Misplaced Pages

#593406

110-496: Originating as a birthday celebration, Santa Barbara, California 's Summer Solstice Parade began in 1974. This parade was created by Michael Gonzalez, a Santa Barbara resident and a mime and artist. The parade is the largest single-day event in Santa Barbara County , attracting crowds of 100,000 people or more. Weeks prior to the day of the parade, a workshop is opened where participating artists and technicians work with

220-469: A National Institutional Junta made up of forty five members, chosen from among friendly deputies. The junta was installed officially on 2 November 1822, and vested with the legislative power, until a new congress could be formed. Iturbide entrusted the body with writing up regulations for producing a new congress, but also began to focus on the grave financial issues that the Empire was facing. On 5 November 1822,

330-449: A bachelor's degree or higher was estimated to be 38.9% of the population. 16.6% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 105.7 males. The 2016–2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that

440-405: A conference regarding the problems with congress. He addressed them and accused congress of not having taken a single step in eight months towards writing a constitution, of not passing a single law regarding finances or the military, and of rather focusing their time on attacking the emperor. Various deputies added to the discussion, and brought forth the point that if congress needed to be reformed,

550-524: A different post in Mexico City . However, Santa Anna suspecting his ruin, instead took command of his troops and in December, 1822 started a rebellion in favour of a republican form of government. Vicente Guerrero and Nicolás Bravo , defected from the ranks of the imperialists, and proceeded to Chilapa on 5 January 1823 to join the revolution, but experienced a disastrous defeat at Almolonga. The insurrection

660-470: A major employer. In 1975, the city passed an ordinance restricting growth to a maximum of 85,000 residents, through zoning. Growth in the adjacent Goleta Valley could be shut down by denying water meters to developers seeking permits. As a result of these changes, growth slowed down, but prices rose sharply. When voters approved connection to State water supplies in 1991, parts of the city, especially outlying areas, resumed growth, but more slowly than during

770-621: A mile up Refugio Canyon. The Mission was rebuilt by 1820 after the earthquake. Following the earthquake, the Mission fathers chose to rebuild in a grander manner, and it is this construction that survives to the present day, the best-preserved of the California Missions, and still functioning as an active church by the Franciscans. After the Mexican government secularized the missions in the 1830s,

880-616: A new Central American Congress to convene and on July 1, 1823 the Central American provinces formed the Federal Republic of Central America , with only the province of Chiapas choosing to remain a part of Mexico as a state. Subsequent territorial evolution of Mexico over the next several decades (principally cessions to the United States ) would eventually reduce Mexico to less than half its maximum extent. The First Mexican empire

990-564: A new nation that was essentially bankrupt. To remedy the financial difficulties, the Mexican government prohibited the exportation of money, and exacted a forced loan of 600,000 pesos in Mexico City, Puebla, Guadalajara, and Veracruz. During this time, a council of state was also formed, being made up of thirteen members selected by the Emperor from a list of thirty one nominees submitted by congress. The coronation took place on 21 July. The capital

1100-481: A road called "Alameda Padre Serra" (shortened APS, which translates to "Father Serra's pathway"). According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 42.0 square miles (108.8 km ), of which 19.5 square miles (51 km ) of it is land and 22.5 square miles (58 km ) of it (53.61%) is water. The high official figures for water is due to the extension of the city limit into

1210-568: A scheme of taking possession of it by feigning the surrender of Veracruz to its new commander. When Echevarri, the captain-general of the local provinces, arrived in Veracruz, he approved of the plan, and agreed to join in on it, positioning his troops in Veracruz to ambush the landing Spaniards, having been promised support by Santa Anna. On 26 October 1822, as the Spaniards landed however, Santa Anna's troops failed to arrive, and Echevarri barely defeated

SECTION 10

#1732891286594

1320-508: A veto over legislation, and the right to select members of the supreme court. Iturbide however then sought for more concessions, arguing that his veto ought to extend to any article of any new constitution that congress would draft, and also continued to insist on reducing the number of deputies in congress. These grabs for power alienated even conservatives, and Iturbide's proposals were rejected, which Iturbide then responded to by dissolving congress on 31 October 1822. Brigadier Luis Cortazar

1430-419: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to an American festival is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara ( Spanish : Santa Bárbara , meaning ' Saint Barbara ' ) is a coastal city in Santa Barbara County, California , of which it is also the county seat . Situated on a south-facing section of coastline,

1540-825: Is a list of neighborhoods with descriptions and comments on each. The 2020 United States census counted 88,665 people, 35,383 households, and 19,257 families in Santa Barbara. The population density was 4,545.3 people per square mile (1,755.0 people/km ). There were 38,208 housing units at an average density of 1,958.7 units per square mile (756.3 units/km ). The racial makeup was 58.47% (51,842) white or European American (51.75% non-Hispanic white ), 1.4% (1,238) black or African-American , 1.49% (1,320) Native American or Alaska Native , 3.59% (3,184) Asian , 0.09% (80) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian , 17.62% (15,623) from other races , and 17.34% (15,378) from two or more races . Hispanic or Latino of any race

