Santa Barbara in Santa Barbara County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Santa Barbara Mission Lavanderia
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, March 4, 2019
1. Santa Barbara Mission Lavanderia Marker
Inscription.
Santa Barbara Mission Lavanderia. . , This clothes washing basin or lavanderia was built by the Chumash Indians of Santa Barbara Mission village in 1808. Not all missions built such a structure. The Chumash particularly valued cleanliness and worked to construct this lavanderia fed by water from the complex aqueduct system. The only other colonial lavanderia, which survives intact, is at Mission San Luis Rey near Oceanside. Note the finely carved mountain lion's head forming the south spout, which was carved by a Chumash artisan and may be the oldest public sculpture in California. (The Bear's head on the north end is a modern replica.)
Please treat this historic structure with respect as the achievement of the Chumash people who lived and worked here in Mission time.
Landscaping around this lavanderia features native and colonial period plant varieties. Along the west (driveway) side from the north (fountain) end to the south various historic rose varieties are found interspersed with mission period cacti and perennials). The roses are from the north end, the native Rosa Californica, then the colonial import, Rose of Castile propagated from historic stock found at Mission San Antonio. Farther south is the "Kinevan Rose” from the stagecoach stop on San Marco Pass, a mid-nineteenth century variety from a ranch that gathered its orchard cuttings from Santa Barbara Mission stock.
At the Southwest fence corner is a Mission grape variety collected from Mission San Jose. Starting at the top (north) of the east fence plantings include the native "Rogers Red” grape and a selection of imported colonial period grapes collected from various and Mission and rancho sites (Mission San Jose, San Gabriel, La Purisima and various Santa Barbara County ranchos). The Chumash's success in cultivating these grapes originated the wine industry in Santa Barbara County.
This clothes washing basin or lavanderia was built by the Chumash Indians of
Santa Barbara Mission village in 1808. Not all missions built such a structure.
The Chumash particularly valued cleanliness and worked to construct this
lavanderia fed by water from the complex aqueduct system. The only other
colonial lavanderia, which survives intact, is at Mission San Luis Rey near
Oceanside. Note the finely carved mountain lion's head forming the south spout,
which was carved by a Chumash artisan and may be the oldest public sculpture in
California. (The Bear's head on the north end is a modern replica.)
Please treat this historic structure with respect as the achievement of the
Chumash people who lived and worked here in Mission time.
Landscaping around this lavanderia features native and colonial period plant
varieties. Along the west (driveway) side from the north (fountain) end to the
south various historic rose varieties are found interspersed with mission period
cacti and perennials). The roses are from the north end, the native Rosa
Californica, then the colonial import, Rose of Castile propagated from historic
stock found at Mission San Antonio. Farther south is the "Kinevan Rose” from
the stagecoach stop on San Marco Pass, a mid-nineteenth century variety from a
ranch that gathered its orchard cuttings from Santa Barbara Mission stock.
At the Southwest fence corner is a Mission grape variety collected from Mission
San Jose. Starting at the top (north) of the east fence plantings include the native
"Rogers Red” grape and a selection of imported colonial period grapes collected
from various and Mission and rancho sites (Mission San Jose, San Gabriel, La
Purisima and various Santa Barbara County ranchos). The Chumash's success in
cultivating these grapes originated the wine industry in Santa Barbara County.
Location. 34° 26.264′ N, 119° 42.78′ W. Marker is in Santa Barbara, California, in Santa Barbara County. It is at the intersection of Laguna Street and E. Los Olivos Street, on the right when traveling north on Laguna Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2201 Laguna Street, Santa Barbara CA 93105, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on California’s Central Coast, specifically on the Coast Ranges, and specifically in the Transverse Ranges. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexicos Alta California.
3. Santa Barbara Mission Lavanderia and Marker, with Mission in background
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, March 4, 2019
4. Lavanderia - north end
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, March 4, 2019
5. North end of the Lavanderia
This lavanderia or washing basin was completed in 1818. It served as the original Mission laundry. The Indians soaped the clothes on sloping sides and rinsed them in the center pool.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 13, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 13, 2019, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 1,949 times since then and 175 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on June 13, 2019, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
