Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation
ph (805) 965-0093
fax (805) 568-1999
PO Box 388,
Santa Barbara,
CA 93102

Archaeological research has played an integral role in the development of El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park for nearly forty years. James Deetz conducted the first known archaeological excavation of the Presidio site in 1961. During the late-1960's and early 1970's a dedicated group known as the Presidio Volunteers focused excavations on the chapel site and the adjoining padre's quarters. Using the 1788 Goicoechea/Fages plan as their guide, they also excavated at various locations around the quadrangle in order to determine the alignment and location of the original presidio quadrangle.

1788 Goicoechea / Fages Plan of Presidio Real de Santa Barbara

Presidio Volunteers (from left to right) Russell Clay Ruiz Jr., Alice Ruiz, Russell Clay Ruiz Sr., Michael Hardwick, Richard Whitehead, and Jeremy Hass (seated)

During the past four decades the site of the Santa Barbara Presidio has been the focus of numerous educational programs. During the 1970's students from Santa Barbara Junior High School, Santa Barbara High School, and Santa Barbara City College participated in archaeological programs at the presidio.

In 1983 an archaeological field school from the University of California, Santa Barbara began exploratory excavations in the northeast corner of the presidio quadrangle. Field schools sponsored by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the 1994 and 1995 concentrated on the identification of presidio structures in the northwest corner of the quadrangle.

1983 Archaeological Field School, University of California, Santa Barbara (Under the direction of Dr. Pandora Snethkamp and Vance Benté)	1995 Archaeological Field School, California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo (Under the direction of Dr. Robert Hoover)	Archaeological Field School, California State University, Long Beach (Under the direction of Dr. Daniel Larson)	Crew Photograph of 1998 Girls Dig-It Program

In 1996, 1998, and 2000, California State University, Long Beach conducted field classes at the presidio using various geophysical techniques. Seismic resistivity, proton and cesium magnetometers, and ground penetrating radar were introduced to students as they surveyed the Rochin adobe property in search of the southeast corner of the presidio. Recently, archaeological education programs have also been conducted for Girls Incorporated, Girl Scouts, and the City of Santa Barbara Community Housing Authority.

Aerial Photograph of El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park

	Hearth feature uncovered during the 1998 Northwest Corner Excavation

Recently, the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation's archaeological staff has conducted excavations in the vicinity of the northwest corner of the presidio quadrangle. Northwest corner excavations have revealed scores of artifacts from Santa Barbara's earliest European settlement as well as archaeological features indicative of palisade and adobe structures, cooking facilities, and domestic trash disposal sites.

Presidio artifacts representing cooking and food preparation are the most common items recovered from presidio excavations. Clothing related items and personal items such as coins and beads have also been recovered in large quantities). Dozens of artifacts from recent presidio excavations are featured in the exhibit "Documenting Life in Early Spanish California" currently on display in the northeast corner of the presidio quadrangle. See current exhibits.

	Kitchen and Food related items on display at the Northeast Corner archaeological exhibit		Clothing and Personal items on display at the Northeast Corner archaeological exhibit

The south end of El Cuartel (Valenzuela adobe) circa 1880

The Trust archaeological staff has also overseen the stabilization of El Cuartel, the oldest adobe in the California State Parks system. El Cuartel is an original presidio adobe (1788) designed to house a soldier and his family. Stabilization work was funded by a grant from the Department of Parks and Recreation's Cultural Stewardship Program.

Restoration of the south end of El Cuartel in 2003

The stabilization work included the removal of a concrete slab from the interior of the building and repairing damage from basal erosion on the exterior. With the adobe wall stabilization completed, the Trust archaeological staff is now working with a team of architects and engineers to develop a plan to seismically retrofit the adobe.

Trust Archaeology staff - March 2003

The Trust's archaeological staff continues to conduct field, archival, and laboratory research on a number of ongoing projects within El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park as well as other Trust owned properties. Ongoing research projects are being conducted at the Casa de la Guerra, the Mission Santa Inés mills, and the Rochin adobe.

The Presidio Archaeology Laboratory is located at 916 Santa Barbara Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. For information on becoming an archaeological volunteer; contact Michael Imwalle at 805-962-2101