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The Trust's 2nd Annual Fundraiser: Tapas, Vino y Arte
Save the Date! Saturday, June 10, 2006
The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation presents Tapas, Vino y Arte at the Historic El Presidio de Santa Barbara in the heart of the city on Saturday, June 10, 2006 from 4:00pm to 7:00pm. The Trust’s 2nd Annual Fundraiser will feature wine from some of the area’s finest wineries, tapas from flavorful local restaurants and the opportunity to bid on works of art from some of Santa Barbara’s premiere artists.
Join us as decorations guide guests through the Presidio Chapel and into the rear courtyard where they will spill out into a series of food, wine and art stations sprinkled throughout the adorned Presidio grounds. Guests will stroll throughout the site enjoying an assortment of wines, and an array of stationed hors d’oeuvres as the music of the talented and energetic 7-piece Laguna Blanca School band entertains. The event includes a silent auction and features works from selected artists invited with the help of accomplished local artist and event coordinating assistant, Larry Iwerks.
As part of this fundraising event the Trust will unveil the two highly anticipated, newly reconstructed rooms (Family Quarters) on the Northwest Corner of El Presidio (currently under construction). These two rooms, completed just in time for Tapas, Vino y Arte, will be the most recent additions to the Trust’s reconstruction efforts and will eventually house the new Presidio visitor’s center and interpret the history of El Presidio de Santa Barbara and the entire Presidio Neighborhood. Be sure to keep an eye out for your invitation! This fundraising event directly supports the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation. For more information please call 805.965.0093.

El Presidio de Santa Barbara the Featured Cover Story in the Spring 2006 Issue of American Archaeology: The fascinating story of archaeological research and practice at El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park, under the direction of the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation, is the feature story in the Spring 2006 issue of American Archaeology. In the article Trust senior staff archaeologist, Michael Imwalle, and Trust Board of Trustee’s member and Professor Emeritus of anthropology at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Dr. Robert Hoover, discuss the rare opportunity El Presidio de Santa Barbara presents for ongoing archaeology and the years of invaluable information that has been revealed.
Researched and written last summer during Dr. Hoover’s annual archaeology field school offered through Cal Poly Continuing Education and held at the Presidio, the article explores how “the Trust has funded archaeological research on the site for nearly 40 years to inform the historically accurate restoration and reconstruction of the presidio’s buildings,” writes author John McKinney. Imwalle goes onto explain, “It’s important to view the presidio’s archaeology within the context of it being conducted inside an official state park,” this fact has protected the site from further development and made funding for archaeological research possible. Dr. Hoover explains that the Trust’s archaeological work has not only shed light on the history of El Presidio, but also offered insight into the unique presidio neighborhood and the diverse groups that have inhabited it, “we’ve been able to contribute to the understanding of other people and periods.”
Often mistaken for the Santa Barbara Mission (established four years later in 1786), research at El Presidio has helped to separate the two Spanish settlements. “It’s apparent to Mike Imwalle that after four decades of research; archaeologists have learned that life at the presidio was different from that at the mission” writes McKinney. “Our work is showing that the presidio has its own stories to tell, stories quite apart from its relationship to the mission” says Imwalle.
Thanks to Dr. Hoover’s field school and continued support for Trust archeology programs, we are assured that these stories will continue to be told. For more information about Trust archaeology programs, the Santa Barbara Presidio Archaeological Field School, or how to receive a copy of American Archaeology please call 805.965.0093.

Northwest Corner Reconstruction Update: The rains have come and reconstruction efforts are on a brief hiatus... for now. But do not fret, work will continue again in no time! Reconstruction has progressed rapidly since work began on November 23, 2005. The main beam supporting the roof of these two new rooms has been placed. Supporting rafters, stripped "adzed" and fitted by hand, are now being secured (see right). Efforts are currently underway to secure enough reed to complete the new roof. The beams and reeds will be secured with the help of rawhide strips cut in a spiral and tied when wet. As they dry, the strips shrink and tightly fasten the reeds and rafters in place. Phase I of this project is slated to be finished in early June with the finished rooms unveiled for the first time at the Trust's 2nd annual fundraising event: Tapas, Vino y Arte (see description above). We hope to see you there!