1650-629: Is extremely rare in the city itself. The most recent accumulating snow to fall near sea level was in January 1949, when approximately 2 inches (5.1 cm) fell in the city. The city of Santa Barbara is situated on a coastal plain between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the sea. This coastal plain consists of a complex array of Holocene and Pleistocene alluvial and colluvial deposits, marine terraces , debris flows, and estuarine deposits. Soils are mostly well drained brown fine sandy loam of

1760-567: Is located about 90 miles (145 km) west-northwest of Los Angeles , along the Pacific coast. This stretch of coast along southern Santa Barbara County is sometimes referred to as "The American Riviera", presumably because its geography and climate are similar to that of areas along the northern Mediterranean Sea coast (especially in southern France) known as the Riviera . The Santa Ynez Mountains , an east–west trending range, rise dramatically behind

1870-533: Is served by Santa Barbara Airport and train service is provided by Amtrak , which operates the Pacific Surfliner , which runs from San Diego to San Luis Obispo . The Santa Barbara area is connected via U.S. Highway 101 to Los Angeles 100 mi (160 km) to the southeast and San Francisco 325 mi (525 km) to the northwest. Behind the city, in and beyond the Santa Ynez Mountains,

1980-529: Is the Los Padres National Forest , which contains several remote wilderness areas. Channel Islands National Park and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary are located approximately 20 miles (30 km) offshore. [REDACTED] Spanish Empire 1769–1821 [REDACTED] First Mexican Empire 1821–1823 [REDACTED] United Mexican States 1823–1848 [REDACTED]   United States 1848–present Evidence of human habitation of

2090-531: The Gold Rush years and following, the town became a haven for bandits and gamblers, and a dangerous and lawless place. Charismatic gambler and highwayman Jack Powers had virtual control of the town in the early 1850s, until driven out by a posse organized in San Luis Obispo. English gradually supplanted Spanish as the language of daily life, becoming the language of official record in 1870. The first newspaper,

2200-496: The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); locally, outraged citizens formed GOO (Get Oil Out). Santa Barbara's business community strove to attract development until the surge in the anti-growth movement in the 1970s. Many "clean" industries, especially aerospace firms such as Raytheon and Delco Electronics, moved to town in the 1950s and 1960s, bringing employees from other parts of the U.S. UCSB itself became

2310-579: The Presidio . They were sent to both secure the Spanish claim to the region and to convert the indigenous peoples to Catholicism . Many of the Spaniards brought their families with them, and those formed the nucleus of the small town – at first just a cluster of adobes – that surrounded the Presidio of Santa Barbara . The Santa Barbara Mission was established on the Feast of Saint Barbara , December 4, 1786. It

SECTION 20

#1732891286594

2420-536: The Roman Catholic Church would retain its privileges and position as the official and exclusive religion of the land. These Three Guarantees formed the core of the Plan of Iguala, the blueprint which, by combining the goal of independence and a constitution with the preservation of Catholic monarchy and Roman Catholicism, brought together all Mexican factions. Under the 24 February 1821 Plan of Iguala, to which most of

2530-802: The Santa Barbara Gazette , was founded in 1855. While the Civil War had little effect on Santa Barbara, the disastrous drought of 1863 ended the Rancho Period, as most of the cattle died and ranchos were broken up and sold. Mortimer Cook, a wealthy entrepreneur, arrived in 1871 and opened the city's first bank. Cook later served two terms as mayor. Cook founded the first National Gold Bank of Santa Barbara in 1873. The building of Stearns Wharf in 1872 enhanced Santa Barbara's commercial and tourist accessibility; previously goods and visitors had to transfer from steamboats to smaller craft to row ashore. During

2640-586: The Sisquoc Formation , and the Santa Barbara Formation. The Santa Barbara Formation is one of the main units in the aquifer underlying the city. Its coarse-grained freshwater-bearing portion, much of which is below sea level, is protected from seawater intrusion by the More Ranch Fault, which has shielded it by uplifting less-permeable rocks between it and the sea. The majority of water wells in

2750-557: The Treaty of Córdoba by the last Spanish viceroy in September 1821, the plan for a Mexican monarchy advanced. Iturbide's popularity reached its peak on May 18, 1822, when public demonstrations called for him to become emperor in the absence of a European royal willing to assume the throne. The Mexican Congress approved the proposal, and Iturbide was crowned in July 1822. The empire's brief existence

2860-588: The "Riviera", and the Mesa Fault defines the northern boundary of the band of hills called the "Mesa". These two faults converge near the Five Points Shopping Center at Los Positas and State Streets. Neither is well-exposed, with their locations being inferred from topography, springs, seeps, and well logs. The Mesa Fault continues southeast offshore into the Santa Barbara Channel; the portion of

2970-465: The "most beautiful public building in the United States." In 1907 in northern Santa Barbara county a horrific train accident claimed the lives of 37, the exact cause of which is still unknown. It is still the deadliest disaster in the Santa Barbara history. During World War II, Santa Barbara was home to Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara , and Naval Reserve Center Santa Barbara at the harbor. Up

3080-411: The 1870s, writer Charles Nordhoff promoted the town as a health resort and destination for well-to-do travelers from other parts of the U.S.; many of them came, and many stayed. The luxurious Arlington Hotel dated from this period. In 1887 the railroad finally went through to Los Angeles, and in 1901 to San Francisco: Santa Barbara was now easily accessible by land and by sea, and subsequent development

