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| To Encourage the Preservation of Historic Buildings and Sites in the County of Santa Barbara | ||||
Monthly Electronic Newsletter - April, 2007 .................................................................... Vol. II, Issue III |
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eNews is an e-mail publication from the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (Trust) and is an exclusive benefit for Trust members. It is one of many ways we try to show you how much your contribution to the Trust helps us in everything we do. With so much going on, there has never been a better time to be a member of the Trust. Thanks again for your support. Please feel free to share this e-mail with your family and friends. |
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FOUNDING DAY | Celebrating Santa Barbara's 225th Birthday!
“Founding Day” Join the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP) in celebrating the 225th anniversary of the founding of El Presidio de Santa Barbara, our city’s 18th century birthplace. This free community celebration features traditional music by local guitarist Anthony Ybarra, dances by the El Camino School dancers, Early California living history demonstrations, adobe brick making, as well as hands-on archaeology activities for the entire family.
Festivities begin at 11:00 AM with mass celebrated in the Historic Presidio Chapel by Father Luis Quihuis, S.J., Our Lady of Sorrows Church, immediately followed by a reenactment of the original Presidio founding ceremony on April 21, 1782, a tribute to Saint Barbara (the city’s patron saint) and comments from this year’s featured speaker, Inocencio F. Arias, Cónsul General of Spain in Los Angeles. Step back in time and meet the fort’s uniformed soldiers (Soldados), cook delicious tortillas on a comal in the tradition of Santa Barbara’s early settlers, and visit with Master Potter Ruben Reyes as he demonstrates the art of pottery making and fires his creations in a traditional wood fired kiln. This project is funded in part by the COMMUNITY EVENTS & FESTIVALS Program using funds provided by the City of Santa Barbara in partnership with the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission. Additional funding provided by Williams-Corbett Foundation, Towbes Foundation, & Venoco Inc. |
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| Trust Purchases the Site of "Jimmy's Oriental Gardens"
The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation is pleased to announce that it has purchased the property at 126 East Canon Perdido Street in downtown Santa Barbara, the site of “Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens” restaurant. The SBTHP officially closed escrow on Friday, March 9, purchasing the historic location, which includes the restaurant and an attached studio apartment as well as a three bedroom house and second story two bedroom apartment at the rear of the property. Owned and operated by the Chung family at the East Canon Perdido site since 1947, Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens was a longtime favorite for locals and tourists alike before closing its doors in 2006 with the retirement of owner Tommy Chung. Funding for the purchase was secured through a commercial loan from Montecito Bank and Trust and low-interest loans from local supporting foundations, including the Santa Barbara Foundation, Hutton Foundation, Outhwaite Charitable Trust and Wood-Claeyssens Foundation. With their support the SBTHP was able to purchase the historic site and ensure the buildings’ preservation for future generations. Opened in 1947 by Tommy Chung’s father, Jimmy Yee Chung, the Chung family and Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens have been a part of the diverse communities of people who have lived and worked within the center of the original Presidio neighborhood over the past 225 years. After recently leading a video-taped tour of Jimmy’s in which he described the evolution of the restaurant and shared memories from his childhood with SBTHP staff members, Tommy Chung noted that the preservation work of the SBTHP was a factor in the sale, commenting, “As the last remnant of Chinatown, Jimmy’s serves as a visible link to the present and the past. It’s one piece of the puzzle that makes up the history of Santa Barbara and the evolution of the Presidio neighborhood.” The SBTHP will be working with the California State Parks Department to incorporate the property into the Presidio State Historic Park. In cooperation with State Parks and the local community, the SBTHP will begin an immediate planning process for the site to insure that this important link to Santa Barbara’s Asian history is interpreted and preserved for future generations. At the same time the SBTHP will address the urgent challenge of funding the substantial costs required to carry the property until it is sold to the State of California. |
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Spotlight On: Los Soldados del Real Presidio de Santa Barbara
If you've attended a Trust sponsored event in the past few years, chances are you're very familiar with Los Soldados: Soldiers of the Royal Presidio of Santa Bárbara (Soldados del Reál Presidio de Santa Bárbara) - the Living History organization portraying Spanish Soldados de Cuera in Santa Bárbara during the 18th century. In April of 1990, this living history group formed to recreate the Soldado de Cuera of the period 1769-1821. The group is chartered to authentically portray the Spanish presidial soldier by means of reenactments of military drill, use of period costumes, role playing, and research into period history. Los Soldados re-enact the soldiers, civilians and their families as they lived at the Presidio of Santa Barbara in the period of time following the founding of the presidio in 1782. Los Soldados are valuable contributors to numerous educational events throughout the year at El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park, sharing the stories of the early settlers of Alta California and the Santa Barbara Presidio with school children, the local community and visitors from around the world. In addition to their work at El Presidio de Santa Barbara, Los Soldados find time to participate in many other prominent community celebrations and reenactments throughout the Southwest. In less than three months Los Soldados have played a key role in three major community events:
