TEN OF THE MOST HISTORIC HOUSES IN AMERICA

1.       THE WRIGLEY MANSION - ARIZONA

The Wrigley Mansion was built in 1932 by chewing gum personality William Wrigley Jr. William Wrigley Jr. designed this house as a 50^th anniversary gift for his wife. The mansion sits on top of a hill and has gorgeous 360-degree views of the mountains and the city below. Georgie and Jamie Hormel purchased the property in 1992 and they restored it with the intention of sharing its magic with everyone. Today Wrigley Mansion is a popular destination for weddings and special events, as well as the popular restaurant Geordie’s Steak restaurant and lounge.

2.       OAK ALLEY PLANTATION - LOUISIANA

In 1830 Valcour Aime, known as the “King of Sugar”, purchased the land that Oak Alley Plantation now sits on. In 1836, Valcour Aime exchanged this piece of property with his brother-in-law Jacques Telesphore Roman for a plantation owned by Roman. By 1837, Jacques Roman began building the present mansion under the oversight of George Swainy and entirely with enslaved labor. They completed the mansion in 1839. There have been several owners throughout the years, as most of them could not afford the cost of upkeep. Josephine Stewart was the last owner to olive in the residence. She left the house and grounds to the Oak Alley Foundation when she died in 1972, which opened the plantation up to the public.

3.       ROBERT FROST FARM – NEW HAMPSHIRE

The Robert Frost farm is in Derry, New Hampshire that Robert Frost lived in from 1900 to 1911. The majority of poems in his first two books were written here. The property was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1968. The property is a New Hampshire State Park and is open to the public seasonally.

4.       OHEKA CASTLE – NEW YORK

Otto Hermann Kahn built Oheka Castle in the middle of a 443-acre plot on the highest point on Long Island in Cold Spring Harbor, for an estimated $11 million. The French-style chateau is the second largest private residence ever built in America. The 109,000 square foot home consists of 127 rooms. Developer Gary Melius purchased Oheka in 1984 with the intent of restoring the Castle to its original grandeur.  After $30 million in restoration, the Castle is nearly fully restored.

5.       JOHNNY CASH’S BOYHOOD HOME – ARKANSAS

In 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt created The Dyess Colony to aid in the nation’s economic recovery from the Great Depression. The community provided a fresh start for nearly 500 impoverished Arkansas farm families, including the family of music legend Johnny Cash. The colony has been restored and opened to visitors in August 2014. Johnny Cash’s boyhood home is furnished as it was when the Cash family lived there. Tours are given Mondays through Saturdays.

6.       MARK TWAIN HOUSE – CONNECTICUT 

Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain) and Olivia “Livy” Clemens hired New York architect Edward Tuckerman Potter to design their house on Farmington Avenue in Hartford, Connecticut. Construction began in August 1873 and the family moved into the house on September 19, 1874. Twain wrote, “To us, our house…had a heart, and a soul, and eyes to see us with; and approvals and solicitudes and deep sympathies; it was of us, and we were in its confidence and lived in its grace and in the peace of its benediction.” Financial problems forced the Clemens to move to Europe in 1891. The family never lived in Hartford again.

7.       NEMOURS MANSION – DELEWARE

Alfred I. DuPont was an American industrialist, financier, and philanthropist. In 1907 Alfred married Alicia, his second wife. He loved showering her with grandiose gifts and one gift being the spectacular new house that he built for her on a 3,000-acre plot of land in Wilmington, Delaware. They named the estate Nemours after the French town that his great-great-grandfather represented in the French Estates General.

8.       ERNEST HEMINGWAY  HOME – FLORIDA

Ernest Hemingway purchased the Key West home in 1931 for $8,000 in back taxes from the City of Key West. It still contains the furniture that he and his family used. The cats that live on the property are descendants of the cats he had while he lived in the house.  The house is built from limestone that was excavated directly from the ground beneath. It is believed that the stone was all hand cut since there were no power tools available at that time. Today the house serves as a museum. The estate still remains to be the single largest residential property on the island of Key West.

