What today is just a small, unremarkable hill was once a thriving native village that was home to the largest human population on the California coast.
Mescaltitlan Island sat protected in the middle of the Goleta Slough and it was so impressive, Spanish explorers thought is was the best place to build their presidio.
Years later, the United States government would use it as fill dirt for their Marine base in Goleta.
Watch the new Goleta History video we just released below:
Also, I’m honored to be speaking at a fundraiser for the Santa Barbara Carriage Museum on September 12th. I’ll be talking about the Tecolote Canyon, from the mountains all the way down to Haskells Beach, and I recently added some new stuff to that story.
There’ll be BBQ tri-tip and cocktails and I hope to see some of you there!
Our local history is really interesting. It is wild to think about how we essentially bulldozed through a Chumash village. I’m guessing someday the original island right there a,I g with the rest of Goleta Bay will come back to life.
BASIC – it is pretty awful that we did that, but given this country’s history is it really that “wild” or surprising? We destroyed entire indigenous populations. We enslaved millions of people we stole from their homes. We built this country on the blood of foreigners we deemed less than human.
It’s a pattern of cruelty and arrogance that continues in some folks today.
Thanks Tom, Our local history is amazing and your write up are always fun to read!!
TOM – this is really cool! Love the website too. I’ve learned a lot about my hometown over the years thanks to your research. Thank you!
Thank you Tom, great video.