaped with four rooms, the original Spanish tile roof was later replaced.
The Hastings adobe also called the Trussell-Winchester adobe is a California Historical Landmark in Santa Barbara, California. The house is one of the oldest in Santa Barbara, built in 1854. The adobe became a California State Historical Landmark No. 559 on December 31, 1956. The house is located at 414 West Montecito Street. The house was built by Horatio Gates Trussell (1814-1880) came to California from Maine. Trussell has sailed the seas from his youth and rose to be the captain of his own ship. On his trip to Santa Barbara, he fell in love with the city and Ramona Eayrs-Burke. He married Ramona on September 1, 1851. Isaac Sparks (1804–1867), Ramona's stepfather a merchant and rancher in the city deed the land for their new home. Trussell built the adobe brick and wood house near the present-day corner of West Montecito and Castillo streets. Rather than use the local custom of a Spanish tile roof, it had New England type wooden shingles. Trussell was able to get some of the timber needed from the shipwrecked SS Winfield Scott that sank off Anacapa Island in 1853. The Trussell family had 10 children and later built a two-story house a few blocks away. A local banker, William M. Eddy, from New York in 1849, purchased the house in 1878 and sold it to Uriah Winchester in 1882. Winchester also had come to California from Maine in 1869. Winchester made changes to the house, adding a room and enlarging others. Winchester family had six children. Two: Robert (1845-1932) became a doctor; Charlotte (1850-1942) married Stanley Bagg (1856-1931), who owned the famous The Tombstone Epitaph newspaper in Arizona from 1891 till 1895. Winchester family started to sell off parts of the lot in the 1920s. Charlotte's daughter, Katherine Bagg (1877-1955), married John Hastings. When Katherine died in 1955, with no children, the house was given to the Santa Barbara Historical Society per her will.
Edwards and Plunkett was an American architectural firm active between 1925 and 1940 in Santa Barbara, California. It was founded by William Albert Edwards (1888–1976) and James Joseph Plunkett (1900–1946), who were among the most famous practitioners of the Spanish Colonial Revival style in Santa Barbara. From 1926 to 1928, Henry Ward Howell (1889–1962) was a junior partner, and they operated as Edwards, Plunkett, and Howell. Their works include the Arlington Theatre, the Janssens–Orella–Birk Building, and the original terminal building of the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport.
Kathleen Burke Peabody McLean Hale CBE was a British-American philanthropist and war worker, decorated by seven European nations for her volunteer work during World War I and World War II.
John James Mitchell Jr. was an American banker and a co-founder of United Airlines.
