Santa Barbara History: Earthquake of 1925

The most destructive earthquake in Santa Barbara history, and the first destructive earthquake since the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, occurred on June 29, 1925, converting much of the town to heaps of rubble. While the quake's epicenter was centered on an undetermined fault offshore, most of the damage came about due to two strong aftershocks which occurred onshore and five minutes apart. The intensity on the Modified Mercalli scale was determined to be 8.0 for the coast from Goleta, through Santa Barbara, and to Carpinteria.

The low death toll (13 or 14) is credited to its early hour, 6:23 a.m., before most people were in the streets at risk from falling masonry. A fire, which broke out after the earthquake, destroyed more of the town, but was contained by a company of U.S. Marines who had arrived immediately to help maintain order. The earthquake, coinciding with the movement for architectural reform, is credited with giving the town its unified Spanish character; during the rebuilding Hoffman and Chase pushed for new structures to be in a Spanish style. The most famous of these was the Spanish-Moorish style County Courthouse, completed in 1929, "the loveliest in the United States."

One of the only voices opposing the unification of architectural style was newspaper publisher and future Senator Thomas Storke, who later changed his mind, saying that his former opposition was due to his belief that such compulsion infringed on the constitutional rights of property owners. Storke in 1932 created the city's main newspaper for the next 74 years, the News-Press, by winning a libel suit against his rival Reginald Fernald, and absorbing that publisher's Morning Press into his Daily News.

Santa Barbara: Once Home to The Largest Movie Studio

Santa Barbara was the center of the U.S. silent film industry from 1910 to 1922, before anyone associated the name "Hollywood" with movies. The Flying A Studios, a division of the American Film Company, covered two city blocks centered at State and Mission Streets, and was at the time the largest movie studio in the world. It produced approximately 1,200 films during those twelve years, including the world's first indoor set and likely the first animated cartoon.

Only about 100 of those films are known to survive today. Many of the studio's films were westerns; Lon Chaney, Sr. and Victor Fleming were among the famous actors featured.

In 1911, before the Flying A had become the predominant studio in the area, there were 13 separate film companies in Santa Barbara. The local film era ended in 1922 when the studios moved south, needing the resources of a larger city.

Weather has Wreaked Havoc on Santa Barbara in The Past

In 1859, Santa Barbara recorded the highest temperature ever noted on the North American continent, 133 °F (56 °C), a record which was to stand until Death Valley topped it by one degree in 1913.

The U.S. Coast Survey wrote that birds dropped dead in midair, cattle died in the fields, and fruit dropped, scorched, from trees; the town's inhabitants fled to the safety of their adobe buildings, which insulated them from the freak superheated northwest simoon wind, an event which has not occurred since.

In the immediately following years, two other weather events had a significant effect on the course of development in Santa Barbara: catastrophic floods during the winter of 1861-62, during which the Goleta Slough, formerly open to deep-water vessels, completely silted up, becoming the marsh it remains to the present day; and the disastrous drought of 1863, which forever ended the Rancho era as the value of rangeland collapsed, cattle died or were sold off, and the large ranches were broken down and sold in smaller parcels, which brought on development.

Santa Barbara Mission

Mission Santa Barbara, also known as Santa Barbara Mission, is a Spanish Franciscan mission in Santa Barbara, California. It was founded December 4, 1786, the feast day of Saint Barbara, to evangelize the local Chumash tribe. The Mission grounds occupy a rise between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains, and were consecrated by Father Fermín Lasuén, who had taken over the presidency of the California mission chain upon the death of Father Presidente Junípero Serra. Mission Santa Barbara is the only mission to remain under the leadership of the Franciscan Friars since the day of its founding.