3190-406: The 1925 earthquake destroyed much of the downtown commercial district. Residential architectural styles in Santa Barbara reflect the era of their construction. Many late-1800s Victorian homes remain downtown and in the "Upper East" neighborhood. California bungalows are common, built in the early decades of the 20th century. Spanish Colonial Revival-style homes built after 1925 are common all over

3300-571: The Congress and its democratic powers. Unable to suppress the revolt, Iturbide reconvened the Congress in March 1823 and offered his abdication. Power was then transferred to a republican provisional government of 1823-1824, which abolished the monarchy and established the First Mexican Republic . The Spanish Empire disintegrated in the wake of Napoleon 's invasion of Spain and the overthrow of

3410-546: The Emperor immediately began to clash, in large part because their respective legal powers had not at this point been clearly delineated. By mid 1822 the three major issues were whether Iturbide had a right to appoint members to a Supreme Court, whether he had the right to veto legislation as the Spanish King had under the Spanish Constitution of 1812 , and his wish to establish rural military tribunals. The latter measure

Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Parade - Misplaced Pages Continue

3520-543: The Empire, where they were to be used in a ratio of 1:2 with silver coin in payment of all government of obligations. Anyone who owed money to the government was allowed to make one third of the payment in notes and two thirds in coin. The last Spanish stronghold in Mexico, was Fort of San Juan de Ulúa on a small island off the coast of Veracruz . There had been a change in command at the fort during this time, and general Antonio López de Santa Anna , stationed in Veracruz planned

3630-539: The First Empire, Mexico reached its greatest territorial extent, stretching from northern California to the provinces of Central America (excluding Panama , which was then part of Colombia ), which had not initially approved becoming part of the Mexican Empire but joined the Empire shortly after their independence. After the emperor abdicated, on March 29 the departing Mexican general Vicente Filísola called for

3740-700: The Franciscan Order to various families in order to reward service or build alliances. These land grants to local notable families mark the beginning of the "Rancho Period" in California and Santa Barbara history. Fernando Tico was one of the first settlers who received land grants for the local area. Fernando led the Native Americans against the Argentinian pirates in the 1800s. The population remained sparse, with enormous cattle operations run by wealthy families. It

3850-426: The Mexican monarchy to be hereditary, granting titles of nobility to Iturbide's family. His son and heir became Prince Imperial of Mexico . The 19th of May was made a national holiday, and a royal household was organized. 21 July 1822 was set as the date of the official coronation. Iturbide's court was being set up to be more luxurious than that of the former Spanish Viceroy, a situation which provoked opposition in

3960-535: The Milpitas series. Rapid geologic uplift is characteristic of the entire region, as evidenced by the coastal bluffs and narrow beaches that are present along most of the coastline. Downtown Santa Barbara occupies a floodplain between two major geologic faults, the Mission Ridge Fault Zone to the north and the Mesa Fault to the south. The Mission Ridge Fault Zone runs along the range of hills known locally as

4070-548: The Santa Barbara Channel, on January 28, 1969. Approximately 100,000 barrels (16,000 m ) of oil surged out of a huge undersea break, fouling hundreds of square miles of ocean and all the coastline from Ventura to Goleta, as well north facing beaches on the Channel Islands. Two legislative consequences of the spill in the next year were the passages of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and

4180-612: The Santa Barbara-Goleta area pull from this geologic unit. The Santa Ynez Mountains to the north of the city consist of multiple layers of sandstone and conglomerate units dating from the Jurassic Age to the present, uplifted rapidly since the Pliocene , upended, and in some areas completely overturned. Rapid uplift has given these mountains their craggy, scenic character, and numerous landslides and debris flows, which form some of

4290-663: The Santa Ynez mountains, producing greater rainfall than in other coastal areas. Diurnal temperature variation reaches a maximum in winter due to lower humidity and the absence of summer fog. On average, only 1.7 nights have freezing lows. In general, summers are warm with very few hot days exceeding 90 degrees, and winters are comfortable and sometimes warm with occasional cooler days topping out around 54–58 degrees. Most days from December to February have highs of 63–69 degrees, and most days from June to August have highs of 72–84 degrees. Summers in Santa Barbara are mostly rainless due to

4400-597: The Spanish Bourbons in 1808. Throughout Spain and its viceroyalties there was a widespread refusal to recognize Napoleon's brother Joseph I as the new French-backed king of Spain. In New Spain cleric Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla , who had long been part of a circle of intellectuals who sought to reform the colonial system, triggered the Mexican War of Independence in 1810, a decade of warfare between insurgents for independence from Spain and royalists seeking to maintain

4510-560: The Spanish Constitution of 1812 , forcing limits on the power of Ferdinand VII of Spain and curtailing privileges of established elites and institutions, Mexican elites saw their interests threatened. In view of this, Iturbide sought an alliance with Mexican insurgents, drawing up the Plan of Iguala and gaining the support of insurgent leader Vicente Guerrero and others. They created the Army of

Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Parade - Misplaced Pages Continue

