Founded in 1963 by Dr. Pearl Chase and other community leaders, the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP) works to preserve, restore, reconstruct and interpret historic sites in Santa Barbara County. SBTHP operates El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park, Santa Barbara’s 18th century birthplace, under a unique agreement with California State Parks. Recently purchased, the neighboring building that housed Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens provides an opportunity to interpret the history of Santa Barbara’s Asian American community in the Presidio neighborhood. SBTHP also owns and operates Casa de la Guerra, the 1820s home of Presidio Comandante José de la Guerra and his family. The restored home is now a museum featuring original furnishings and rotating exhibits. Recently SBTHP signed an agreement with State Parks to manage and develop the Santa Inés Mission Mills near the town of Solvang as a future California State Park. These are a few of the projects SBTHP is presently pursuing—learn more!

NTHP Award Recognition The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation was nationally recognized last week with the prestigious 2011 Trustees Emeritus Award for Excellence for the Stewardship of Historic Sites presented by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  This award recognizes sustained excellence by a nonprofit organization or government agency in the preservation, management, and interpretation of one or more historic sites. More	Become a Docent at SBTHP! Love History? SBTHP is seeking new docents. SBTHP docents give tours to both schoolchildren and adults, and provide interpretation at special living history days. Our new docent training session begins soon. Training sessions take place on Thursday afternoons. You will learn about the historic sites under our stewardship and how to give a tour of those sites. Learn more
On Exhibit at the Casa A Legacy Set in Stone: Santa Barbara Stone Architecture, 1870-1940 SBTHP is pleased to present an exhibit of images, objects and stories honoring this distinctive period of craftsmanship in partnership with the Santa Barbara Conservancy. Featuring historic and contemporary photographs of some of Santa Barbara's most admired landmarks, stone working tools, and samples of stonemasonry. More	Upcoming Events Sharing Our Common Group: Asian American Film Series SBTHP continues “Sharing Our Common Ground: Asian American History in Santa Barbara County" with a three-part summer film series focusing on the Chinese and Japanese American communities. Each film will feature an introduction and highlights from the Presidio Research Center’s collection of local Asian American history. More
On Exhibit at El Presidio Nihonmachi Revisited: Santa Barbara's Japanese American Community in Transition, 1900-1940 This exhibit covers forty years of life in Santa Barbara’s Nihonmachi, or Japan Town, which was located on the Presidio site during the first half of the 20th century. More	Help Make History Membership Matters! Join SBTHP and receive free admission to all Trust sites, gift shop discounts, advanced notice for special events and exhibits, and much more..