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

El Presidio Chapel and Bell Tower

Founded April 21, 1782, the Santa Barbara Royal Presidio was the last in a chain of four military fortresses built by the Spanish along the coast of Alta California, then a wilderness frontier. Others had been established at San Diego, San Francisco and Monterey. Padre Junípero Serra, well known for his leadership in founding the California missions, blessed the site of the Santa Barbara Presidio four years prior to the establishment of the Mission of Santa Barbara in 1786. El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park encompasses much of the original Presidio site and is located in modern downtown Santa Barbara at the intersection of Santa Barbara and East Canon Perdido Streets.

Northeast Corner El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park

The Presidios played a vital role in the occupation of New Spain. They protected the missions and settlers against attack by Indians, provided a seat of government, and guarded the country against foreign invasion. The Santa Barbara Presidio was both military headquarters and governmental center of the entire region extending from the southern limits of present day San Luis Obispo County to and including the Pueblo of Los Angeles.

Plan Your Visit MUSEUM LOCATION & HOURS: El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park is located at 123 East Canon Perdido Street in downtown Santa Barbara. El Presidio is open daily from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm Museum phone: (805) 965-0093. Guided tours of the site can be arranged by contacting the Trust at (805) 965-0093. ADMISSION: Free for Trust Members. $3 for Non-Members. Children 16 & Under are free. Entrance is free with paid admission to Casa de la Guerra. DRIVING DIRECTIONS: CLICK HERE VIEW THE PRESIDIO VISITOR'S GUIDE (pdf)

The whitewashed buildings were constructed of sun-dried adobe bricks laid upon foundations of sandstone boulders. Timbers from the Los Padres forest supported roofs of red tile. The buildings of the Presidio formed a quadrangle enclosing a central parade ground, the whole surrounded by an outer defense wall with two cannon bastions. The most prominent structure was the Chapel, Santa Barbara's first church for its townspeople. The Christianized Indian population worshipped at the mission.

The first Comandante of the new Presidio was Lt. José Francisco de Ortega. He was succeeded in 1784 by Lt. Felipe de Goicoechea, who supervised construction of the fortifications and living quarters for the soldiers and their families and remained in command until 1802.

El Cuartel

Cañedo Adobe

Today, only two sections of the original Presidio quadrangle remain, and both are within the State Park: El Cuartel, the family residence of the soldier assigned to guard the western gate into the Plaza de Armas, and the Cañedo Adobe, named after the Presidio soldier to whom it was deeded when the Presidio became inactive.

Buenaventura Pico Adobe

The Buenaventura Pico adobe is an example of a Mexican period adobe built circa 1830. Santiago de la Cruz Pico arrived in California with the 1776 Anza Expedition. Santiago's grandson Buenaventura and his wife Anita moved into the adobe after marriage in 1850. The most recent addition to El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park is the Rochín adobe.

Rochín Adobe

The Rochín adobe is an example of an American period adobe built in 1856 by José María Rochín. His wife, Lorenza Ordaz de Rochín, was a descendent of Francisco Ortega, the first Comandante of the presidio. The addition of the Rochín adobe (1856) to El Presidio State Historic Park is a nice compliment to the Spanish period Presidio adobes (1780s) and the Mexican period Buenaventura Pico adobe (circa 1830).

California State Parks

The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation enjoys a unique partnership with the State of California Department of Parks and Recreation. Preservation activist and leading citizen Pearl Chase, founder of the Trust, recognized early on that harnessing the power of State Parks would speed the reconstruction of El Presidio, and would provide the kinds of resources the fledgling Trust for Historic Preservation needed in its efforts to restore and rebuild the birthplace of Santa Barbara. In 1966 El Presidio became a State Historic Park and a series of multi-year agreements between the two parties led to the passage in 1988 by the California State Legislature of formal enabling legislation authorizing the Department to enter into an operating agreement with the Trust. During this time period, in addition to staffing and maintaining the Park, the Trust has raised funds for and carried out numerous projects – including major archaeological excavations, historical reconstructions, museum installations and ongoing education programs for the benefit of the citizens of California and visitors to the Park from throughout the world. The Trust and State Parks look forward to many more years of symbiotic association.