9.       THE BILTMORE ESTATE – NORTH CAROLINA

George Vanderbilt began construction on his 250-room French Renaissance chateau in 1889. Taking over six years to complete, the Biltmore House is the largest undertaking in residential architecture. In 1895, Vanderbilt opens Biltmore to friends and family. The finished home contains over four acres of floor space, including 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces. The estate attracts almost 1 million visitors each year and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964.

10.   GRACELAND – TENNESSEE

In the spring of 1957, at the age of just 22, Elvis Presley purchased Graceland for just over $100,000. When Elvis purchased Graceland, he was working on his second motion picture, “Loving You,” with “Jailhouse Rock” to follow. Elvis had various homes in the Los Angeles area and spent a lot of time on the road. However, Graceland was always home base – a constant in the life of Elvis Presley. Today, you can tour Graceland and get a glimpse into the personal life of Elvis Presley.

TEN MUSEUMS TO VISIT IN SANTA BARBARA

1.       Santa Barbara Museum of Art

Located at 1130 State Street in downtown Santa Barbara, California. Home to both permanent and special collections, the museum was founded in 1941. The building itself was at one time the Santa Barbara Post Office (1914 – 1932). Chicago architect David Adler created the Museum’s galleries. Today, the Museum’s 60,000 square feet include exhibition galleries, a Museum Store, Café, a 154- seat auditorium, a library containing 50,000 books and 55,000 slides, a Family Resource Center dedicated to participatory interactive programming and an 11,500 square foot off site facility, the Ridley-Tree Education Center at McCormick House. The Museum’s mission is to integrate art into the life of the community. They have over 40 educational programs reaching more than 40,000 people each year. 

2.       Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

Founded in 1916, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is the oldest museum in Santa Barbara, California. Located in Mission Canyon, directly behind the Santa Barbara Mission. The campus occupies 12 acres. The museum has 5,700 members and more than 150,000 people visit each year. Albert Einstein visited the museum with his wife in 1931 and remarked, “I can see that this museum has been built by the work of love.”

3.       Santa Barbara Historical Museum

The museum is located at 136 East De la Guerra in the heart of historic downtown Santa Barbara, built in 1965 by the Santa Barbara Historical Society. It features relics from Chumash, Spanish, Mexican, Yankee and Chinese cultures, including artifacts, photographs, furnishings and textiles dating as far back as the 15^th century. 

4.       Mission Santa Barbara

The Santa Barbara Mission was founded by Padre Fermin Lasuen on December 4, 1786, the feast day of Saint Barbara, as the tenth mission for the religious conversion of the indigenous local Chumash-Barbareno tribe of Native American people. Today, the Santa Barbara Mission continues to serve the community as a parish church. It also contains a gift shop, a museum, a Franciscan Friary, and a retreat house. The grounds are a primary tourist attraction in Santa Barbara. The Mission is owned by the Franciscan Province of Santa Barbara, and the local parish rents the church from the Franciscans. 

5.       Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is located in Mission Canyon, Santa Barbara, containing over 1,000 species of rare and indigenous plants. The garden sits on 78 acres and the purpose is the display California native plants in natural settings. There are about 5.7 miles of hiking trails within the garden. The Garden was founded by landscape architect Beatrix Farrand in 1926. There is a rock dam that was constructed in 1806 by Native Americans under the direction of the Spanish padres of the adjacent Mission Santa Barbara. The Garden became a Santa Barbara County Landmark in 1983. Part of the Botanic Garden was burned in the Jesusita Fire on May 6, 2009. Several buildings were destroyed by the fire and have not yet been replaced. Garden displays have recovered from the fire. 