Mission Santa Barbara's name comes from the legend of Saint Barbara, a girl who was supposedly beheaded by her father for following the Christian Faith. The early missionaries built three different chapels during the first few years, each larger than the previous one. It was only after the great Santa Barbara Earthquake on December 21, 1812, which destroyed the existing buildings, that the construction on the current Mission was begun. It was completed and then dedicated in 1820. The towers were considerably damaged in the June 29, 1925 earthquake, but were subsequently rebuilt in 1927. The appearance of the inside of the church has not been altered significantly since 1820.

Many elements of the Mission's extensive water treatment system, all built by Chumash Indians' labor (including aqueducts, two reservoirs, and a filter house) remain to this day, as does a grain mill; the larger reservoir, which was built in 1806 by the expedient of damming a canyon, has been incorporated into the City's water system. The original fountain and lavadero are also intact near the entrance to the Mission. A dam constructed in 1807 is situated in the current Santa Barbara Botanic Garden up "Mission Canyon." The Mission's tanning vats, pottery kiln, and guard house are all in ruins to this day.

In 1818, two Argentine ships under the command of the French privateer Hipólito Bouchard approached the coast and threatened the young town of Santa Barbara. The padres armed and trained 150 of the neophytes to prepare for attack. With their help, the Presidio soldiers confronted Bouchard, who sailed out of the harbor without attacking.

After the Mexican Congress passed An Act for the Secularization of the Missions of California on August 17, 1833 Father Presidente Narciso Durán transferred the missions' headquarters to Santa Barbara, thereby making Mission Santa Barbara the repository of some 3,000 original documents that had been scattered through the California missions. The Mission archive is the oldest library in the State of California that still remains in the hands of its founders, the Franciscans. Beginning with the writings of Hubert Howe Bancroft, the library has served as a center for historical study of the missions for more than a century.

n 1840, Alta California and Baja California were removed from the Diocese of Sonora to form the Diocese of Both Californias. Bishop Francisco Garcia Diego y Moreno, OFM, established his cathedral at Mission Santa Barbara, making the chapel the pro-cathedral of the diocese until 1849. Under Bishop Thaddeus Amat y Brusi, C.M., the chapel again served as a pro-cathedral, for the Diocese of Monterey and then the Diocese of Monterey-Los Angeles, from 1853–1876. It is for this reason that of all the California missions, only the chapel at Mission Santa Barbara has two matching bell towers. At that time, that particular architectural feature was restricted to a cathedral church.

When President Abraham Lincoln restored the missions to the Catholic church on March 18, 1865, the Mission's leader at the time, Friar José González Rubio, came into conflict with Bishop Amat over the matter of whether the Mission should be under the ownership of the Franciscan order rather than the diocese. Bishop Amat refused to give the deed for the Mission to the Franciscans, but in 1925, Bishop John J. Cantwell finally awarded the deed to them.

The Mission also has the oldest unbroken tradition of choral singing among the California Missions and, indeed, of any California institution. The weekly Catholic liturgy is serviced by two choirs, the California Mission Schola and the Cappella Barbara. The Mission archives contain one of the richest collections of colonial Franciscan music manuscripts known today, which remain closely-guarded. The original City of Santa Barbara developed between the Mission proper and the harbor, specifically near El Presidio Reál de Santa Bárbara (the "Royal Spanish Presidio"), about a mile southeast of the Mission. As the city grew, it extended throughout the coastal plain; a residential area now surrounds the Mission, although there are public parks and a few public buildings (such as the Museum of Natural History) in the area immediately adjacent to the site.

Mission Santa Barbara today continues to serve the community as a parish church. In addition to its use as a place of worship, it contains a gift shop, a museum, a Franciscan Friary, and a retreat house. The Mission grounds are a primary tourist attraction in Santa Barbara. The Mission itself is owned by the Franciscan Province of Santa Barbara, and the local parish rents the church from the Franciscans.

CLICK HERE for a direct link to the Mission's website.

