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This site is owned, designed, and operated by Kenneth A. Larson who has over a quarter century of experience in design and construction of scenery for the Entertainment Industry and Theme Parks using Computer Aided and Traditional approaches to Design. Ken also has experience in other areas of Design.
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Select photographs of my many visits to The Missions of the United States South and Southwest built by Spain and Mexico between 1565 and 1823. All photographs taken by Kenneth A. Larson. All rights reserved. © 2008 - 2013. |
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By Founding Date
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| My wife and I had been visiting the mission and related constructions in Santa Barbara in September of 2003 and were tired as we left for home. The last Spanish construction we saw in Santa Barbara was the Santa Barbara Royal Presidio, on the way out of town. Two streets breach the restored wall of the Presideo with an intersection toward one corner of the parade grounds. A quick look and we promised ourselves that we would stop the next time. We kept that promise on a Saturday in May of 2004 when El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park was our primary destination. We spent several hours exploring the three pieces of the restored adobe Presidio and the adjacent Commander's home. Restoration is continuing, so we plan to return every few years. We visited it again briefly a few months later as part of the Red Tile Walking Tour of historic Santa Barbara. It was many years before I returned, on May 15, 2010 to help make adobe bricks for the restoration of the west corner outer wall. |
 Mission Art & Photo-Art |
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In April of 1782, Lieutenant José Francisco Orrtega and a party of soldiers and settlers arrived in at a site between the Santa Ynes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. El Presidio Real de Santa Barbara, the fourth presidio, was founded in Santa Barbara on April 21, 1782, four years before the founding of Mission Santa Barbara. On that day, Father Junípero Serra celebrated Mass and thus, established the city of Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara Presidio provided security to the missions along the Central Coast between San Fernando and the Pueblo of Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo. Lieutenant José Francisco Ortega, the first Comandante, was succeeded in 1784 by Lieutenant Felipe de Goicoechea who commanded until 1802. The original construction was a palisade of vertical logs joined by horizontal sticks and covered with mud. Between 1784 and 1788, the adobe structure was built. The adobe structures formed a quadrangle about four hundred feet on each side with a nine-foot outer wall completed in 1789. Between the outer wall and the adobe buildings were small individual yards. In the center of one wall was the church and in the opposite wall was the gate. At two opposite corners were guard towers from which the entire perimeter of the Presidio could be observed. Later, about 1792, the original Chapel, too small and ready to collapse, was replaced with a larger Chapel. A new outer defense wall was constructed on this side. Earthquakes in 1806 and 1812 caused extensive damage to the structures. After the Mexican Resolution in 1821, all people refusing to pledge loyalty to the new government were expelled. The Presidio further deteriorated and by the 1840, the Presidio was in partial ruin. With the arrival of Colonel John C. Fremont and the US occupation, the Presidio ceased to be a military installation. El Presidio Real de Santa Barbara was the last Presidio to end service. The Presidio had deteriorated and was no longer of importance when the streets of Santa Barbara were laid out in the 1850as and 1860. Now, the reconstructed structures yield to streets and an intersection is located just inside one corner of the central plaza. Other, now historic, building were later built on the site, including Santa Barbara's China Town. Parts of the Presidio were demolished in 1925. The presidio had deteriorated and the city was growing when the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation began to preserve and reconstruct the site in 1963. The reconstruction of the Chapel was completed in 1985. Careful archeological excavation uncovered the original stone foundations, all that remained, which guided the reconstruction of the Chapel. Part of the surviving structure is El Cuartel, the second oldest residence in California. (See San Diego Old Town for the oldest residence) El Cuartel was the residence of the last soldier who guarded the West Gate of the Plaza de Armas. Current Archaeological work is preparing the original stone foundations for reconstruction of a second corner. A block away from the Presidio is Casa de la Guerra, the home of Presidio Commandant José de la Guerra. This U-shaped home was built in 1820. The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation has been researching and restoring this structure since 1990. |
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El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park is located at 123 East Canon Perdido Street, around the intersection Canon Perdido Street and Santa Barbara Street. PO Box 388 Santa Barbara, CA 93102-0388 Directions: Exit Highway 101 at Garden Street going north (away from the beach and into town). Turn left on Canon Perdido Street and find a place to park. |
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 Church and front facade. Photo date: 8-7-04. |
 Church and front facade. Photo date: 8-7-04. |
 Front of chaple. |
 Facade of northwest wing. |
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 Northwest of section that is now the Visitor Center. |
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| Cannon Display. Two cannons (back in left image, left in right image) are reproductions of the Presidio cannons, used for defense. The original cannons had a 1.5 inch bore and a 36 inch barrel of bronze firing a 4 pound ball and were of British manufacture. Two cannons (forward in left image, right in right image) are Cannon 'C' and Cannon 'D' found in the sand along the beach of Goleta Beach Park after a storm in 1982. The five cannons found may be from the Spanish ship Dorotea which grounded in 1829 and was refloated a year later. These two guns have a 3.3 inch bore and a length of 54.25 inches, weighing 625 pounds and fired a 4 pound ball. The guns were restored. | |
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| Statue of King Carlos of Spain. | |
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| The aqueduct along the inside of the northwest outer defence wall. | |
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| Uncovering early constructions. | |
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| This reconstruction of the Comandancia of the Presidio was built in 1992 to replicate the 1787 original which served as the headquarters for Comandante Filipe de Goicoechea and the following two commandants. Originally the suite consisted of four rooms, the oficina (office), zaguán (entry), sala (living room), recamara (bedroom). The bedroom and part of the livingroom were demolished for the construction of Santa Barbara Street. The comandancia was damaged by an earthquake in 1812 and converted into a store room and the commander moved to the area across Santa Barbara Street. | |
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| El Cuartel is a small section across Canon Perdido Street frm the main site. It was originally part of the Presidio, constructed in 1788 as part of the quadrangle, used as soldier's quarters. Later it was a home to the Valenzuela family from Mexican times to 1924. Part of the building was demolished to make way for Canon Perdido Street. The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation bought it in 1963 and transferred it to the State as the first unit of the El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park. | |
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 Progress guage for reconstruction of the Presidio on August 9, 2014. |
 Adobe brick making materials, May 15, 2010. |
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| Southwest wall as of May 15, 2010. Note the use of concrete within the adobe to stabalize the wall. | |
 Exterior side. |
Interior side.
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| Southwest outer defence wall as of August 9, 2014. | |
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| New gate in northwest outer defence wall, near west corner. Note the concrete core with adobe blocks surrounding. | |
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| Making adobe bricks on May 15, 2010. | |
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| Making adobe bricks on May 15, 2010. | |
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| Making adobe bricks on May 15, 2010. | |
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| Making adobe bricks on May 15, 2010. | |
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| Making adobe bricks on May 15, 2010. | |
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| Making adobe bricks on May 15, 2010. | |
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| Making adobe bricks on May 15, 2010. | |
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Santa Barbara
Presidio Main Page |
Church
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North Corner
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Northwest Quadrangle
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Northwest Side
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West Corner
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El Cuartel
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Exhibits
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Restoration
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Grounds
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By Founding Date
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| Note:This is not the official site for any of the places shown in US Mission Trail. US Mission Trail is not responsible for accuracy of the information. Hours of operations, prices, and exhibits are subject to change without notice. |
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Support this Web Site I hope that you find this web site helpful. It started because of my love for the California Missions and interest in History and a desire to share my photographs and tales of my adventures. I don't allow paid advertising. This web site is for your benefit and enjoyment and I make no profit on it. For twenty years it has been supported primarily from my regular paycheck as a Set Designer. A non-tax deductable donation helps cover the cost of operating this web site and may be made to Kesign Design Consulting through PayPal. | ||
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If you are in the need of a designer, please see my Set Designer portfolio site Set Design Portfolio. |
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This site maintained by Kenneth A. Larson. Copyright © 2004 - 2023, Kenneth A. Larson. All Rights Reserved. Website content including photographic and graphic images may not be redistributed for use on another website. |
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