De la Guerra Plaza is one of the most historic sites in our community. Jose de la Guerra was the preeminent leader in early Santa Barbara history. Born in Spain in 1779, De la Guerra became commandante of the Santa Barbara Presidio in 1815 and remained in this capacity until the early 1840s — a time during which, according to Santa Barbara historian Walter Hawley, “the presidio passed through the best days of its existence.”
The Spanish and then Mexican presence in early California was tiny, as was the Native American population. It is estimated there were about 10,000 to 12,000 Europeans in all of Alta (Upper) California and perhaps 20,000 Native Americans in 1840. About a tenth of these totals lived in Santa Barbara. It was, with Monterey, one of the two leading centers in Alta California.
Jose de la Guerra dominated Santa Barbara civic and social life during this period. His home — Casa de la Guerra — anchored the northern side of De la Guerra Plaza, which was at the center of the town of Santa Barbara, the Mission being located two miles away. Perhaps 90 percent of the European populations lived within a few hundred yards of Casa de la Guerra and De la Guerra Plaza. All important visitors to Santa Barbara visited Jose at his adobe mansion. Many memorable social occasions occurred in the plaza, some with echoes that remain to this day.