Traveling uphill from the coast, the visitor comes to the grand view of the Santa Barbara Mission, a historic landmark, but the turn in the road that follows has a very different atmosphere. On its way up Mission Canyon, the road leads into a more intimate and rural landscape created by the forces of nature and careful planning of the earliest settlers. It is a unique and inspirational surprise, one that is being considered for Santa Barbara County Historic Landmark status.
An unusual feature at the edge of Rocky Nook Park is a watering trough for horses. It was a gift from Frances Dabney Oliver in memory of her deceased husband, George Oliver, and an expression of their affection for Mission Cañon. Huge, character-defining boulders echo the landscape. This historic vista of stone bridge, majestic sycamore trees, and native vegetation along the road marks the entry to the property in the earliest photographs. The Oliver trough (1910) and Mission Creek bridge (1890) are both Historic Landmarks. The spatial relationships and surrounding landscape features at the entry are significant elements of this beautiful site. Original curbstones and ancient outcroppings also remain.
Chumash oral narratives describe the event of 1,000 years ago when a great flood brought tons of mud and boulders down the canyon leaving deep piles of rocks on the land. This catastrophic debris flow created the landscape in Mission Canyon and Rocky Nook Park. The natural meandering stream with riparian habitat and oak woodland supplied what the ancient village of Xana’yan needed for sustenance and enjoyment. These resources are still in the park and provide a natural and profound educational experience.