Goleta, Coastal city in Santa Barbara County, California
Goleta is a coastal city in Santa Barbara County, California, spreading between the Pacific and the mountains. The town consists of flat residential areas, shopping centers, and a campus that reaches the edge of the cliffs.
The area was inhabited by Chumash people for centuries before Spanish missionaries arrived in the 18th century. The city itself was officially founded only in 2002, after residents had long lived as part of an unincorporated community.
The name comes from the Spanish word for schooner, a type of sailing ship once built nearby. Many street names recall this maritime past and the Spanish settlers who lived here.
An airport sits at the western edge of the city and connects the area with other towns on the West Coast. Bike paths run through many neighborhoods and make short trips easier for daily routines.
A saltwater lagoon stretches along the airport and serves as a stopover for migratory birds heading south. Researchers regularly observe rare species here that are seldom seen elsewhere on the coast.
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