6.       Santa Barbara Maritime Museum

The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum opened its doors in July 2000, inside the Santa Barbara Waterfront Center (formerly the Naval Reserve Building). There are many different events including lectures, tastings, celebrations, special gatherings, and private meetings and parties. The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum also offers educational programs such as: Marine Science Program – For two weeks, about 400 children from elementary schools and after school programs participate, many of whom have never been out on the ocean or on a boat. Another program is the Tall Ship Program. This program allows students to spend the night aboard a tall ship living the life of an 1830’s sailor. They also offer a Science Night Program and a Book Club. 

7.       Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum

The Karpeles Manuscript Library is the world’s largest private collection of original manuscripts and documents. David and Marsha Karpeles, California real estate magnates, founded the library in 1983. All of the Karpeles Manuscript Library services are free. There are 11 different Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum’s around the US. The world’s largest private holding of important original documents and manuscripts is located at 21 W. Anapamu Street in Santa Barbara, California. 

8.       El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park

The El Presidio de Santa Barbara is a former military installation in Santa Barbara. The Presidio was built by Spain in 1782. The park houses an original adobe structure called El Cuartel, which is the second oldest surviving building in California. The Santa Barbara Presidio was both military headquarters and governmental center of the region that is now San Luis Obispo County to and including the Pueblo of Los Angeles. El Presidio de Santa Barbara is located at 123 East Canon Perdido, between Anacapa and Santa Barbara Streets in downtown Santa Barbara. It sits across from the Santa Barbara Post Office. 

9.       Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara

The Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara was founded in 1976 by artists and supporters seeking a venue that was dedicated solely to contemporary art. There is no admission fee because MCASB believes that the arts should be accessible to all audiences of all persuasions. There are several different education projects put on by the MCASB which can be found on their website www.mcasantabarbara.org/learn.

10.    Casa Dolores

Casa Dolores, Center for the Study of the Popular Arts of Mexico is an art museum located on 1023 Bath Street in Santa Barbara, California. The museum is located in the Botiller Adobe house that was built in 1843, the oldest standing two-story adobe in Santa Barbara. The house was purchased by Linda Cathcart in 2007. The Museum houses art historian Linda Cathcart’s collection of over 6,000 objects in various media: clay, wood, ceramic, natural fibers, leather, paper, glass, clay, and tin. Some artists whose work is displayed include Josefina Aguilar, Teodora Blanco, Candelario Medrano, Abelardo Ruiz, Rosa Real de Nieto and the Linares family.

5 Remarkable Historic Sites You Need to See in Santa Barbara

The city of Santa Barbara has a rich history, dating back to the Chumash Indians who had lived on the land for thousands of years prior to the area’s discovery by Portuguese explorer Juan Cabrillo in 1542. In 1602, Sebastian Vizcaino would name the area for Saint Barbara, whose feast day fell on December 4, the day Vizcaino first sailed into the Santa Barbara Channel.

This period of discovery would be followed by the development of missions at the hands of Franciscan monks, along with the influence of American settlers in later centuries. Together, the accumulation of architecture and cultural traditions help make Santa Barbara a historic city with a distinct local flavor. Because of the early historic preservation efforts undertaken by the city, many of Santa Barbara’s most important sites remain intact and open for visitors.

The following five sites located in the city pay homage to a past steeped in many cultures, and provide visitors with an excellent way to spend a day exploring and learning about the city’s history.

1. El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park

Established on 5.5 acres of land, El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park is the site of the city’s fourth and final military outpost constructed by the Spanish. Erected in 1782, the Spanish word “presidio” translates to “fortress” in English, an accurate word for the quadrangle, which is surrounded by an outer wall equipped with two cannons.

Image courtesy user Al R on Flickr

Within the walls of the Presidio, visitors can independently explore restored replicas of buildings such as the Chapel, Padres’ Quarters, and Comandancia, as well as El Cuartel, a guardhouse that is the second-oldest surviving structure in the state of California. The park is open every day from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and charges a $5 admission fee for adults.