4620-446: The Spanish king refused the position, the plan provided for another member of the House of Bourbon to accede to the Mexican throne. Commissioners from Mexico were sent to Spain to offer the Mexican throne to a Spanish royal, but the Spanish state refused to recognize Mexico's independence and would not allow any other Spanish prince to accept the throne. With Ferdinand VII having rejected

4730-527: The Three Guarantees , which brought about Mexican independence from Spain in September 1821. The newly constituted movement involved three principles, or "guarantees": that Mexico would be an independent constitutional monarchy governed by a Spanish prince; that Americanos , that is all Mexicans regardless of ethnic category and those born in Spain would henceforth enjoy equal rights and privileges; and that

4840-491: The Treaty of Cordoba, Iturbide's supporters saw an opportunity to place their candidate on the throne. On the night of 18 May, the 1st infantry regiment, stationed at the ex Convent of San Hipólito, and led by sergeant Pio Marcha began a public demonstration in favor of Iturbide being made emperor. The demonstration was joined by other barracks and many civilians as well. When the public demonstration reached his home , Iturbide himself

4950-602: The age of 18 and 8.5% of those ages 65 or over. According to the 2010 United States Census the racial makeup of Santa Barbara was 66,411 (75.1%) White; 1,420 (1.6%) African American; 892 (1.0%) Native American; 3,062 (3.5%) Asian (1.0% Chinese, 0.6% Filipino, 0.5% Japanese, 0.4% Korean, 0.4% Indian, 0.2% Vietnamese, 0.4% other); 116 (0.1%) Pacific Islander; 13,032 (14.7%) from other races; 3,477 (3.9%) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 33,591 persons (38.0%). Non-Hispanic Whites were 45,852 persons (52.2%) The Census reported that 86,783 people (98.2% of

5060-453: The area begins at least 13,000 years ago. Evidence for a Paleoindian presence includes a fluted Clovis -like point found in the 1980s along the western Santa Barbara County coast, as well as the remains of Arlington Springs Man , found on Santa Rosa Island in the 1960s. At least 25,000 Chumash natives lived in the region prior to Spanish contact. Five Chumash villages flourished in the area. The present-day area of Santa Barbara City College

5170-610: The area. In 1602, Spanish maritime explorer Sebastián Vizcaíno gave the name "Santa Barbara" to the channel and also to one of the Channel Islands . A land expedition led by Gaspar de Portolà visited around 1769, and Franciscan missionary Juan Crespi , who accompanied the expedition, named a large native town "Laguna de la Concepcion". Cabrillo's earlier name, however, is the one that has survived. The first permanent European residents were Spanish missionaries and soldiers under Felipe de Neve , who arrived in 1782 and constructed

5280-489: The baptismal, marriage, and burial records of other missions were transferred to Santa Barbara, and now found in the Santa Barbara Mission Archive-Library . The Spanish period ended in 1822 with the conclusion of the Mexican War of Independence , which terminated 300 years of Spanish colonial rule and transferred control to the newly independent Mexican government. Santa Barbara street names reflect

5390-583: The boom period of the 1950s and 1960s. While the slower growth preserved the quality of life for most residents and prevented the urban sprawl notorious in the Los Angeles basin , housing in the Santa Barbara area was in short supply, and prices soared: in 2006, only six percent of residents could afford a median-value house. As a result, many people who work in Santa Barbara commute from adjacent, more affordable areas, such as Santa Maria, Lompoc , and Ventura. The resultant traffic on incoming arteries, in particular

5500-421: The capital, move the congress to Texcoco and declare the establishment of a Republic. On 26 and 27 August, fifteen deputies suspected of being involved with the plot, including Mier, Carlos Maria Bustamante , Francisco Tagle , Jose del Valle , and José Joaquín de Herrera were arrested. Congress was shocked by the arrests, which had included some of its most prominent deputies, and on the morning of 27 August,

5610-422: The chance of wildfires, along with their severity, due to downed power lines, etc., in the foothills north of the city. Annual rainfall totals are highly variable and in exceptional years like 1940–1941 and 1997–1998 over 40 inches (1.0 m) of rain have fallen in a year, but in dry seasons less than 6 inches (150 mm) is not unheard of. Snow sometimes covers higher elevations of the Santa Ynez Mountains but

SECTION 50

#1732891286594

5720-476: The city has a diverse economy that includes a large service sector, education, technology, health care, finance, agriculture, manufacturing, and local government. In 2004, the service sector accounted for 35% of local employment. Area institutions of higher learning include the University of California, Santa Barbara , Santa Barbara City College , Westmont College , and Antioch University Santa Barbara . The city

5830-630: The city, especially in newer upscale residential areas like Montecito and Hope Ranch . Notable modernist and contemporary homes can be found as well. Notable architects who practiced in Santa Barbara include: Santa Barbara has a range of neighborhoods with distinctive histories, architecture, and culture. While considerable consensus exists as to the identification of neighborhood names and boundaries, variations exist between observers. For example, real estate agents may use different names than those used by public utilities or municipal service providers, such as police, fire, or water services. The following

