Honor Our Veterans and Commemorate the End of WWI at 1918

On Saturday, November 10 and Sunday November 11, 2018, from 6:00 – 11:00pm, The Environment Makers, New Grit, and the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP) will present 1918, an immersive video installation across the front walls and grounds of El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park. All are invited for a public opening reception on Saturday, November 10 from 6:00 – 6:30 pm. Program contributors and dignitaries will speak, followed by the unveiling of the installation and light refreshments.    

1918, a free outdoor visual history lesson is timed to coincide with Veterans Day and the signing of the Armistice of November  11, 1918, that marked the end of World War I.  Multiple projections across the site will tell the story of the United States’ involvement in the First World War. A projection of a field of poppies will flood the presidio parade ground under visitors’ feet to honor the veterans living in Santa Barbara County. All film installations will be shown on short loops, allowing visitors to experience them at their own pace. Because the installation depicts the realities of WWI and its immediate aftermath, viewer discretion and parental guidance is advised.

The imagery for 1918 installation comes from a variety of resources, including the National Archives, Penn State University and The Library of Congress. The exhibition was produced and directed by Jonathan PJ Smith of The Environment Makers and Kym Cochran of New Grit, with additional consultation and support by Santa Barbara-based veteran, William Charnley.

About Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP)—For over fifty years the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP) has worked to protect, preserve, restore, reconstruct, and interpret historic sites in Santa Barbara County. Founded in 1963 by Dr. Pearl Chase and other concerned community leaders, SBTHP operates El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park—Santa Barbara’s 18th-century birthplace—under a unique agreement with California State Parks. The State has purchased the building that housed Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens, providing an opportunity to interpret the history of Santa Barbara’s Asian American community in the Presidio Neighborhood. SBTHP 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. In 2009, SBTHP signed an agreement with State Parks to manage and develop the Santa Inés Mission Mills, located near the town of Solvang, as a future California State Park. In 2011, SBTHP was awarded the Trustees’ Emeritus Award for Excellence in the Stewardship of Historic Sites by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  With the help of continuing education programs and exhibits, SBTHP strives to encourage community involvement and foster an appreciation for Santa Barbara County’s distinctive history.  Learn more at www.sbthp.org.