A beige, two-story residential building with a red-tile roof, surrounded by trees and shrubs, with a stone wall and steps leading up to the entrance, under a clear blue sky.

Presidio Research Center

  COLLECTIONS  

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PRESIDIO RESEARCH CENTER:
Collections

The collections include over 4,300 books and journals, manuscript collections dating from the 18th to the 20th centuries, subject files, maps, oral history collections, and photographs. Together, these materials document many aspects of the growth and development of Santa Barbara, and of the lives of people who have lived in the Presidio neighborhood. The collection also consists of over 1,000 objects, which are used to interpret the Presidio and the Casa de la Guerra historic house museum through permanent and rotating historical and art exhibitions.

You can browse specific material types below, or search our online catalog. 

Browse our Collections

  • A black-and-white photo of a small arched wooden door set in a weathered stone or concrete wall, with a paved stone pathway and some plants in front.

    Digital Collections

    Browse digital collections and exhibits featuring historic photos, maps, and oral histories. Our digital materials are a small and ever-growing representation of materials held on-site. 

    Browse our Collections
  • A handwritten diagram and notes on a page, illustrating a concept with labels such as 'neighborhood,' 'work,' and 'home,' along with sketches of a bell, layered structures, and various arrows pointing to different sections.

    Manuscript Collections

    This collection includes unpublished materials created by Presidio-area families and organizations, which were donated to the Presidio Research Center. You can view the finding aids for our collections on the Online Archive of California at the link. Contact the Archivist & Librarian to browse these collections. 

    Manuscript Collections
  • A detailed historical map illustrating the El Estero area with various landmarks, pathways, a river, and vegetation, including trees and agricultural fields.

    Maps & Plans

    This large collection includes maps, architectural plans, and graphic materials for research use. Printed and hand-drawn maps date from 1788, with a copy of a drawing of the original Presidio plan by Goicoechea, and cover the town of Santa Barbara through its growth as a city, focusing on blocks, neighborhoods, city, and county. View the map index at the link, and contact the Archivist & Librarian for assistance in your search. 

    Maps & Plans
  • Shelf filled with black binders numbered from 6.0 to 6.9.

    Photographs

    This extensive collection of historic and contemporary photographs of the Presidio neighborhood is organized into several series by topic and historical period. Contact the Archivist & Librarian to browse this collection. 

    Photograph Listings
  • A close-up of a filing cabinet drawer filled with organized manila folders labeled with various names and topics.

    Verical Files

    This collection includes clippings, articles and ephemera that don’t appear on the main library shelves. Most of these materials have been catalogued and are listed here in this index. Contact the Archivist & Librarian to browse this collection. 

    Vertical Files

Plan Your Visit

The Research Center is open by appointment only.
Appointments are available on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m.

 
Location
215 East Canon Perdido Street
Santa Barbara, California

Phone
(805) 961-5369