2. Old Mission Santa Barbara

The Spanish Franciscans orchestrated the construction of 21 missions in the state of California, and the Old Mission in Santa Barbara was the tenth to be established. The registered historic landmark received a special designation among the 21 as “Queen of the Missions,” and is the only mission in the state that has continuously been run by Franciscans since its foundation.

Image courtesy Wally Gobetz on Flickr

Settled on a hilltop downtown, the mission complex encompasses gardens, a historic cemetery, and a museum, as well as the church itself. The external architecture of the church retains a Spanish colonial style, and the inside is decorated with original paintings and artistic pieces created by the Chumash people. Visitors can choose between self-guided or docent-guided tours of the mission between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. daily.

3. Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park

Outside of the city, a cave carved into massive limestone boulders offers locals and tourists the opportunity to see paintings of the ancient Chumash people firsthand. Though the exact age of the paintings is not known, academics estimate that that they were created sometime around the early 17th century. The colorful pictures were drawn with paint made from minerals found in the area. After being mixed with a binder, they were then applied to cave walls using fingers or animal-tail brushes.

Image courtesy David Seibold on Flickr

Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park is located about half an hour outside of the city, three miles south of the San Marcos Pass. The cave is open from sunrise to sunset each day, and is accessed via a steep and narrow road unfit for RVs or trucks with trailers. Layered clothing is recommended, as the cave’s location within the canyon can make the climate cool year-round.

4. Stearns Wharf

Built by John Peck Stearns in 1872 to help make cargo transfer from ship to land easier in the Santa Barbara Channel, Stearns Wharf is the oldest wooden wharf in the state still in operation. Because of the wharf’s construction, incoming ships were able to anchor offshore at low tide, which effectively solved the problem of Santa Barbara’s inaccessibility due to being surrounded by water and mountains.

Image courtesy user Brian on Flickr

At first, the wharf served predominantly as a transportation hub, but today functions as a popular merchant center, complete with restaurants, museums, and specialty shops.  This historic site is a necessary visit for anyone looking to eat fresh seafood, learn about marine life, and pick up local souvenirs.

5. Casa del Herrero

A sweeping historic estate designed by George Washington Smith, Casa del Herrero was home to George Fox Steedman, the owner of machine shop and foundry Curtis & Co. Translated from Spanish, “Casa del Herrero” means “house of the blacksmith.”

This local landmark is a testament to the period between the late 19th and early 20th centuries when estate owners took it upon themselves to express their artistic tastes through the construction of elaborate homes and gardens. Completed in 1925, the home took four years and multiple architects to finish, with antique pieces such as tiles and furniture imported directly from Spain.

The house is done in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, and features white stucco walls, many arches, intricate tiles, and ornate ironwork. Additionally, the lush gardens that extend behind the main house are among the most breathtaking in the city, punctuated by tiled pools, outdoor rooms, and decorative benches. 

You Need to Know about These 5 Awesome Local Arts Programs for Kids

Santa Barbara’s eclectic nature is influenced by its multicultural heritage, commitment to sustainability, and promotion of the arts through the hosting of events like the Santa Barbara Film Festival. Known for having California’s second-highest number of nonprofits per capita, the city focuses on providing amenities that benefit the local groups most in need.

Among these groups, children are the focus of most of the community’s resources. Along with programs designed to help them learn about civic involvement, socialization, and safety, there are many organizations that focus on the development of creative abilities through art programs, including the following five groups.

1. Music Matters

A program hosted by the Community Arts Music Association of Santa Barbara, Music Matters is an outreach initiative that teaches fourth through sixth graders classical music appreciation. Beginning in 2003 at a local elementary school lacking musical education opportunities, the program has continued to develop ever since. Today, Music Matters leads classes for students at 13 schools in the county.

The central themes of the curriculum taught by Music Matters include music in relation to the imagination, emotions, nationality, and creativity. In an age when most popular music has electronic or synthesized elements, instructors help instill an interest in classical music through techniques that improve listening skills. Students are exposed to various music pieces, and are then asked questions that require them to use emotional intelligence.