5940-471: The city, with several peaks exceeding 4,000 feet (1,200 m). Covered with chaparral , oaks and sandstone outcrops , they make a scenic backdrop to the town. Sometimes, perhaps once every three years, snow falls on the mountains, but it rarely stays for more than a few days. Nearer to town, directly east and adjacent to Mission Santa Barbara , is an east–west ridge known locally as "the Riviera", traversed by

6050-684: The coast, west of the city, was the Army's Camp Cooke (the present-day Vandenberg Space Force Base ). In the city, Hoff General Hospital treated servicemen wounded in the Pacific Theatre . On February 23, 1942, not long after the outbreak of war in the Pacific, the Japanese submarine I-17 surfaced offshore and lobbed 16 shells at the Ellwood Oil Field , about 10 miles (15 km) west of Santa Barbara, in

6160-648: The community to conceive ideas, build floats, make costumes, and put their performances together. In 1974, artist and mime , Michael Gonzalez gathered some of his street performer friends to dance down State Street in Santa Barbara, California, in celebration of his birthday. Each year the parade grew until this annual event encompassed street fairs, concerts, theatre performances, floats , costumes, and dancing ensembles. The parade went on hiatus in 2020 and restarted in 2022. 34°25′43″N 119°42′18″W  /  34.4287°N 119.7050°W  / 34.4287; -119.7050 This California -related article

6270-471: The crowds. The opposition brought up concerns that a popular demonstration in the capital was not enough of a basis upon which to elect Iturbide and that the provinces ought to be consulted first. A proposal was made to gain the consent of two thirds of the provinces, and this succeeding then to appoint a commission to write a provisional constitution in order to avoid constitutional crises. Deputy Valentín Gómez Farías , future president of Mexico, stood up for

6380-630: The disastrous 1990 Painted Cave Fire , which incinerated over 500 homes in only several hours, during an intense Sundowner wind event; the November 2008 Tea Fire , which destroyed 210 homes in the foothills of Santa Barbara and Montecito ; and the 2009 Jesusita Fire that burned 8,733 acres (35.34 km ) and destroyed 160 homes above the San Roque region of Santa Barbara. The Thomas Fire burned from its origins in Santa Paula 60 miles (100 km) to

6490-558: The east of Santa Barbara and consumed 281,893 acres (1,140.78 km ) in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, most of which consisted of rural land and wilderness areas. The fire started December 4, 2017, and was 100% contained by January 12, 2018. 1,050 structures were lost in the Thomas Fire, mostly east of Santa Barbara in Ventura County. The Thomas Fire has been the largest Santa Barbara County fire ever recorded to date. Santa Barbara

6600-484: The emperor and the empress to the National Cathedral . In the cathedral, the emperor and the empress were to be seated on thrones next to the newly ennobled Mexican princes and princesses. Upon reaching the cathedral, the emperor and empress were escorted to their thrones, and the imperial regalia was placed on the altar. The regalia was blessed and Iturbide was crowned by the president of the congress. Congress and

6710-410: The end of the war and 1950. This burst of growth had dramatic consequences for the local economy and infrastructure. Highway 101 was built through town during this period, and newly built Lake Cachuma began supplying water via a tunnel dug through the mountains between 1950 and 1956. Local relations with the oil industry gradually soured through the period. Production at Summerland had ended, Elwood

SECTION 60

#1732891286594

6820-491: The existing colonial order. The insurgency was initially led by Hidalgo, who was captured and executed in 1811, then succeeded by Father José María Morelos , who was likewise captured and executed in 1815. Remaining insurgents, including Vicente Guerrero , waged guerrilla warfare in the countryside of southern Mexico. Agustín de Iturbide was a Mexican officer in the Spanish army, a member of the Mexican elite loyal to Spain. When Liberals in Spain seized power in 1820, re-established

6930-479: The expanding United States. Change came quickly in Santa Barbara following the American Conquest of California . The population doubled between 1850 and 1860. In 1851, land surveyor Salisbury Haley designed the street grid, famously botching the block measurements, misaligning the streets, thereby creating doglegs at certain intersections. Wood construction replaced adobe as American settlers moved in; during

7040-523: The fault offshore is believed to have been responsible for the destructive earthquake of 1925 . The Mission Ridge Fault trends east–west, being named the More Ranch Fault west of Santa Barbara, and forms the northern boundary of the uplands which include Isla Vista , More Mesa, and the Hope Ranch Hills. Three major sedimentary bedrock units underlie the coastal plain: the Monterey Formation ,

7150-466: The first destructive earthquake in California since the 1906 San Francisco quake , destroyed much of downtown Santa Barbara and killed 13 people. The earthquake caused infrastructure to collapse including the Sheffield Dam. The low death toll is attributed to the early hour (6:44 a.m., before most people were out on the streets, vulnerable to falling masonry). While this quake, like the one in 1812,

7260-490: The first of five presidents to visit Santa Barbara. Just before the turn of the 20th century, oil was discovered at the Summerland Oil Field , and the region along the beach east of Santa Barbara sprouted numerous oil derricks and piers for drilling offshore . This was the first offshore oil development in the world; oil drilling offshore would become a contentious practice in the Santa Barbara area, which continues to

