Our Morning in Santa Barbara

July 14, 2011: How appropriate to wake up on the American Riviera on Bastille Day! The Inn of the Spanish Garden is not on the coast but off the commercial district; ideal for an early morning walking tour.

THE COURTHOUSE. The Santa Barbara County Courthouse (1929), considered "the grandest Spanish Colonial Revival structure ever built," occupies an entire block in downtown Santa Barbara and sets the tone for the city's architecture. It's an active courthouse which coexists with the tourists. This view of the southeast corner shows the "jail wing" no longer used as a jail:

This view from the northwest overlooks the "Sunken Garden" which would seem the perfect location for outdoor gatherings. The courthouse grounds comprise a veritable botanic garden of 77 trees and plants from around the world.

Over the main entrance on the west side is inscription: DIOS NOS DIO LOS CAMPOS, EL ARTE HVMANA EDIFICO CIVDADES--God gave us the fields, the skill of man built the cities.

El Mirado, the 85-foot high clock tower offers spectacular views of the city:

The coast to the southeast is lined with palm trees:
To the northwest is the Mission Santa Barbara (1820) with its twin bell towers:

The Mural Room was originally the home of the County Board of Supervisors. The murals by California artist Dan Sayre Groesbeck depict Cabrillo's entry into California in 1542, Vizcaino's naming of the Santa Barbara Channel in 1602, and John C. Fremont coming over the San Marcos Pass in 1846. Cecil B. Demille used Groesbeck extensively for painting film previsualizations.

Here, Father Presidente Fermin Lasuen is shown constructing the Mission Santa Barbara.
The courthouse interior is straight out of Al-Andalus:

An open-air colonnade leads directly into an interior hallway of courtrooms (l); the hallway is also directly connected to this open-air circular staircase (r):

The hallway walls are lined with history paintings by Theodore van Cina who worked in Southern California between 1924 and 1933. Cabrillo disembarking in Santa Barbara in 1542:

Father Serra planting the cross at the Presidio Santa Barbara in 1782:
The Argentine pirate Bouchard pillaging a ranch in 1818:
The funeral of Governor José Figueroa at Mission Santa Barbara in 1835:
A fiesta at the Santa Barbara Court House in 1930:

STATE STREET: Santa Barbara's thriving downtown is filled with flowers. This commercial district was preserved by incorporating open air shopping malls into city blocks along State Street which extenfrom Stearns Wharf past the train station and through the heart of Santa Barbara. One side street had hibiscus trees and we also saw Hong Kong Orchid Trees (r):

We saw Golden Medallion Trees (l) and Bougainvillea (r):












Jacaranda is not native to California, but it is omnipresent:

In Old Town near the foot of State Street, we made a pilgrimage to the flagship store (r) and outlet store (l) of The Territory Ahead.

THE PRESIDIO: El Presidio Real de Santa Barbara (1782) was the last military post built by Spain in the New World and the fourth in Alta California. In Santa Barbara the modern street grid cuts through the original presidio.

ON THE WAY OUT OF TOWN. We passed the Chromatic Gate: