El Paseo and Casa de la Guerra
About this property
The Casa de la Guerra was the residence of the fifth commandant of the Presidio de Santa Barbara, José de la Guerra y Noriega, founder of the Guerra family of California (a prominent Californio family) from 1828 until his death in 1858. Descendants of José lived in the home until 1943. The site is currently owned and operated by the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation as a historic house museum. The address is 15 East De la Guerra Street, Santa Barbara, California. The time when José lived in the casa it was known to locals as the casa grande (big house), as the thirteen room structure dwarfed the surrounding one room adobes. In the casa grande period, José added the altito structure. The altito structure no longer stands, but acted as José's office and was where he stored his money. The 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake did significant damage to the residence, and due to José's declining health, his son Pablo spearheaded renovations. Pablo's renovations reflected the change in style in the Santa Barbara area, modifying the home to give it a Victorian appearance. The most significant changes in this time were the removal of the adobe columns in favor of wooden columns and the addition of wooden siding to the house. The Casa is a Santa Barbara City Landmark, a California Historical Landmark. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places together with Paseo de la Guerra as "El Paseo and Casa de la Guerra". The house is being restored and furnished to appear as it might have between 1828 and 1858. The Casa de la Guerra interior is open to visitors Saturdays and Sundays, although the exterior may be explored any time.
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about El Paseo and Casa de la Guerra
This page lists El Paseo and Casa de la Guerra. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was El Paseo and Casa de la Guerra listed on the National Register?
El Paseo and Casa de la Guerra was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 2, 1977.
What type of historic resource is El Paseo and Casa de la Guerra?
El Paseo and Casa de la Guerra is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for El Paseo and Casa de la Guerra?
The period of significance for El Paseo and Casa de la Guerra is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near El Paseo and Casa de la Guerra?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near El Paseo and Casa de la Guerra will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Santa Barbara County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Santa Barbara County.
Explore Santa BarbaraCounty ›More historic places in California
Browse all historic places in California.
View Californiahistoric sites ›California history
Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.
Californiahistory ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near El Paseo and Casa de la Guerra will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.