7370-487: The first shelling attack by an enemy power on the continental U.S. since the bombardment of Orleans in World War I . Although the shelling was inaccurate and only caused about $ 500 damage to a catwalk, panic was immediate. Many Santa Barbara residents fled, and land values plummeted to historic lows. After the war many of the servicemen who had seen Santa Barbara returned to stay. The population surged by 10,000 people between

7480-399: The following decades, many of the natives died of diseases such as smallpox , against which they had no natural immunity . The most dramatic event of the Spanish period was the powerful 1812 earthquake , and tsunami , with an estimated magnitude of 7.1, which destroyed the Mission as well as the rest of the town; water reached as high as present-day Anapamu street, and carried a ship half

7590-505: The influence of the Spanish period. The names de le Guerra and Carrillo come from the Guerra family of California and Carrillo family of California . They were instrumental in building up the town, so they were honored by having streets named after them. After the forced secularization of the Missions in 1833 , successive Mexican Governors distributed the large land tracts formerly held by

7700-410: The junta authorized a forced loan of over two million pesos, and the seizure of more than one million pesos waiting for exportation out of the country in the port of Veracruz. Iturbide also began to issue paper currency, and on 20 December, the government authorized the printing of four million pesos worth of banknotes, in denominations of one, two, and ten. These were issued to all financial offices of

7810-409: The landing party, and the Spanish ultimately kept control of the fort. Echevarri expressed his suspicion to Iturbide that it had all been a scheme by Santa Anna to get Echeverri killed as revenge for Santa Anna not having been appointed Captain-General himself. Iturbide himself went to Veracruz to dismiss Santa Anna from his command, not overtly however but rather under the pretext of simply moving him to

7920-417: The legality of congress to elect an emperor. He praised Iturbide's services to the nation, and argued that as Spain had rejected the Treaty of Córdoba , Congress was now authorized by that very treaty to hold an election to decide who the emperor was to be. The vote then proceeded. In the final results, sixty-seven deputies voted in favor of making Iturbide Emperor, while fifteen voted against. The vote however

8030-425: The legislature sent a letter to the military upholding the immunity of congress, and accusing the arresting authorities of acting in an extra-legal fashion. Secretary of Interior Relations, Andrés Quintana Roo replied that by virtue of the Spanish Constitution of 1812 , the government had the authority to arrest deputies suspected of being involved in a treasonous conspiracy, and that congress would remain informed on

8140-422: The liberal diplomat Miguel Santa María met in Veracruz to proclaim the Plan of Casa Mata. The army pledged itself to restore Congress while disavowing any intention of harming the person of the Emperor, or of overthrowing the Mexican monarchy. On 14 February, Puebla proclaimed for the plan, followed by San Luis Potosí, and Guadalajara. By March, most of Mexico had proclaimed in favour of the plan. A military junta

8250-533: The longest such section on the West Coast of the United States excepting Alaska, the city lies between the steeply rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean . Santa Barbara's climate is often described as Mediterranean , and the city has been dubbed "The American Riviera". According to the 2020 U.S. Census , the city's population was 88,665. In addition to being a popular tourist and resort destination,

8360-422: The median household income was $ 81,618 (with a margin of error of +/- $ 3,653) and the median family income was $ 105,513 (+/- $ 9,757). Males had a median income of $ 44,225 (+/- $ 2,697) versus $ 33,978 (+/- $ 2,747) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $ 40,200 (+/- $ 1,911). Approximately, 7.2% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line , including 11.2% of those under

8470-412: The military junta meet with Iturbide about the matter, but the junta refused, instead proposing that Iturbide remove himself from the capital, and await the decision of Congress. On 26 March, an agreement was reached by which the junta would recognize Iturbide on whatever terms Congress would grant him. Iturbide also agreed to remove himself from the capital, and the command of the capital was handed over to

8580-491: The number of deputies and also to divide the body into two chambers, a proposal which the emperor found very agreeable. On October 16, Iturbide gathered several deputies and generals at his home, and began to discuss the measure of dissolving congress under the pretext that it did not as it stood, proportionally represent the provinces. The following day, members of the council of state, the generals based in Mexico City, and more than forty deputies gathered at Iturbide's home for

8690-541: The ocean and parallel to the predominant westerly winds, sideshore and light onshore breezes moderate temperatures resulting in warmer winters and cooler summers compared with places farther inland. In the winter, storms reach California, some of which bring heavy rainfall but the rain shadow effect of the coastal mountains can at times moderate or enhance the rainfall depending on local storm wind flows. Local rainfall totals can be enhanced by orographic lift when storms are accompanied by southerly flow pushing moist air over

8800-469: The ocean, including a strip of city reaching out into the sea and inland again to keep the Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) within the city boundary. Santa Barbara experiences a warm-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen : Csb) characteristic of coastal California. Santa Barbara's weather was ranked number 1 in the United States in 2023–2024 by U.S. News & World Report. Because the city lies along

8910-458: The opening of the session, the military addressed a manifesto to congress, endorsing Iturbide to be emperor. The deliberations then started with a few deputies expressing concern that congress was not entirely free in the present circumstances to proceed on the matter. A pro-Iturbide crowd outside of the hall was making so much noise that it was interfering with the deliberations, and congress asked Iturbide to show up in an unsuccessful attempt to calm

