Courthouse Docents Announce First Self-Guided Tour

Labor Day weekend the Santa Barbara Courthouse Docents debut a Self-Guided Walking Tour of the Courthouse exterior. Visitors to Santa Barbara’s iconic Spanish Colonial Revival Courthouse can now enjoy a self-guided tour using their cell phone or tablet while exploring the grounds and lush garden paths, or, view the tour on a computer anywhere with Wifi. The Courthouse interior remains closed, except for official court business, and Docent-led tours of the Courthouse are suspended due to Covid-19. The web-based self-guided tour can be found using the QR code below or at sbcourthouse.org. Remember to keep your distance from others and to wear a mask.

Founded in the 1970’s, the Courthouse Docent Council started free in-person Docent tours and sponsored many projects to preserve Santa Barbara’s famous 91-year-old landmark. Sitting majestically on the city block between Anacapa and Santa Barbara, and Anapamu and Figueroa streets, the County Courthouse was completed in 1929 after the previous Greek Revival and Queen Anne Victorian Courthouse buildings on the same block were damaged by earthquake in June 1925. When Covid-19 forced suspension of daily Docent tours in March, Council members set to work to develop the first self-guided walking tour for visitors to enjoy learning fascinating facts about the city’s iconic landmark.

Starting Labor Day weekend visitors can walk around the exterior and read about the history and architecture of the Courthouse and the artists who created the city’s beloved masterpiece. Recognized by many as the best example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture anywhere – the style that defined Santa Barbara’s look when the city rebuilt after the earthquake 95 years ago – the Docents are excited to launch their first self-guided tour for residents and visitors to learn about and appreciate a local treasure. Work has already begun on a self-guided tour of the interior, to supplement Docent-led tours when the Courthouse opens to the general public sometime in the future.

Spend part of your day walking the Courthouse grounds, soak in the history and the peace and quiet of the Sunken Garden, and perhaps see a Bride and Groom saying their vows for a happy future.

Santa Barbara County Courthouse Docent Council

501(c)(3) non-profit organization

1100 Anacapa Street, S.B. 93121

805-962-6464; admin@sbcourthouse.org

Self-Guided Tour

sbcourthouse.org