Education professionals interested in bringing the Music Matters initiative to their schools can do so through inquiry on the program’s website at www.camamusicmatters.org.

2. Viva el Arte de Santa Barbara     

Viva el Arte de Santa Barbara, a program presented by the University of California, Santa Barbara, is focused on arts that are relevant to Latin American heritage. In an effort to provide a diverse cultural education to 15,000 local children and their families, Viva el Arte provides the community with free Latin music and dance performances.

Along with community presentations, the group also performs at local schools, hosts weekend workshops, and offers music lessons. These experiences are an excellent way for children to learn about cultural traditions and connect with family members across multiple generations.

Run by volunteers, Viva el Arte is a nonprofit organization funded by grants and donations. To stay up to date with group performances and events, visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/VivaelArteSB.

3. ArtVentures at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art

Students in the city can participate in the Santa Barbara Museum of Art’s ArtVentures, a creative after-school program that hosts classes and workshops teaching basic visual art techniques. Children learn skills such as drawing, painting, and understanding color and composition, and projects within the curriculum connect with current museum exhibits.

In order to inspire confidence and build visual thinking skills in students, ArtVentures instructors lead them on a visit to the museum, where they are able to view and find inspiration in professional artwork. All classes and projects are held in an offsite facility, the Ridley-Tree Education Center. Registration for the museum’s camps, after-school program, and workshops can be found on the official website, www.sbma.net/learn/kidsfamilies.

4. Incredible Children’s Art Network (iCAN)

The Incredible Children’s Art Network (iCAN) is a nonprofit organization that aims to provide students in Santa Barbara County with a professionally taught, quality arts education. The network focuses on providing these programs at schools and centers within communities that are economically disadvantaged and the least likely to have access to an education in the arts.

Programs hosted by iCAN include subjects within music and the visual arts, and each year they serve nearly 3,000 children at nine sites across the county. With a teaching staff of 32 instructors, iCAN instructs children in art production, perception, and reflection. Participants of the music programs initially learn about choir and violin, and earn the ability to pursue a wind or brass instrument once they reach the fifth grade.

Both music and visual arts students also become involved with the community, participating in exhibitions, art shows, and concerts, which give them the opportunity to showcase their newly acquired artistic skills at various points throughout the year.

5. Girls Rock Santa Barbara

Girls Rock Santa Barbara provides girls and women in the city with a unique opportunity to participate in music lessons, camps, and year-round programs that help them learn about music performance. With subjects including performance, production, photography, filmmaking, and journalism, most programs are geared toward girls between the ages of 6 and 17, though programs for adult women ages 18 and up also exist.

Opportunities for girls include the program After School Rock Band, where students pursue one of many instruments, form a band with other girls, and work together to compose an original song. At the end of the 12-week program, all bands perform their song at a community showcase. Students are not required to have any prior musical knowledge and are provided with instruments by the Girls Rock Santa Barbara organization.

The mission of the program is to use music as a tool to inspire women and girls to feel confident, challenge gender stereotypes, and make friends in a supportive and safe environment.

4 of the Best Local Resources for Entrepreneurs in Santa Barbara

At the heart of Santa Barbara’s economy are its thriving tourism, education, and technology industries, which bring jobs and financial prosperity to the area. With a culture deeply rooted in environmentally-friendly practices, personal health, and sustainability, the city also fosters the promotion of entrepreneurship and the development of the local business sector.

In order to support the growth of businesses in Santa Barbara, various nonprofit entities focus their efforts on providing business owners with resources that will assist them in securing their economic futures. Listed below are four of the best resources that local businesses and entrepreneurs can use to help them effectively pursue their professional endeavors.

1. Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board (WDB)

The WDB is a public-private partnership that provides free services to area workers who have been laid off as well as Santa Barbara county businesses that are looking for economic assistance in the form of professional advisement. Additionally, it offers services to struggling professionals in industries that significantly affect the county’s economy, such as agriculture, tourism, and energy.

For individuals, the organization conducts workshops that teach skills such as resume writing, interviewing, and job preparation. Additionally, the WDB hosts job fairs in order to pair local businesses that need talent with WDB members who have attended training workshops. The organization operates these workshops and job fairs out of two locations within Santa Barbara County in order to make them easily accessible to members citywide.

For businesses, the WDB offers resources designed to assist firms that are struggling with human resource needs like recruitment, associate training, and the retention of valuable employees. Business owners may also participate in the organization’s youth program by mentoring young residents with entrepreneurial aspirations.

2. The City of Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara’s local government uses its website in order to inform residents about all amenities available to them as members of the city. Among these amenities is an online directory for entrepreneurs and company owners to access tools that can make their businesses more successful.

Santa Barbara City Hall - Image courtesy Damian Gadal on Flickr

Included in these resources is a video library that contains 30 minutes’ worth of video about tips, regulations, and services that are provided specifically to businesses by the local government. Additionally, the website sports an online tool that helps business owners create custom maps that contain in-depth geographical information such as zoning, streets, and aerial photos.

On the website, individuals can also learn about permits, licenses, and fees, and access paperless business books archived by local libraries. Additionally, businessmen and women can find a list of legal steps that entrepreneurs opening businesses need to take. The site also identifies ways to make a business environmentally-friendly and makes it easy to research tips for complying with regulations put in place to prevent water pollution in the area. All of these amenities and more can be accessed by logging onto www.santabarbaraca.gov/business/.

3. The Economic Forecast Project

Established more than 30 years ago by the University of California, Santa Barbara, the Economic Forecast Project is a valuable resource to the business and nonprofit communities as well as government entities within the region. Through its collection of statistical data, the group is able to analyze economic and demographic trends that affect the business community of Santa Barbara at a regional level.

After examination, the data collected by the Economic Forecast Project is put into articles that are available to the public free of charge. These articles can be used in order to help firms see trends in areas like employment within specific industries, home values, and median household income, which may help them make educated business decisions that create a healthy local economy.

The project’s most recent articles about the economy within the region have reported on subjects such as third quarter job growth, the rate of affordability within the housing industry, and seasonal employment trends.

4. SCORE Santa Barbara

The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) Santa Barbara is an organization that provides mentoring services to aspiring entrepreneurs in the county. All SCORE mentors serve the organization on a volunteer basis and are part of a network consisting of more than 13,000 experienced business professionals across many industries. These sectors range from areas like real estate and hospitality to capital raising, technology, and the nonprofit sector.

The only requirement that an entrepreneur needs in order to secure a SCORE mentor is an email address. Because SCORE has no headquarters, all mentorship sessions are scheduled via email in order to establish the needs of the entrepreneur in a timely, convenient manner. Once an entrepreneur has requested assistance, he or she will be paired with a mentor who has experience in the same industry, meeting online or in person in order to ask questions and receive assistance in evaluating business decisions and strategies.

In addition to mentoring services, SCORE also offers local businessmen and women the opportunity to participate in online workshops on subjects such as financial management and online reputation. A visit to the organization’s website can also provide individuals with tools and templates designed to facilitate better business practices.

5 Free Programs for Teens in the City of Santa Barbara

A city with a strong tourism industry and a reputation for a relaxed beach culture, Santa Barbara is an ideal vacation destination for families. Beyond that, the residents who call this central California coastal city home have the opportunity to work, play, and live in a municipality that values sustainability, healthy living, and the natural beauty of the earth.

Santa Barbara is also known for being home to a significant number of nonprofit organizations, with the industry generating 8.4 percent of the county’s gross domestic product. Additionally, Santa Barbara County ranks second to only Marin County in Northern California in having the greatest number of nonprofit organizations per capita in the state. Of the many demographics that this sector caters to, one of the largest groups to benefit is the city’s youth, with foundations, centers, and programs that focus directly on improving the lives of local teenagers.