Museum of Natural History

Museum of Natural History
2559 Puesta del Sol Road
Santa Barbara, 93105
805-682-4711 (General Information)
805-682-4711 x405 (Observatory/Planetarium)
805-962-2526 (Sea Center)
www.sbnature.org

Santa Barbara isn't really that big of a town. The entire metropolitan area probably has around 200,000 people. So this Museum comes as a bit of a surprise. The size of the museum, the complexity of the collections and the beauty of the grounds all seem like the museum belongs somewhere much larger.

Exhibits feature mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, plant life and geology of the Pacific Coast and Channel Islands. Exhibits also include dioramas of prehistoric Native American life. There are many special activities held at the Museum so be sure to check their website often for upcoming event.

Outside on display is an actual skeleton of the world`s largest animal ever, the blue whale. This blue whale corpse washed ashore at Vandenberg Air Force Base in 1980. The skeleton is 72 feet long and weighs 6,000 pounds. When alive this whale weighed about 140,000 pounds. Blue whales can live to be 90 years of age. This one was about 25 when it died.

Particulars: Open daily 10am-5pm; Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve (3:00 p.m.), Christmas Day, New Years Day.

Admission: $10 adults; $7 teens/seniors; $6 children. Museum members and children under 2 are free. Free admission on the third Sunday of the month, except in June, July and August.

For information on public star parties and planetarium shows call 805-682-4711 ext. 405. For current events and programs call 805-682-4711

Directions: From the 101, take "Mission" exit. Drive to the end of "Mission" and turn left. Then turn right onto "Mission Canyon Road." Go past the Old Mission and then follow the brown signs to the Museum.

Santa Barbara Zoo

Santa Barbara Zoo
500 Ninos Dr.
Admissions Information: 805-963-5695
General Visitor Information: 805-962-6310
(with recorded information)

www.santabarbarazoo.org

Open daily (except for Christmas)
10am-5pm. Tickets sold until 4pm.

Adults (13 - 59): $11.00
Children (2 - 12): $8.00
Seniors (60+): $8.00
Children under 2: FREE
Parking: $4.00

Consistently ranked as one of America's best small zoos, the Zoological Gardens are wonderful.

Among the over 600 animals you'll find elephants, giraffes, lions, tigers, gibbons, sea lions, exotic birds and farm animals. There is a miniature train ride, children's playground, snack bar, and spacious picnic area.

The zoo is constantly in the process of making changes so there's always something new each visit.

Note: If the animals and the park don't amaze you, think of the amazing piece of land this zoo sits on. You're right next to the ocean and the giraffe's have the equivalent of a multi-million dollar condo!

Directions

From the South on U.S. 101 (Going North): Take the Hot Springs / Cabrillo Boulevard Exit (LEFT EXIT). Turn left on Cabrillo and continue to the first stop light. Turn right on Ninos Drive. The entrance is about 2 blocks on the right side. Note: If you miss your exit, you can use the Milpas Street exit and follow the directions below after going around the roundabout and LEFT on Milpas Street towards the beach.

From the North on U.S. 101 (Going South): Take the Milpas Street exit and go RIGHT on Milpas Street. Cross the railroad tracks, and turn left on Cabrillo Boulevard. Turn left at the first light, which is Ninos Drive. The entrance is on the right side across from the playing fields.

Strollers, Wagons & Wheelchairs

Strollers, Wagons & Wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis:
single w/steering wheel - $5.00
double stroller - $8.00
wagons - $7.00
wheelchairs - $5.00

Admission & Parking Policies

The zoo does not allow skateboards, rollerblades, bicycles, RV's, dogs or barbecues in the Zoo or the parking lot.

Ty Warner Sea Center

Ty Warner Sea Center
211 Stearns Wharf
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 962-2526

Hours:
Open daily 10am-5pm; Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve (3:00 p.m.), Christmas Day, New Years Day.

Admission:
Adults $8, Seniors (65 and over) $7, Teens 13-17 $7, Children 2-12 $5, Children under 2 free

The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Ty Warner Sea Center is a fun, engaging, interactive marine education facility located on Stearns Wharf. Owned and operated by the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, the Ty Warner Sea Center fulfills the mission of the Museum to inspire a passion for the natural world.

