Postcards from Paradise
Santa Barbara Postcard Exhibit at Maritime Museum
The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum is hosting a Santa Barbara postcard exhibit called Postcards From Paradise from now until January. The exhibit features a display of fourteen reproduced and enlarged postcards, enlargements courtesy of Peter Dewey. The originals’ dates range from the late 1800s to the 1930s, and they detail the history of Santa Barbara’s waterfront with a focus on leisure activities and the Potter Hotel. Museum curator Abbey Chamberlain said in an interview that the museum decided to display the postcards because “the subject matter had broad appeal.”
The original postcards were provided by Peter Jordano who owns a collection of thousands of Santa Barbara and Catalina postcards. He said in an interview that he originally showed his collection to the Santa Barbara Historical Society, and the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum asked if they could display part of his collection soon after. He says he does not mind the attention his postcards have received because he likes sharing things he enjoys with other people.
The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum is located at 113 Harbor Way, Suite 190. On July 20 at 6 p.m., Neal Graffy will host a lecture, History of the Potter Hotel, that is involved with the exhibit.
