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The Presidio Community





The Presidio Community


The Chumash
Overlapping Communities -
The Chumash
Slightly over two hundred years ago, the Chumash Indians were the sole inhabitants of the Santa Barbara area, which had the most densly populated Indian settlement in California. Population estimates for the Chumash from San Luis Obispo to Malibu at the time of Spanish contact range between 15,000 and 17,000. The abundant natural resources of the area enabled them to live very well by hunting, gathering, and fishing.

After the Spanish arrived in 1782, the Chumash population began to decline dramatically, largely due to newly introduced diseases to which they had no immunity and due to disruption of their way of life. By 1803, the population of virtually all of the coastal Chumash villages had been absorbed by the missions. After the missions were secularized, the Chumash often worked as laborers, servants, and vaqueros in Mexican California.



The Spanish
Overlapping Communities -
The Spanish
The second group of settlers in the Santa Barbara area were the Spanish colonists. Though technically Spanish citizens, few colonists were actually born in Spain. Most came from Mexico and were of mixed heritage - often mestizo (Spanish and Indian) or mulato (Spanish and Negro).

Initially the colonists lived within the presidio quadrangle. When soldiers retired, they were granted land outside of the presidio upon which they built houses, such as the Pico and Rochin Adobes.



The Mexicans and Immigrants
Overlapping Communities -
The Mexicans and Immigrants
After Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1821 and Alta California fell under Mexican rule, the population began to change with an influx of immigrants, including American hide and tallow traders. Many of these immigrants married into californio families, creating a new cultural blend. As the California missions were secularized between 1834 and 1844, the lands around the Santa Barbara Presidio. as well as other presidios, gradually fell into disuse and decay, while the surrounding settlement grew into the pueblo of Santa Barbara.




The Community
The original residents of the Santa Barbara Royal Presidio were a diverse group. They included Spainiards, mestizos (Spanish and Indian), mulatos (Spanish and black), blacks and Indians. One thing that united this mix of settlers was their devotion to the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Their faith played an extremely important role in the daily lives of the inhabitants of the Presidio.

As was typical in the Spanish Colonies, Sundays and many saints holy day's were set aside for worship and relaxation in Santa Barbara. Schools were established at the Presidio to teach the soldier's children the Catholic dogma. Although the settlers worshipped from their own free will, the Spanish military had regulations to see that the soldiers kept up good relations with the church. They had to comply with the religious duties of confession and communion or face punishment.

This dedication to religion manifested itself in material objects that were common sights at the Presidio. Santos (statues or paintings depicting saints), crosses, and books of devotion could be found in all corners of the Presidio quadrangle, from the chapel to a soldiers quarters. This case includes some of the religious objects that might have been commonplace at the Presidio during its early years.


objects of devotion objects of devotion objects of devotion




list of soldiers Historical Lists of the soldiers who served here and family trees of the settlers. family trees