Places, Earth Santa Barbara Red Tile Walking Tour

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Santa Barbara Red Tile Walking Tour

All photographs taken by Kenneth A. Larson. All rights reserved. © 2004 - 2012.

Arlington Theatre as seen from the observation deck of the Courthouse. Photo date: 6-26-04.

Trinity Episcopal Church (left) and Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Churche (right). Photo date: 8-29-04.

Looking east from court House. Photo date: 6-26-04.

Looking north from court House. Photo date: 6-26-04.

Looking northwest from Courthouse. Photo date: 8-29-04.

Looking west from court House. Photo date: 6-26-04.

Looking south from court House. Photo date: 6-26-04.

Looking southeast from court House. Photo date: 6-26-04.

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Link to County Courthouse page.

Follow the Visitor Center's map across Anacapa Street to the Public Library with its Faulkner Gallery of art. Turn left and proceed down State Street. State Street is the main commercial heart of the down town. It's lines with boutiques, restaurants, and Santa Barbara Museum of Art.

Santa Barbara Public Library. Photo date: 8-7-04.

Santa Barbara Public Library. Photo date: 8-7-04.

Santa Barbara County Administration. Photo date: 8-7-04.

Santa Barbara Art Museum. Photo date: 8-29-04.

State Street. Photo date: 8-7-04.

At Carrillo Street, turn left for half a block and find the Hill-Carrillo Adobe at 11 East Carrillo Street. This fully restored 1826 building is not open to the public, but a sign on the door invites peaking through the windows. Return to State Street, turn left, and continue down State Street.

Hill-Carrillo Adobe. Photo date: 8-7-04.

Hill-Carrillo Adobe. Photo date: 8-7-04.

Hill-Carrillo Adobe. Photo date: 8-29-04.

As you continue on State Street, note the architecture and details. To the left is an arcade leading to El Paseo which is a 20th Century commercial area incorporated into the restoration of Casa de la Guerra. Casa de la Guerra is around the corner at 15 East De La Guerra Street and was once the heart of Santa Barbara social and political life. Built in 1827 for Jose de la Guerra, Comandante of the Presideo. Across the street is De La Guerra Plaza. De La Guerra Plaza is where the first City Council met in 1850 and the site of the first City Hall in 1875. In the annual August Fiesta Week, the Plaza becomes a mercado (marketplace).

Casa de la Guerra. Photo date: 6-26-04.

Casa de la Guerra. Photo date: 6-26-04.

Casa de la Guerra. Photo date: 6-26-04.

Casa de la Guerra. Photo date: 5-15-04.

Casa de la Guerra. Photo date: 5-15-04.

De la Guerra Plaza. Photo date: 9-11-04.

Link to Fiesta Week page.

Continue along De La Duerra Street to Orena Adobe at 27-39 East De La Guerra Street, Orena Adobe is an 1848-1858 home refurbished into offices in 1986. Continue to 1840 Guards House at Presidio Avenue (looks more like a driveway) and De La Guerra. Adjoining is the 1840 Miranda Adobe on Presidio Avenue. Across Presidio Avenue is Presidio Garden. Return to De La Guerra Street and cross to Santiago de la Guerra Adobe at 100 East De La Guarra Street. This 1812 adobe is one of the oldest structures in Santa Barbara. Continue along De La Guerra Street a few more steps to Lugo Adobe, behind decorative iron gates and through a courtyard. Lugo Adobe is now part of Meridian Studios at 114 East De La Guerra Street.

Orena Adobe. Photo date: 8-7-04.

Orena Adobe. Photo date: 9-11-04.

Orena Adobe. Photo date: 9-11-04.

Orena Adobe. Photo date: 9-11-04.

Presidio Gardens. Photo date: 9-11-04.

Presidio Gardens. Photo date: 9-11-04.

Guard's House. Photo date: 8-7-04.

Presidio Gardens. Photo date: 8-7-04.

Santiago de la Guerra Adobe. Photo date: 8-7-04.

Santiago de la Guerra Adobe. Photo date: 8-7-04.

Lugo Adobe. Photo date: 6-26-04.

Lugo Adobe. Photo date: 8-7-04.

Lugo Adobe. Photo date: 8-7-04.

Lugo Adobe. Photo date: 8-7-04.

Continue a few more steps to Santa Barbara Historical Museum at the corner of De La Guierra and Santa Barbara Street (136 East De La Guerra Street). The museum is home to Santa Barbara Historical Society and has several galleries to Santa Barbara history. Behind the museum are two adobes, the L-shaped 1817 Casa de Covarrubias at 715 Santa Barbara Street and an 1836 historic adobe. Casa de Covarrubias is where the last Mexican Assembly met in July, 1846. The Historic Adobe was headquarters for Colonel John C. Fremont after the American takeover in December, 1846, and was moved to this location from the northeast corner of State and Carrillo Streets.

Santa Barbara Historical Museum. Photo date: 5-15-04.

Link to Santa Barbara Historical Museum page.

Leave the Historic Museum and walk up Santa Barbara Street. At 820 Santa Barbara Street is the 1855 Rochin Adobe, now covered with clapboards and not open to the public.

Rochin Adobe. Photo date: 9-11-04.

The intersection of Santa Barbara and Canon Perdido Streets is within the 1782 Presidio site. About one third of the Presidio has been restored, with gaps where the modern streets dissect. Restoration continues where possible.

Presidio. Photo date: 8-7-04..

link to Presidio page.

The last stop along the Red Tile Walking Tour is the Lobero Theatre at the corner of Anacapa and Canon Perdido Streets. This 1873 theater was built in 1873 by the Italian musician Jose Lobero.

Photo date: 8-7-04.

Follow Anacapa Street back to the parking lot. The tour covers 12 blocks and takes several hours. We took about two and a half hours, but had seen the Presidio and the Courthouse a few months earlier. The day we visited the Courthouse, there was a parade on State Street. When we returned a month later to take the Red Tile Walking Tour, the annual Fiesta Week was in swing and we observed another parade. We were not aware of either parade when we planned our trips.

This page last updated: Wednesday, 31-Oct-2007 16:56:39 EDT

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