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Santa Barbara, CA – This year, Santa Barbara is commemorating the 100th anniversary of the earthquake that changed the course of the city’s history. Early in the morning of June 29, 1925, a powerful earthquake shook the area, toppling chimneys, damaging or destroying 74 downtown buildings, and claiming eleven lives. That summer, much of the population slept outdoors as aftershocks continued to rock the city. During this time, city leaders began the task of reimagining and rebuilding from the wreckage. Out of the rubble rose a new Santa Barbara with the headline, “Spanish Architecture to Rise from Ruins.”
The Santa Barbara Conservancy began meetings, leading to the formation of the EQ25 Alliance and the EQ25 Steering Committee to promote the commemoration of the earthquake anniversary. Local nonprofits, businesses, government agencies, and residents of Santa Barbara are working together to organize public events and exhibits to commemorate, educate, and prepare the community to better understand the significance of this historic event.