Santa Barbara — The Forgotten Register

Your investigation begins at the Old Mission Santa Barbara, the tenth of 21 Spanish Californian missions. Founded on December 4, 1786, by Father Fermín Lasuén, it is known as the 'Queen of the Missions' for its architectural preservation. Rebuilt in 1820 after the 1812 earthquake, this Mission Santa Barbara is a California Historical Landmark and a Chumash Cultural Site. It is here, among the 4,000 burials of Chumash and missionaries between 1789 and 1959, that you search for the first clues of the missing register. The archived documents here, essential to the history of Santa Barbara, are your starting point.

Adjacent to the Old Mission Santa Barbara, your path leads to the A. C. Postel Memorial Rose Garden. Created in 1952 by Alice Postel in memory of her husband, the municipal arborist from 1928 to 1951, this garden hosts approximately 1,200 rose bushes of over 100 varieties across 1 acre. Open to the public since 1956 and recognized by the American Rose Society, this tranquil spot reflects Santa Barbara's evolution after the missionary period. The volunteers who maintain it continue a tradition of dedication to the city, echoing the collective effort that built California.

Continue your investigation towards the Old Mission Dam. Built around 1807 by missionaries and Chumash Native Americans, this 200-foot-long, 15-foot-high stone structure is one of the oldest preserved in Southern California. It irrigated the fields of the Old Mission Santa Barbara until the 1920s via a 7-mile aqueduct system. This remnant of the California Mission Trail offers insight into the engineering challenges and cultural collaboration during the Spanish era, a crucial period for the establishment of Santa Barbara.

Your quest then leads you to El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park, founded in 1782 as the fourth Spanish military fort in Alta California. Designated a State Historic Site in 1948, it preserves restored buildings from 1782-1846. This location served as a command post for the northern coast and was the scene of the 1824 Chumash revolt. As commander, José de la Guerra y Noriega resided here, and it was within these walls that vital decisions for the city of Santa Barbara were made. You explore the remnants of this fortress, a National Historic Landmark.

The journey concludes at Casa de la Guerra, built between 1819 and 1827 for José de la Guerra y Noriega, commander of the Presidio. This adobe house served as an administrative center during the Mexican period (1821-1846) and the site of city council meetings. Restored in 1920, it now houses exhibits on 19th-century Californian life. The adjacent De la Guerra Plaza, formed in 1827, was a place for civic gatherings. The Santa Barbara Historical Museum, founded in 1932, manages these archives, including missionary documents. Finally, the Old Mission Cemetery, opened in 1789, where over 5,000 people are buried, including 3,748 Chumash, reveals the last secret of Santa Barbara's forgotten register, offering you a deep understanding of this iconic California city.