9020-468: The other smaller local studios produced approximately 1,200 films during their tenure in Santa Barbara, of which approximately 100 survive. During this period, the Loughead Aircraft Company was established on lower State Street, and regularly tested seaplanes off of East Beach. This was the genesis of what would later become Lockheed . The magnitude 6.3 earthquake of June 29, 1925 ,

9130-643: The population) lived in households, 1,172 (1.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 455 (0.5%) were institutionalized. Of the 35,449 households, 8,768 (24.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 13,240 (37.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 3,454 (9.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, and 1,539 (4.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 2,420 (6.8%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships , and 339 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships ; 11,937 households (33.7%) were made up of individuals, and 4,340 (12.2%) had someone living alone who

9240-489: The presence of a high-pressure area over the eastern Pacific, but summer showers can happen due to tropical hurricane/Monsoonal flows that rarely reach the region; thunderstorms can also occur during the North American Monsoon . In the fall, afternoon or evening downslope winds, locally called " Sundowners ", can raise temperatures into the high 90s °F (high 30s °C) and drop humidities into the single digits, increasing

9350-482: The present day. Santa Barbara housed the world's largest movie studio during the era of silent film. Flying A Studios, a division of the American Film Manufacturing Company , operated on two city blocks centered at State and Mission between 1910 and 1922, with the industry shutting down locally and moving to Hollywood once it outgrew the area, needing the resources of a larger city. Flying A and

9460-488: The pretext of drafting a new constitution and it considered itself a sovereign constitutional congress. It did not view itself bound in any way by the 1812 Spanish Constitution which remained the de facto constitution of Mexico. At this point no consistent relationship had been established between population and the number of deputies, and the congress as it stood was starting to become a burdensome expense. Deputy Lorenzo de Zavala brought up these concerns and proposed to reduce

9570-399: The proposal ought to come from congress itself. The ultimate result of this conference was a proposal to reduce congress to seventy deputies. On October 17, 1822, the latter proposal was presented to congress. Congress rejected the measure, but a compromise was reached by which the legislature agreed to abide by the Spanish Constitution of 1812 as a provisional constitution, allowing Iturbide

9680-575: The provinces subscribed, the Mexican Congress established a regency council which was headed by Iturbide. Viceroy Juan O'Donojú acceded to the Mexican insurgents' demands, having no other option because he lacked independent resources. He signed the Treaty of Córdoba on 24 August 1821. The Mexican Congress intended to establish a personal union , whereby Ferdinand VII of Spain would also be king of Mexico, but both countries would be governed by separate laws and through separate legislative bodies. If

9790-582: The results of the ongoing investigation. Congress preferred to try the suspected deputies itself, but the matter was rejected. The prosecution against the accused did not get very far and a few were liberated around Christmas, 1822. One of the arrested, Jose del Valle would actually go on to be appointed foreign minister by Iturbide a few months later. Afterwards followed controversies over reconstituting Congress. The convocation that had established congress had also directed it to divide itself into two chambers, which had not been done. The body remained united on

9900-595: The revolutionary troops and power passed over to the Provisional Government of Mexico . The territory of the Mexican Empire corresponded to the borders of Viceroyalty of New Spain , excluding the Captaincies General of Cuba , Santo Domingo and the Philippines . The Central American lands of the former Captaincy General of Guatemala were annexed to the Empire shortly after its establishment. Under

10010-401: The stretch of Highway 101 between Ventura and Santa Barbara, is another problem being addressed by long-range planners. Since the middle of the twentieth century, several destructive fires have affected Santa Barbara: the 1964 Coyote Fire, which burned 67,000 acres (270 km ) of backcountry along with 106 homes; the smaller, but quickly moving, Sycamore Fire in 1977, which burned 200 homes;

10120-503: The urban and suburban lowland area, are testament to their geologically active nature. The first Monterey-style adobe in California was built on State Street of Santa Barbara by the wealthy merchant Alpheus Thompson. The dominant architectural themes of Santa Barbara are the Mediterranean Revival , Spanish Colonial Revival and the related Mission Revival style , encouraged through design guidelines adopted by city leaders after

10230-401: Was 36.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.7 males. First Mexican Empire The establishment of a monarchy was the initial goal for an independent Mexico, as outlined in the Plan of Iguala , a political document drafted by Iturbide that unified the forces fighting for independence from Spain. Following the signing of

10340-431: Was 38.73% (34,344) of the population. Of the 35,383 households, 23.5% had children under the age of 18; 38.5% were married couples living together; 31.2% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 32.3% of households consisted of individuals and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.4 and the average family size was 3.0. The percent of those with

10450-440: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45. There were 18,233 families (51.4% of all households); the average family size was 3.13. The age distribution of the city was the following: 16,468 people (18.6%) under the age of 18, 10,823 people (12.2%) aged 18 to 24, 26,241 people (29.7%) aged 25 to 44, 22,305 people (25.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 12,573 people (14.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

10560-430: Was able to address the demonstrators from his balcony. He consulted with members of the regency on what course to follow, and eventually acquiesced to the demonstrators' demands, agreeing that he should be made emperor. The crowd celebrated the rest of the night with fireworks and celebratory gunfire . An extraordinary session of congress was held the following morning to deal with the subject of Iturbide's coronation. At