The Parks and Recreation department of the City of Santa Barbara has established a number of free programs to educate and engage its teenage residents, including the following five programs listed below.

1. Teen Culinary Arts Program

The Teen Culinary Arts Program helps prepare local students in grades 11 and 12 for adult life through lessons on cooking and meal preparation. During the 18-week program, students attend after-school classes to learn about subjects such as nutrition, food health and safety standards, fruit and vegetable canning, cake decoration, and basic cooking.

In addition, students can participate in field trips and special activities during the program, including a tour and presentation led by a chef at a local 4-star hotel, an excursion to an organic food market, and the opportunity to cater a special event. All classes are held at the Franklin Neighborhood Center on Santa Barbara’s east side.

2. Franklin Youth Drop-In Center

For local teenagers looking to spend time socializing with kids their own age, the Franklin Youth Drop-In Center provides them with a free, safe environment in which to do so. Amenities available at the center include recreational activities such as foosball and pool tournaments, free internet access at the center’s computer lab, a movie room, and materials for making arts and crafts.

Teens who choose to spend time at the center may also participate in fun community service projects such as mural painting or neighborhood cleanups, which teach them about the value of civic involvement. Older teens who are ready to enter the workforce can participate in workshops which teach them job skills. Topics covered during these workshops include resume writing, interviewing, and workplace readiness training.

3. Santa Barbara Arts Alliance

The city takes on the challenge of youth-on-youth violence and vandalism through year-round initiatives that combine art and learning at the Santa Barbara Arts Alliance. In this program, teens and young adults between the ages of 14 and 21 can attend art-based workshops and field trips and engage in tasks that reduce graffiti in the community. This is done primarily through the creation of murals by students in locations regularly targeted by vandals.

Over the last ten years, the Santa Barbara Arts Alliance has provided more than 500 adolescents from disadvantaged backgrounds with the opportunity to earn leadership skills and indulge their creativity in a way that helps them reconnect with their communities. Teens who participate in the program are also able to find supportive mentors in the adults who volunteer with the organization.

4. Santa Barbara Youth Council

The City of Santa Barbara gives its younger residents the ability to participate in local government through the Santa Barbara Youth Council. This legislative group is comprised of students between the ages of 13 and 19 who attend public, private, or alternative junior high or high schools in the area. Among the council’s duties are gathering input from Santa Barbara’s youth on local issues, recommending changes to policies that affect teens in the city, and encouraging civic engagement through public forums, workshops, and conferences.

In order to become a member of the Santa Barbara Youth Council, teens must be appointed to one of 15 available seats by the Mayor of Santa Barbara and the City Council. Once appointed, council members hold their seats for two year terms, but are eligible to be reappointed. In order to maintain their seats on the council, students must commit to at least 10 hours of community service each month.

5. Youth Volunteer and Job Apprenticeship

Rounding out the city’s available programs for local teams are many youth volunteer and job apprenticeship opportunities designed to help teenagers develop useful life skills. The youth volunteer programs meet at one of the city’s three neighborhood centers, and help adolescents connect with their peers while bettering their communities through civic engagement.

Through the job apprenticeship program, local adolescents from disadvantaged backgrounds can earn the opportunity to learn job skills meant to deter them from choosing violence-oriented lifestyles. Resources provided by this program include workshops that focus on job readiness and workplace skills, as well as paid training for positions within departments of the City of Santa Barbara’s local government.

3 Fun Things to Do on the Santa Barbara Channel Islands

Santa Barbara’s tourism industry brings in over $1 billion each year. Beautiful weather, local festivals, and fresh seafood are among the many reasons that tourists choose this California city as a vacation destination. It also has an advantage over other coastal cities due to its proximity to the Channel Islands National Park, a collection of five land bodies whose geographic location help form the diverse and beautiful Santa Barbara Channel.

