Points of Historical Interest
by Lucy Kortum

Santa Barbara County

Santa Barbara County Map
Coastal Conservancy Projects in Santa Barbara County
Sources

• Santa Barbara: Santa Barbara Channel, between the east-west coastline and the visible east-west chain of islands, named by Vizcaino in honor of St. Barbara; one of the original twenty-seven counties.

• Santa Maria River Mouth: Village of La Graciosa in 1868 was destroyed by earthquake in 1877. Inland, Guadalupe founded in 1840's and named for the Mexican rancho, retains its Mexican character. Set of an early movie epic.

• Point Sal State Beach: Named by George Vancouver, English sea captain who explored the coast 1782-3, in honor of San Francisco Presidio commandant Hermenegildo Sal. 1880's port provided for export of grain grown in Santa Maria Valley.

• Vandenberg Air Force Base: Extends from Point Sal to Jalama Creek; very limited access.

• (nearby) Purisima Point: visible from Amtrak which travels the coast here where the road is inland.

• Gaviota State Park: Remnants have been excavated of Chumash village, where Cabrillo stopped on 1542 voyage and where Portola camped in 1769; name refers to seagull shot there. 1874 wharf built by William Hollister and Dibblee brothers to ship wool, grain and lumber.

• Refugio State Beach: so named as part of Rancho Nuestra Senora del Refugio, land grant of Jose Ortega of Portola expedition. In Spanish period when trade with US not allowed, one of secret ports for loading produce bound for Boston.

• El Capitan State Beach: site of Chumash village.

• UC Santa Barbara: Campus site previously part of Rancho Rincon, 19th century asphaltum (tar) mine, and US Marine training station

• Goleta Slough: Site of many Chumash villages as well as of their much earlier ancestors. Previously a natural harbor (goleta means schooner) before 1861 flood deposited silt in harbor and created lagoon. Additional filling 1928 and 1941 for airport.

• More Mesa: Part of Rancho La Goleta bought by Thomas More in 1857 for cattle ranching and mining tar to pave San Francisco streets. 1887 Southern Pacific railroad bed, now route of natural gas pipeline from gas deposits discovered in 1930's.

• La Mesa Park: 1856 lighthouse destroyed by 1925 earthquake, replaced by automated light.

• City of Santa Barbara: Established 1782 on site of last of four Spanish presidios in what is now California; remnants remain. Within short distance of coastal trail are many historic and architectural sites including adobes and mansions. Mission style architecture established for rebuilding after destruction from 1925 earthquake.

• Santa Barbara Harbor: Protected by 1929 breakwater which in turn has created sand buildup here and loss of sand down the coast.

• Ambassador Park/Burton Mound: Indian village site under adobe of Don Luis Burton now a State Historic site.

• West Beach: Palms planted by city in 1902 replicating European boulevards. Palm thatched cottages at Palm Park.

• Stearns Wharf: 1872 wharf by J.P. Stearns was longest deepwater pier between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Replaced practice of using surf boats or "lighters" to bring passengers and goods between shore and boats described by Dana in "Two Years Before the Mast." Wharf since has been damaged and rebuilt several times; destroyed by fire in 1998.

• Montecito: 1870 residential community of large estates; historic include Santa Barbara Biltmore, several adobes, and 1910 house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

• Summerland: Site of revival meetings in 1900's; oil discovery by 1906 covered beach with wells; later offshore drilling platforms "Hazel" and "Hilda" visible. Offshore oil blowout in 1969 launched powerful environmental movement. "Holly"

• Carpinteria Marsh: Site of succession of Indian cultures, identified in archeological studies, beginning with Oak Grove people, then Chumash from 500 AD until 1850's.

• Carpinteria/Carpinteria State Beach: Chumash village Mishopshnow site for building wooden plank canoes called tomols, causing Portola in 1769 to call the village La Carpinteria, carpenter shop.