On February 17, 2007, Soldados Jim Martinez, Mike Hardwick, Ben Valenzuela, Jack Romero and Bud Decker participated in the annual Yuma Crossing Day in historic Yuma, Arizona. Los Soldados were part of the scores of re-enactors who helped celebrate the history of the Yuma Crossing and the story of the diverse community that developed in what is now known as the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area. Los Soldados also gathered at the site of the Yuma Massacre on the banks of the Colorado River where on July 17, 1781, Spanish Captain Fernando de Rivera y Moncada and 131 settlers, priests, and soldiers were killed in a surprise attack in Yuma by Kw'tsa'n (Quechan) and Mohave Indians. On February 25, 2007, Jim, Mike, Ben, Jack, Bud, and Dave Martinez represented Los Soldados del Real Presidio de Santa Barbara at "Anza en Calabazas" an annual outdoor performance, held at Soka University of America in Calabasas, commemorating February 22, 1776, when the 240-person expedition led by Juan Bautista de Anza camped in the area on their way to establishing a new town that would later become San Francisco. The play is produced annually by the Calabasas Anza Heritage Association and is based on the diaries of Anza and Father Pedro Front (the priest-in-charge). On March 31, 2007 the Soldados helped celebrate the 225th anniversary of the founding of San Buenaventura Mission. Los Soldados were an integral part in the founding ceremony, helping re-enact the church's historic dedication with the raising of a cross at "la playa de la canal de Santa Barbara" — the beach of the Santa Barbara Channel — on Easter morning, March 31, 1782. The next chance to see Los Soldados in action is at the Santa Barbara Presidio's own 225th anniversary on Saturday, April 21, 2007 at El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park. Don't miss it! |
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SBTHP Participates in Fifth Annual Park Advocacy Day
On Monday, March 26, 2007, SBTHP Executive Director Dr. Jarrell Jackman, Board President Barbara Lindemann, and Membership/PR Coordinator Jared Brach proudly represented El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park and SBTHP at the Fifth Annual Park Advocacy Day (PAD) in Sacramento, California. Sponsored annually by the California State Parks Foundation (the only statewide non-profit organization dedicated to protecting, enhancing and advocating for California's magnificent State Parks), Park Advocacy Day provides park supporters and volunteers from all over California the opportunity to advocate for state parks by meeting with legislators, legislative staff and members of the Governor's Administration. Each year participants urge elected officials to take action to protect and support our 278 state parks. PAD began early with a morning briefing and welcoming remarks from Elizabeth Goldstein, President of the California State Parks Foundation, and Ruth Coleman, Director of California State Parks. After a brief pep talk attendees were split into teams, given a schedule for the day and sent on their way to meet with their respective legislatures. Officially designated "Team Q," SBTHP representatives met with State Senator Tom McClintock, Assembly Member Audra Strickland, Assembly Member Martin Garrick, and Assembly Member Pedro Nava, as well as members of their staff. The main topic discussed this year was the $1.2 billion maintenance backlog facing California State Parks. In 2006 Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneger put $250 million into the state budget to try and chip away at the almost 8,000 maintenance projects that have stacked up since the early 1980s. That same year California voters approved Proposition 84, the $5.4 billion water and natural resources protection bond that includes $400 million to improve existing parks and create new ones. But the governor, facing a tight budget and declining revenue, has suggested cutting the $250 million maintenance allocation in his proposed state budget by 64 percent to $90 million. In meetings with their assigned representatives, State Park supporters stressed the need for all of the allocated funding in order to adequately maintain California's State Parks for the enjoyment of future generations. Following Park Advocacy Day, participants attended the annual Legacy Awards Reception, honoring leaders who have demonstrated a commitment to protecting state parks. This year the California State Parks Foundation honored Senate President pro Tempore Don Perata and Assembly Member Pedro Nava. At the reception Dr. Jackman had the honor of presenting Assembly member Nava with the award honoring him for his extraordinary commitment to the protection and enhancement of California's state parks. This year a total of 155 park supporters traveled to the State Capitol to advocate for the protection and support of California's state parks and these meetings made a great impact in legislators' support for key park policies and issues. An afternoon press conference on the steps of the State Capitol helped local media see the strength of the parks movement in California and even garnered front page coverage in the Bay Area and California section of the San Francisco Chronicle. Park Advocacy Day is open to everyone who wants to protect, enhance and support state parks. For more information about Park Advocacy Day visit the California State Parks Foundation. |
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Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation |
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