Channel Islands National Park and multiple conservation areas within the Santa Barbara Channel are protected from harmful human activity by law because of their biodiverse marine life, as well as their roles as habitats for many sensitive, threatened, and endangered species.

Despite several restrictions and closures put in place within the park to protect the delicate balance of the islands’ ecosystems, visitors are still permitted to visit each of the five land bodies. Read on to discover three activities that visitors can enjoy while visiting Channel Islands National Park.

1. Watersports

Watersports such as kayaking, snorkeling, and swimming are some of the most interactive and challenging ways to experience Channel Islands National Park. Of the five islands, authorities recommend pursuing aquatic activities only on Santa Cruz, Anacapa, and Santa Barbara. While visitors are legally allowed to kayak, swim, or snorkel off of the Santa Rosa and San Miguel Islands, park employees only recommend it for experienced visitors, as the strong winds that blow through these westerly islands can make these activities difficult and dangerous.

Anacapa Island is an excellent option for snorkeling, and its location on the marine reserve gives visitors a chance to view many diverse forms of underwater life. Kayaking on Santa Barbara Island in particular provides visitors with incredible sights, including views of the sea lion rookery and the chance to paddle through a number of natural rock arches. On Santa Cruz Island, visitors will find the easiest beach access, along with a collection of sea caves and kelp beds to explore. Additionally, several spots on Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel Islands experience large annual swells that are prime for surfing, but which people can only access by private boat.

2. Hiking

In conjunction with the multiple opportunities to explore the coastal waters that surround the Channel Islands, there are many options for those who prefer to discover the area by land. Hiking and picnicking are among the favored recreational pastimes for day-trip visitors, with each island offering its own sets of trails of varying lengths and difficulties.

Hikers of all ability levels who prefer scenic views to a strenuous workout will find what they’re looking for at Anacapa, where two miles of trails wind in a figure-eight pattern around the island, providing expansive views of the Pacific as well as the Anacapa Island Light Station. Santa Barbara Island also provides relaxed trails with gentle terrain that bring visitors to overlook points on low mountaintops. Both the Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Islands offer a choice between flat, maintained trails or more difficult, unmaintained treks that lead hikers through rocky mountain passes.

Picnicking is also a popular activity among park visitors, and picnic tables dot the landscape at the visitor centers on Santa Barbara and Anacapa, while Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa sport a collection of picnic tables at Prisoners Harbor and Water Canyon Beach, respectively. Though there are no picnic tables on San Miguel Island, the sands of Cuyler Harbor Beach are a popular location for visitors to enjoy lunch. Additionally, year-round camping sites are available on each of the islands for $15 per night. Anyone interested in camping must make reservations in advance, as the number of sites is limited.

3. Wildlife Exploration

Whether choosing to explore the islands by land or by sea, visitors have many opportunities to view a variety of wildlife. From the islands or by kayak, up to 27 different species of cetaceans can be seen, including the largest group of blue whales on the planet. Other species that make their homes in Channel Islands National Park include orcas and bottlenose dolphins, as well as grey, humpback, and sperm whales. Various locations across all of the five islands afford visitors a look at the breeding grounds of four different kinds of seals and sea lions. San Miguel is the site of one of the largest aggregations of pinnipeds in the world and hosts a population of more than 120,000 California sea lions, northern elephant seals, northern fur seals, and harbor seals, which arrive annually to breed.

Further inland, the Channel Islands are home to four native terrestrial species, including the island spotted skunk and island fox, as well as the island deer mouse and harvest mouse. While native land animals are few in number, more than 40 bird species regularly nest here, including bald eagles, pelicans, and Brandt’s cormorants.

Another draw for nature enthusiasts is the Island’s collection of 775 plant species, including wildflower populations that are known for their late blooming periods, filling the park with color even in late winter and early spring.