Casa de la Guerra

Casa de la Guerra is a two-story adobe structure on East De la Guerra Street featuring thick earthen walls, wooden balconies, and an interior courtyard. The building displays the typical layout of Spanish Colonial residences with open-air spaces for daily life.

Built between 1818 and 1828, the residence served as home to José de la Guerra y Noriega, who commanded the Presidio de Santa Barbara. Its construction occurred during the height of Spanish Colonial influence in California.

The residence served as a gathering place where Santa Barbara's residents came together for celebrations and religious ceremonies throughout the 1800s. It played a central role in the social fabric of the growing community.

The property is maintained by the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation and offers guided tours on weekends. Visitors can view the exterior daily even when guided tours are not scheduled.

The American writer Richard Henry Dana documented the elaborate wedding celebration of the homeowner's daughter Anita in his published work, preserving details of the grand festivities held at this residence. This written account provides a rare glimpse into 19th-century social celebrations in California.