Where is the mission located?

The Santa Barbara Mission is located 220 miles north of San Diego, on a hill about 1 mile from the Pacific Ocean.  The Mission is on 2201 Laguna Street.  The mission over looks the city of Santa Barbara.  The zip code is, 93105.

     Here is one possible way to get to the mission:

 From Portola Valley you take Highway 101 South to Santa Barbara.  Exit at Mission Street. Go straight on  Mission Street, then take a left on Laguna Street. You are at the Mission.

What group of Indians was living in the area?

The group of Indians that lived in this area were the Chumash Tribe. 

When was the mission established? What order in the mission chain is it?

The mission was established on December 4, 1786.  It is the tenth out of the twenty-one missions in California.  

Who was responsible for starting this mission?

The person who was responsible for starting this mission was Father Fermin Francisco de Lasuén. 

Has the mission moved from its original location?

No, the mission has not moved from its original location.   

What does the mission look like? Use descriptive words. Address each of the

following:

The mission is big with a quadrangle, garden and fountain in the middle.  Steps lead up to the cemetery.  From the cemetery you go to the church and chapel, then the kitchen.  The bell tower is located  infront of the mission on both sides.

• Chapel - The Chapel contains music books, vestments, instruments, art work, and the mission video.  The church is located next to the chapel.  In the church are many paintings of Jesus, angels, Mary, and Joseph.  Some of the Mexican art from the 18th and 19th centuries are 200 years old.  The church is 161 feet long, 27 feet wide and 42 feet high.  The church has not changed since 1820. 
• Bell wall or bell tower - There are two bell towers, which are 87 feet tall.  They were reinforced in 1953 - after the earthquake that hit on June 25, 1925.  This is the only mission with two matching bell towers.   
• Quadrangle - The buildings that surround the quadrangle include the church, servant quarters, sleeping place for native women, the priest's house, kitchen and strorage rooms. The quadrangle served as a place for both work and fiesta.  Today some of the buildings are used for housing and vacationers.
• Priests’ quarters- The Priests' living quarters were around the patio. 
• Indians’ quarters- The Indian quarters were adobe style and consisted of 250 houses.  
• Archways- The mission has many arches, but there is no descriptive detail about them.
• Fields, grounds, gardens- There is a rose garden.  Also there is a really cool tree that swirls around a little.  There is a Moorish fountain at the entrance of the mission that the indian woman washed there cloths in. There were also olive and orange tree orchards.
• Outbuildings- The only outbuildings that are left are in ruins.  they are a mill, tanning vats, a storage reservoir, and a filter.  These can be seen near the mission today. 

What materials were used to construct the mission?

The mission is made from stone.  The walls of the mission are six feet thick.  Two hundred and fifty adobe houses were for the Indians.   Adobe is made out of mud and straw.     

What was the main industry of the mission during the Spanish occupation?

The industry during the Spanish occupation was farming and agriculture.   

What, if any, is the main industry of the mission today?

The mission still houses nuns and priests, missionairies who helps the poor, and it can be used as a private vacation retreat.  It's also an active church. 

What was the relationship between the Priests and the Indians?

The local Indians helped build the mission.  Today there are 4,000 chumash Indians buried under the mission.   

Is it possible to visit the mission today?

Yes.  The Santa Barbara Mission is open daily from 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 

Find an image of the floor plan of your mission and include it here: 

Here is a lay out picture of the mission:

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  This, is a picture of the front steps of my mission.