The Council of American Maritime Museums is pleased to work in close co-operation with the National Maritime Historical Society to present a profile of CAMM" member museums in the pages of Sea History. We are delighted that the first museum highlighted in this series is a relative newcomer. The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum exhibits and interprets the maritime heritage ofCalifornia's Central Coast. Enjoy your tour! - Jerry Ostermiller, President, CAMM"
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1rhough rhe Santa Barbara Maririme Museum opened irs doors jusr four years ago, ir embraces a maririme hisrory rhousands of years old. 1he rich herirage of Cali fornia's Central Coasr is reflecred in exhibirs spanning rhe ancient Chumash culrure ro roday. The museum is housed in a grand whire suucrure ar rhe sourhwesr corner of Santa Barbara Harbor, and rhe building irself has unique hisroric significance. In 1942 rhe City of Sama Barbara sold rhe building ro rhe US Navy for jusr $1. 00 , ro support rhe new war efforr. Nearly fifty years larer rhe city boughr back rhe building, which had served as rhe Naval Reserve Center, graming rhe museum's foun ders
rhe righr ro esrablish rhe Sama Barbara Maririme Museum. The foundarion of rhe museum was laid , figurarively speaking, in 1994, when one dozen "old salrs and sralwarts" drafted rhe concepr. "The Sama Barbara coast has a rich maritime hisrory,'' nored C lyde Kirkparrick, founder of the Maririme Society of Santa Barbara. "It is a natural outgrowth for our community ro have a maririme museum, given Sama Barbara's long-time and ongoing relationship with the sea." The museum's mission statement was immediately expanded ro cover the maritime herirage of the emire Cemral Coast, with an emphasis on imeracrivity and edu-
The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, housed in what was once the Naval Reserve Building, overlooks the picturesque harbor.
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cational programs. The quesr, Kirkpauick said, was ro make the museum, "an importam culrural asser for our community." As plans were made on paper, the museum received its first floating exhibir, Ranger, a 191 7 moror yacht built by Fellows & Stewart. Donated by Mr. Jack Morehart, this 4 1-foot classic sportfisher became the flagship of the museum: "a jewel in the crown of this exci ting new enterprise," according ro Robert Kieding, one of the founders . Fundraising geared up roo, and initial backing for infrasuucrure was in place by 1997. Before rhe museum could open its doors, rhe Naval Reserve Building required a major refir. The museum's "Serring Sail" campaign reached $2.7 million jusr rwo years larer and interior consrrucrion began in 1999. On 29 July 2000 rhe Santa Barbara Maririme Museum welcomed the public ro irs present home ar 113 Harbor Way for the first rime. 1he founders' inirial plans had come ro li fe with a wide range of exhibits and content represeming the rich hisrory of rhe Central Coast, appealing to visirors yo ung and old. The unique maritime heritage of the Central Coast began thousands of years before any European settlers ever landed. The native Chumash people thrived on the mainland and islands here, as portrayed in a 'living exhibit' that includes a 23-foot hand-made wooden tomol (canoe) and
SEA HISTORY 107, SPRING/SUMMER 2004