On Display at Casa de la Guerra: “Telling Stories of Mexican California: Real Life & Myth Making”

By Olivia Henderson, SBTHP Public Engagement Intern 

This blog post was originally posted on August 4, 2025. Click here to see SBTHP’s current exhibits at Casa de la Guerra.

When the Mexican-American War ended, life changed for many Californios – descendants of Spanish settlers, indigenous people, and formerly enslaved people. Under Mexican rule, Californios had social status and power in their communities. Many Californios lost their wealth as emerging American policies made it challenging for them to verify ownership of their lands. They also faced discrimination from American authorities and struggled to retain their communities after natural disasters, including droughts and earthquakes. While Californios were losing their land and autonomy, white American settlers took over. Newly-arrived “boosters” – wealthy non-Californians who promoted a narrow image of California – wanted to attract tourists and long-term residents to California, particularly white Americans from the Midwest and East Coast. These boosters publicized their unilateral representation of the state’s past: an idyllic collection of Spanish ranchos. The boosters’ image of California remains the predominant historical narrative in many communities, including Santa Barbara. We can see the boosters’ handiwork in the creation of the annual Old Spanish Days Fiesta celebration as well as in the city’s homogenous Spanish Colonial Revival architectural style.   

Currently on display at Casa de la Guerra, Telling Stories of Mexican California: Real Life & Myth Making  has three sections. The first provides an overview of nineteenth-century California history with a focus on the shift from Mexican to American rule. The middle section describes the lives of five nineteenth-century Californios. The final panels discuss early twentieth-century popular depictions of this period in California. By focusing on the lives of Californio families and their lived experiences during and immediately following Mexican rule, visitors are confronted with the history of California that has been either romanticized, overlooked or erased. The exhibit brings forward real lived experiences and family stories that were largely ignored in favor of the exaggerated and/or fictionalized lore about California that has become the dominant historical narrative still taught and learned today. 

On June 26th SBTHP opened the Casa de la Guerra after hours for members only to enjoy a special pre-opening exhibit open house and reception. Photo by Anne Petersen.

One of the perks of becoming an SBTHP Advocate is the opportunity to attend special events and see SBTHP’s special exhibits, projects and pilot programs before the public. Photo by Anne Petersen.

On August 7th, 2025, the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation will partner with Downtown Santa Barbara’s 1st Thursdays to host an open house for its featured exhibit at Casa de la Guerra: “Telling Stories of Mexican California: Real Life & Myth Making.” This exhibit explores the decades that California spent under Mexican rule (1822-1846) and the stories that were told about this period after California became a state.  

1st Thursday guests will also have the opportunity to visit Su’nan: The SPACE and take part in free, family-friendly art workshops, learn more about local indigenous culture and history, and join in community dialogue about protecting our natural environment for future generations. Located in Casa de la Guerra, The SPACE is a nonprofit organization that is led by Chumash cultural educator and SBTHP Board member MariaElena Lopez that strives “to preserve, promote, and celebrate the rich indigenous culture of the Chumash people through education and art, informing both the local Indigenous community and surrounding communities, by sharing traditional skills, and perspectives, ensuring a legacy of advocacy, collaboration, confidence, strength and stewardship.”  

SBTHP and The SPACE look forward to welcoming the community to Casa de la Guerra on August 7th from 5:00-8:00pm for our free, family friendly 1st Thursday Open House.  

Telling Stories of Mexican California: Real Life & Myth Making was organized by the California Historical Society. The exhibit displays feature materials from the California Historical Society Collection at Stanford University, was loaned to SBTHP by Exhibit Envoy, and will be on display at Casa de la Guerra through August 31st, 2025.