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SANTA BARBARA, CA – The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation is pleased to announce a new exhibit at Casa de la Guerra, Santa Barbara 1925 – 2025: A Portrait in Maps.
Santa Barbara 1925 – 2025: A Portrait in Maps is part of EQ25, a community-wide commemoration of the 1925 earthquake that shook Santa Barbara awake early on the morning of June 29, 1925. Using maps from historical archives and contemporary City and County documents, this exhibition tells the story of Santa Barbara’s development since the earthquake. These maps reveal dramatic changes in downtown Santa Barbara, for example, the creation of the harbor breakwater and the construction of the 101 freeway. They also illustrate what has remained constant over the past 100 years: Santa Barbara’s identity as a special place set between the ocean and the mountains, blessed with a beautiful climate and a rich history. Maps remind us that the natural environment, like the urban environment, has a history and document the changing natural as well urban environment of Santa Barbara. The 100th anniversary of the earthquake offers a unique opportunity for Santa Barbara to learn from our past, reflect upon our present, and plan for our future.
The exhibit will open to the public on September 11, 2025, and will be available for viewing by the public during the regular open hours at Casa de la Guerra, 12:00 – 4:00 PM, Thursday – Sunday.
The exhibit is curated by Dennis Doordan, with assistant curator Mary Louise Days and designer Isabello Botello. The exhibit is sponsored by the Henry W. Bull Foundation, the Santa Barbara Conservancy, Citizens Planning Association, AIA-Santa Barbara, and Fermina Murray Historical Consulting.
Santa Barbara 1925 – 2025: A Portrait in Maps is part of a larger community-wide commemoration of the 1925 earthquake that shook Santa Barbara awake early on the morning of June 29, 1925.
ABOUT DENNIS DOORDAN
Dennis Doordan is an Architectural Historian and a Commissioner on the Historic Landmarks Commission of Santa Barbara. He has published books and articles on a wide variety of topics dealing with modern architecture, design, and historic preservation. He has served as an exhibition consultant and contributed catalog essays for architecture and design exhibitions organized by The Art Institute of Chicago, The Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Toledo Art Museum, and the Wolfsonian Foundation in Miami Beach, Florida. He is Professor Emeritus of Architecture at the University of Notre Dame.
ABOUT MARY LOUISE DAYS
Mary Louise Days is a native Santa Barbaran and fifth generation Californian. She has degrees in history from Santa Barbara City College and UCSB. She was employed by the City of Santa Barbara Planning/Community Development Department for over thirty-five years. This included a number of years as the City’s first urban historian and staff to the Historic Landmarks Commission. She has published numerous articles on historical topics. A consulting historian and researcher, she serves on the boards of several organizations, including the Citizens Planning Association and the Santa Barbara Conservancy. She is a past president of the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation.
ABOUT THE SANTA BARBARA TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION
Founded in 1963 by Dr. Pearl Chase, the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP) stewards the past and present of the Presidio Neighborhood and inspires preservation advocacy throughout the County in order to create a more vibrant community. SBTHP operates El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park, Santa Barbara’s 18th century birthplace, under an agreement with California State Parks. In addition to portions of the Spanish fort, El Presidio SHP includes the Alhecama Theatre (1925) and the campus of the Santa Barbara School of the Arts, and Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens (1947) the last visible connection to Santa Barbara’s Chinatown. The organization also operates Casa de la Guerra, the 1820’s adobe home of Presidio Comandante José de la Guerra, and the Santa Inés Mission Mills near Solvang, CA. SBTHP produces dozens of community and school programs throughout the year to provide access to these special historic places. SBTHP is 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization; learn more at sbthp.org.
ABOUT EQ25
Led by the Santa Barbara Conservancy, an alliance of community organizations collectively known as the EQ25 was established to promote a commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake. In 2025, EQ25 sponsored programs, events, and exhibitions dedicated to the story of the 1925 earthquake and its aftermath. Santa Barbara 1925 – 2025: A Portrait in Maps is a contribution to this effort. Formed in 1998, The Santa Barbara Conservancy advocates for the recognition, preservation, and revitalization of historic, architectural, and cultural resources in Santa Barbara County.