10670-656: Was brisk. Santa Barbara had a system of street railways that operated from 1875 through 1929. Begun as a single mule-drawn line from the waterfront pier to the Arlington Hotel, over the decades it was incrementally expanded, later electrified, and operated until its closure in June 1929. Peter J. Barber , an architect, designed many Late Victorian style residences, and served twice as mayor, in 1880 and again in 1890. A year after Barber's term as mayor, President Benjamin Harrison became

10780-481: Was centered in the Santa Barbara Channel, it caused no tsunami. It came at an opportune time for rebuilding, since a movement for architectural reform and unification around a Spanish Colonial style was already underway. Under the leadership of Pearl Chase , many of the city's famous buildings rose as part of the rebuilding process, including the Santa Barbara County Courthouse , sometimes praised as

10890-408: Was decked out in floral arrangements, banners, streamers, and flags. The government could not afford to forge a crown, and therefore jewels and gems had to be borrowed, but ultimately a signet ring , a scepter and crowns were produced. Costumes were made based on drawings of Napoleon's coronation . Congress met on the morning of the coronation, and then divided itself into two deputations to escort

11000-512: Was during this period that Richard Henry Dana Jr. first visited Santa Barbara and wrote about the culture and people of Santa Barbara in his book Two Years Before the Mast . Santa Barbara fell bloodlessly to a battalion of American soldiers under John C. Frémont on December 27, 1846, during the Mexican–American War , and after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 it became part of

11110-563: Was formed in Jalapa, to represent the Plan of Casa Mata. On 4 March 1823, Iturbide issued a decree reconvening Congress, and the deputies met on 7 March. Iturbide addressed the session, hoping to reach a negotiation and avoid conflict, but the deputies listened coldly. The military junta refused to recognize the Congress until its liberty was guaranteed. On 19 March, Iturbide fearing his imminent overthrowal, summoned congress to an extraordinary session and presented his abdication. Congress proposed that

11220-494: Was in response to the lapse in law and order that was spreading throughout the country. Iturbide wished to establish in provincial capitals special courts made up of two military officers assisted by a lawyer. They were to keep track of seditious plots, but also in cases of murder, robbery or injury, and with the permission of the district captain general, the courts would be allowed to disregard statutes that would interfere with quickly carrying out judicial processes. Congress however,

11330-529: Was marked by challenges, including disputes over its legitimacy, conflicts between the Congress and the emperor, and a bankrupt national treasury. In October 1822, Iturbide dissolved Congress and replaced it with the National Institutional Junta , composed of his supporters. However, by December of the same year, he began to lose the support of the Mexican Army , which rebelled in favor of restoring

11440-422: Was mostly being suppressed at this time, Victoria being held in check at Puente del Rey, and Santa Anna still confined at Veracruz. Echevarri was sent to take care of the rebellion in Veracruz, with more than three thousand well supplied troops, but ended up defecting. At this point, the opposition to the government began to negotiate with the military. On 1 February 1823 a junta including many military chiefs, and

11550-417: Was opposed to the project. All the while, work on a constitution for the Empire was being neglected. Iturbide's greatest enemy in congress was deputy Servando Teresa de Mier , a staunch republican, who would often ridicule the Emperor and his pageantry. In August 1822, a conspiracy to overthrow the Emperor was discovered. The conspirators, claiming that Iturbide's election was illegal, plotted to rise up in

11660-425: Was placed in charge of dissolving the congress, and the deputies dispersed without protest or violence. Iturbide's pretext was that congress had accomplished nothing in the eight months it had been in session, work on a constitution had not begun despite that being the main purpose for its convocation, and that the matters of justice and finance had been completely neglected. To replace congress, Iturbide established

11770-438: Was short of a legal quorum of one hundred and two deputies. Congress, nonetheless resigned itself to the situation, and a plan to establish a constitutional monarchy united both conservatives and liberals at a time when it was uncertain which form of government would be best for independent Mexico. Congress published an oath binding the emperor to obey the constitution, which Iturbide subsequently took, and Congress also declared

11880-605: Was the tenth of the California Missions to be founded by the Spanish Franciscans. It was dedicated by Padre Fermín Lasuén , who succeeded Padre Junipero Serra as the second president and founder of the California Franciscan Mission Chain. The Chumash laborers built a connection between the canyon creek and the Santa Barbara Mission water system through the use of a dam and an aqueduct. During

11990-605: Was the village of Mispu ; the site of the Los Baños pool (along west beach) was the village of Syukhtun , chief Yanonalit's large village located between Bath and Chapala streets; Amolomol was at the mouth of Mission Creek; and Swetete , above the bird refuge. Spanish explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo , sailing for the Kingdom of Spain , sailed through what is now called the Santa Barbara Channel in 1542, anchoring briefly in

12100-531: Was winding down, and to find new fields oil companies carried out seismic exploration of the Channel using explosives, a controversial practice that local fishermen claimed harmed their catch. The culminating disaster, and one of the formative events in the modern environmental movement, was the blowout at Union Oil's Platform A on the Dos Cuadras Field , about eight miles (13 km) southeast of Santa Barbara in

#593406