Interactive exhibits, scientific discovery!

• Opportunities to work like scientists, sampling and testing ocean water, studying animal behavior, and examining microscopic marine life
• Live tidepool animal encounters
• A theater showcasing the wonders of the Santa Barbara Channel
• At the Ty Warner Sea Center, you will discover the fun science and the wonders of the natural world.
• Enter the two-story glass foyer and greet a 39-foot, life-size model of a California Gray whale and her calf.
• Crawl through a tunnel inside a 1,500 gallon surge tank to see the life of the ocean. Observe sea stars, urchins, limpets, and much more.
• Be an oceanographer for a day. Take ocean samples and view sea life close up through video magnifiers. Test your ocean samples to determine water quality.
• Learn about ongoing scientific research, get an update on marine mammal sightings, and sing along with whales and seals.

Directions:
Take the 101 to the Garden Street exit. Turn towards the ocean. Turn right Cabrillo Blvd. Turn left at State Street on to Stearns Wharf.

Paseo Nuevo Shopping Mall

Paseo Nuevo has a unique Spanish flavor to it. There are bougainvillea growing up the walls. It is an open air shopping area complete with palms and fountains. Tiled arches extend over the walkways. A great photo opportunity is from the second floor across from the movie theatre and Contemporary Arts Forum. There you will find colorful tiled steps, flowering potted plants, and a good view of Paseo Nuevo behind you with its arches and Spanish style architecture.

There is plenty of parking around, but usually there are lots of people so parking can be a bit of a challenge. There is a parking garage on the Chapala side of Paseo Nuevo. There is also parking lots on Figueroa, Canon Perdido, and Ortega. There is plenty of parking around, but usually there are lots of people so parking can be a bit of a challenge. There is a parking garage on the Chapala side of Paseo Nuevo. There is also parking lots on Figueroa, Canon Perdido, and Ortega. These lots are all within one or two blocks of Paseo Nuevo.

Paseo Nuevo is open Monday through Friday from 10AM until until 9PM. On Saturday they are open from 10AM until 8PM, and on Sunday from 11AM until 6PM. For a listing of all the stores, hours and additional information, please visit the website: www.sbmall.com

The Center Stage Theatre is also located within the Paseo Nuevo Shopping area. Phone: 963-0408
Please visit their website at: www.centerstagetheater.org

Vandenberg Air Force Base

Vandenberg Air Force Base: One other point of interest in the Lompoc area is Vandenberg Air Force Base. This is the home of the West Coast's military and space operations, including NASA. The base is open to the public for tours every Wednesday at 10am. On the tour you will see a missile site, a space launch area, Honda point and the Heritage Center. For more information about Vandenberg call PHONE NUMBER (805) 734-8232, ext. 63595. www.vandenberg.af.mil

Knapp's Castle

Knapp's Castle: On East Camino Cielo Road - just before you reach the ridge with the excellent views there is a small single track dirt trail that leads to Knapp's Castle. Knapp's Castle used to be a large stone mansion perched below the ridge overlooking the scenic Santa Ynez Valley. All that is left of this castle are several stone archways and part of the foundation. The views from here are excellent - be careful of the poison oak that grows in abundance in this vicinity. It is about a 10 minute walk to the castle from the paved road. There is a locked gate with the property owner's phone number painted in yellow hanging on a sign.

