Santa Barbara Streets
updated: Dec 15, 2009, 6:24 AM

by Jo Duffy

On my walks around Santa Barbara, I have noticed street names embedded in sidewalks or in blocks in the parkway. Several of these do not match the current street names. How many Edhat readers know where to find the intersection of Hollister Ave. and Fourth St.? Or State St. and W. Second St.?

I found these old-time signs where State intersects Padre, Los Olivos, and Quinto and where De la Vina intersects Junipero, Quinto, and Constance. What other examples have you seen?

From these little bits of history, it appears that De la Vina was once Hollister Ave., Padre was First, Los Olivos was Second, Pueblo was Third (but I haven’t found a sign for this), Junipero was Fourth, and Quinto was Fifth.

Where Hollister (De la Vina) joins State, State Street ended and Hollister continued to the west. Last weekend I walked State Street from De la Vina to the freeway, hoping to find a sidewalk that is still marked Hollister, but could find nothing. I have posted the snapshots of all the signs I did find in this Flickr set.

Several days after I submitted this item to Edhat, I made a quick visit to the Gledhill Library at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum (a great treasure trove of information). I was able to examine and obtain a copy of a portion of a street map from 1942. This map shows that the west end of State Street ended at Constance. Hollister came east as far as Mission Street and then continued as De la Vina. I was told that First through Fifth Streets had been renamed in the 1920's. I stopped on my way out of the Museum and sign up to be a member - I know I will want to visit the museum and library again.

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Duffy shares secrets streets where intersection Hollister Fourth pics