Arroyo Hondo creek has the best habitat on the south coast of Santa Barbara County for the endangered Southern California Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss). This native fish spends part of its life in freshwater streams like this one, and part . . . — — Map (db m71951)
Built in 1929, this was the first gas station of the Barnsdall-Rio Grande Oil Co., which drilled the Ellwood Oil Field Discovery Well in 1928. Wheeler's Restaurant (circa 1930) was adjacent to the station on the west side. "The Postman Always . . . — — Map (db m299966) HM
The Bicycle Craze
When the bicycling craze swept the country in the 1880s, the South Coast was not left behind.
By 1887 the Santa Barbara Wheeling Club was established. Avid local cyclists began organizing elaborate bicycle outings. . . . — — Map (db m283406) HM
An Unofficial Navy
In the early 19th century, Spanish colonies in the
New World ware struggling for independence and
devising ways to disrupt Spain's economic and
military power. One effective means was to hire privateers . . . — — Map (db m283407) HM
In 1868 this tavern was known as "Cold Spring Relay Station". It was the half-way stop between "Mattei's Tavern" to the north, and Patrick Kinevan's "Summit House" to the south.
In those days sturdy stagecoaches known as "mudwagons" traveled . . . — — Map (db m171314) HM
Santa Barbara Airport Terminal is hereby named Earle Ovington Terminal in recognition of his outstanding contributions to aviation and his part in the development of aviation in Santa Barbara.
Earle Ovington was the first pilot to carry air . . . — — Map (db m67194) HM
In 1906, guidepost bells were placed along the El Camino Real to guide early travelers and to preserve this historic route which linked California's missions beginning in 1769 — — Map (db m310315) HM
Here on Christmas Day, 1846 natives and soldiers from the Presidio of Santa Barbara lay in ambush for Lt. Col. John C. Fremont, U.S.A. and his battalion. Advised of the plot, Fremont was guided over the San Marcos Pass by Benjamin Foxen and his son . . . — — Map (db m159869) HM
An Old Route
As you wind your way through Gaviota Pass, you're following a well used route. Chumash blazed the first creekside trail, Spanish missionaries on foot followed the path, horseback riders picked their way across boulders, . . . — — Map (db m283402) HM
People have lived along the Gaviota coast and its offshore islands for the past 13,000 years or more, By the 18th century, Native Americans speaking several
Chumash languages occupied the region from Malibu to at least Moro Bay
living close to the . . . — — Map (db m310302) HM
After conquering the Aztec empire in Mexico in 1521, Spain continued to expand its territories in the New World and persisted in its quest for a short route to the fabled riches of the Far East. Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo led the first voyage of . . . — — Map (db m310305) HM
Under the command of Captain Gaspar de Portola, the first Spanish land
expedition made its way north along the California coast from San Diego in 1769, in search of Monterey Bay. Spain commissioned land exploration in the
hope of locating suitable . . . — — Map (db m310307) HM
Mission La Purisima Concepcion, founded in 1787, and Mission Santa Ines,
established in 1804, were both inland settlements, located near present-day
Lompoc and Solvang. Each of these missions also had an embarcadero, a
designated landing where . . . — — Map (db m310308) HM
One of the first ranchos created in California was Nuestra Señora del Refugio,
which permitted Jose Francisco Ortega, the retired commandante of Santa Barbara presidio, the use of mission lands along the Gaviota coast, beginning about 1797, . . . — — Map (db m310309) HM
By the mid 19th century the United States was expanding westward toward huge
territories loosely governed by Mexico. Though officially part of Mexico, these
sprawling territories were in fact too far from Mexico City and had been
neglected too . . . — — Map (db m310310) HM
Highway 101 has gone by many names: State Route 2, the Coast Highway, and
El Camino Real, the King's Highway. Originally a meandering foot trail that
followed the creek, Gaviota Pass was slightly widened for stagecoaches around
1861. Even so, the . . . — — Map (db m310311) HM
Following statehood, many Mexican ranchos were gradually broken up into
smaller land holdings. Ranchers and farmers from Gaviota and the Santa Ynez
Valley eager to get their produce to market, built a wharf for shipping wool,
grain and cattle. . . . — — Map (db m310312) HM
On this site stands Goleta Depot, an enduring tribute to many who, with generous gifts of love, time, and resources made possible its acquisition, restoration, and maintenance as Santa Barbara County Landmark No. 22.
Built in 1901 near . . . — — Map (db m176316) HM
Built in 1875 by Thomas Hope of Ireland, the house was headquarters for the 4500-acre sheep ranch. The house, which was designed by Peter Barber, was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. George Obern in 1967 and restored to near original condition. — — Map (db m106424) HM
Near this site, at 7:07 P.M., February 23, 1942, the California coast at Ellwood received the first naval bombardment of the United States mainland since the War of 1812. — — Map (db m138649) HM WM
On February 23, 1942, at 7:00 PM, during one of President Roosevelt's Fireside Chats,
the Japanese submarine I-17 shelled this Richfield Oil Field site with 25 5-inch rounds.
Not since the War of 1812 had the U.S. mainland been attacked by a . . . — — Map (db m143317) HM
Strange Discovery
In 1853, the remains of small
"elephants" were discovered on Santa Rosa Island. Over the years the number of remains found continued to grow, and in 1925 this pygmy species was named Mammuthus exilis.
These . . . — — Map (db m283404) HM
This Building Was Originally Constructed in the 1920's by Earle Ovington on the Present-Day Santa
Barbara Community Golf Course as a Private Hangar for His Biplane. He Was the First Pilot to
Officially Carry U.S. Mail by Air in 1911. The Site Was . . . — — Map (db m161408) HM
Skyscrapers of the Sea
The land beneath the Santa Barbara Channel is rich with petroleum deposits. In the 1880s the first wells were drilled in shallow waters near shore. Within a few years, the beach was crowded with wooden piers . . . — — Map (db m283405) HM
Aleut Hunters
The first kayakers in these waters were hunters brought to California
from the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. In the early 19th century Native
American Aleuts, forced to hunt under the banner of the Russian-American . . . — — Map (db m283401) HM
Crossing the Ocean
The Chumash paddled tomols - plank canoes - across the Santa Barbara Channel to fish, to trade, and to maintain kinship ties. Tomol builders occupied an elite place in Chumash society due to their special skills . . . — — Map (db m283403) HM
