The folks at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum—and in particular, education and visitor experience manager Emily Alessio—went through the Gledhill Library collection to find old photos of Santa Barbara so we can play a game: can you identify which buildings these are? The dates the photos were taken is unknown, but all come from the 20th century. Once a building is identified, I’ll add corresponding current-day photos. P.S. I blurred out any street and business signage that gives too much away.
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Hotel Virginia, 17 W. Haley Street.
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Hill-Carrillo Adobe, 11 E. Carrillo Street.
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San Marcos Building, 1127 State Street
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502 State Street.
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929 State Street
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430 State Street
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936 State Street
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Number six is 430 and 432 State St. For several years in the 70s and 80s my former husband and I owned this building where he used the 430 side for his graphic design studio. When we bought it in 1978 it was a church, complete with a very large baptismal pool in the back of the building!
#3 is the San Marcos Building at Anapamu / State.
Here is a great photo of the courtyard from 1933: https://digital.library.ucla.edu/catalog/ark:/21198/zz002b6cq3
It’s such a lovely building and courtyard. My first job out of UCSB was at the newly opened 1129 restaurant in the mid 70’s. The courtyard was a great place to dine.
#5 is the 900 block of State, where the Italian Pottery Outlet currently resides. Very distinctive facade!
Number 7 is at 936 State Street, at the corner of State and Carrillo (currently U.S. Bank).
#2 is an adobe, maybe the Carrillo adobe. It is behind Montecito Bank and Trust at the corner of Carrillo and State. In my day that was the County National Bank . In more recent years the adobe was the home of the Santa Barbara Foundation.
#4 is State and Haley building where Cold Stone and Hibachi is now.
#1 is Hotel Virginia on Haley Street