Santa Barbara's Royal Presidio: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of Spain's Last Adobe Fortress

Unique in California history—and beloved by visitors and residents alike—the city of Santa Barbara boasts three great historical properties: the Mission, the Courthouse, and the Presidio. Least known is the Presidio. This book fills this vacuum, beginning with the story of its adobe construction between 1784 and 1790. This itself was preceded by the construction of three other Spanish forts: Monterey (1770), San Diego (1773), and San Francisco (1776). All four Presidios helped secure the Sp...