This gate is located right next to the main road with the trail situated right next to the gate. Walk down the trail and take the short road to your right - this will climb up to Knapp's Castle. If you do not turn off the trail and take the short road that leads up to Knapp's Castle you can continue down the ridge to the bottom of the Santa Ynez valley. This is a single track biking trail and is best for mountain biking, not walking. The trail is quite steep in places so be quite careful if you are biking this. If you do decide to bike down here you can either have someone meet you at the bottom with a car or you will have to bike all the way back up the ridge via Cold Springs paved road

Solvang

Solvang, means "Sunny Field", and is located about 45 miles north of Santa Barbara on highway 246 midway between Highway 101 and the San Marcos Pass (hwy 154). The temperature difference between Santa Barbara and Solvang can be quite dramatic. Solvang regularly gets down to freezing during the winter nights and there will be the occasional snow on the mountains east of town. Solvang is a quaint Danish town. When you drive down main street and some of the nearby streets you will see Danish windmills, old-world architecture, gas streetlights, and Scandinavian restaurants and hotels.

At night the town becomes a blaze of light as small lights decorate most of the buildings. There are over 300 small shops in town, most selling small collectibles, furnishings for the home, and antiques.

Solvang was founded in 1911 as a Danish American colony by Danish educators from the Midwest. These people were searching for a site to build a college. The college was eventually built but was demolished in 1970 to make way for a convalescent facility. Solvang has a Danish custom which involves celebrating the raising of the highest rafter on a new building. This celebration called rejsegilde is observed with most new construction in the area. You may notice a large number of artificial storks on the roof tops of many buildings. These storks are here because they are supposed to bring good luck to the occupants of the house.

The Solvang Theaterfest is a repertory theater presenting plays by the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts. The theatre contains 780 seats and holds performances from June through September.

The 19th of California's 21 missions is located in Solvang. This mission called Old Mission Santa Ines was finished in 1804 and remains one of the best preserved missions. Mission furnishings, artifacts from the early 19th century, and a colorful landscaped garden are open to the public.

Visit the Visitor's Guide website: www.solvangusa.com Solvang was featured along with Buellton and other parts of the Santa Ynez valley in the popular Oscar Award winning movie called Sideways.

Lake Cachuma

Lake Cachuma: If you continue on highway 154 you will come to Cachuma Lake. This is a large human made lake which offers great fishing. The lake is stocked with approximately 150,000 rainbow trout annually. Tent and RV camping are offered. Also check out the popular Yurts for accommodations near the lakefront. Boating is a popular activity here, there are rentals available. Because it is the source of Santa Barbara's drinking water, swimming is not allowed.

Regularly scheduled naturalist hikes are given. Some of the wildlife in the area are bears, deer, wild pigs, and other small animals. The American Bald eagle is a year round resident of the area. The park naturalists conduct a two hour "Eagle Cruise" from November through February, while wildlife cruises are conducted throughout the year.

In the wintertime the tallest of the Santa Ynez mountains which tower above Lake Cachuma in the east, are often covered with snow. On a crisp clear winter day this is a beautiful site.

For more information about activities associated with Cachuma Lake call PHONE NUMBER (805) 568-2460 or for up to date fishing information call the Cachuma Fish watch at PHONE NUMBER (805) 688-7724.

For additional information about Lake Cachuma visit: www.sbparks.com/DOCS/Cachuma.html

Skate Park

The Skate Park is worth visiting to watch skateboarders show off their "stuff"! This park was recently built and contains many jumps and difficult concrete terrain. It is located in the park near the Stearns Wharf entrance on Cabrillo Blvd. Concrete walls surround the skate park and provide a good resting place to watch the skate boarders.

Lobero Theatre

The Lobero Theatre, founded by José Lobero, is a historic building in Santa Barbara, California. It is at the corner of Anacapa and Canon Perdido Streets, less than a block away from the historic Presidio of Santa Barbara. Built in 1873 as an opera house, the theater was rebuilt to designs by architect George Washington Smith for the Community Arts Music Association in the early 1920s, and opened in August 1924, during a period in which civic groups in Santa Barbara were beginning to unify the town's architectural look around a Spanish Colonial style. The theatre continues to host arts and cultural events on 250 or more days per year.

Because of its live acoustics and relatively small size it is particularly suited to chamber music. The Music Academy of the West holds many of its summer concerts in the Lobero.