New Britain herald., 1925-08-22
SANTA BARBARA BEAUTIFUL PLACE
Is CaliiOrnia's Mecca by the
 Sea-Many Visitors

Washington, D. C., Aug, 27 ITO most Americans who have not seen California but who have pictured the states interesting spots In their lmaglnations, Santa Barbara would come close to meeting spccInca- tions," says a bulletin from the Washington, D. C.. headquarters of the National Geographic society in regard 10 the California city recent ly damaged by an earthquake.
 "On and near the site Of Santa Barbara is a medley of meadows tooming with wild flowers, rolling country dotted with groves of noble live oaks like well kept park, mountains, canyons, flourishing cit- rus and olive groves, walnut or- chards, and the blue Pacific with its sandy beaches and rocky head lands. To this wealth of raw ma tcriap the hand of man has added much. On a hill at the head Of a plain sloping gently 10 the sea the old Franciscan fathers planted santa Barbara mission. probably the best known of those famous re- liCious edillces that were strung along the 'Camino Real in Spanish Jays. On the two-mile slope be- tween the mission and the ocean the city grew ID - q sleepy Indian and Mexican village at first. then an American town of typical Cali fornians.
 Blessed by Mountain Barrier
 Thanks to the barrier of the Santa Ynez mountains which rise 10 a height of several thousand feet immediately behind the city. Santa Barbara is sheltered from northern winds and has an almost Ideal win tnr climate. Because of this and the large winter colony that has been drawn there, the city has come 10 he called the American Mentone.' after the Wcll-known winter resort on Frances sunny Mediterranean coast.
 with tho city's growth in popu- larity the hand of man added still more 10 its charms. People of wealth moved 10 Santa Barbara from all parts Of tho United States to build handsome residences and develop extensive estates. until now Santa Barbara has one of the largest millionaire colonies on the west coast. The center of this de- Nclopmcnt. with it's adiuncts of country clubs and polo fields. is in the suburb of Montccito. in the coastal hills several miles east of Santa Barbara.
 Mission Built to Withstand Earth
 quakCS
 "The most famous building in Santa Barbara and more famous than any of the natural features of tho region is the Santa Barbara mission, the only tWin-towercd mis- sion In California. Tho arthQuakC history of this nilsson is interesting in the light of the recent destrnC- five quake. Built in 17S6, tho origi- nal mission was destroyed by an earthquake carly in the 19th ccn- tury. When it was rebuilt between 1915 and 1920 the Franciscan fathers deliberately made it cs- pccialy massive in the hope that it would withstand future Quakcs, lis walls are of stone and mortar six feet thick and are strengthened out side by massive bIttrcsses nine feet square at the bases. This heavy construction has withstood the minor disturbances of more than a century but so powerful were the vibrations of the recent earthquake that thc towers were shaken down and the front wall was toppled over.
 At the present time, the mission is conducted as Franciscan col lcCo for monks and is q center of Catholic learning in California, One Of it's more notable features is a wonderful arcade facing the sea from which tourists delight to watch the sunsets over the Pacific.
 Has "Scagoing" Highways
 "The city of Santa Barbara eX- tends from the edge of the Pacific up the foothills of the Santa Ync2 mountains. Many Of the business buildings are on relatively low ground not far from the Pacific. Residences have been built up the mountain slopes to tho north, cast and west,
 Because of it's mountain barrier Santa Barbara's railways enter tho city along the ocean and afford rlvalcrs for many miles east and west of the city some of the most interesting ocean views to he found on the west coast. At places tho rails are only a few feet above tho high water mark, and if large tidal waves had swept inland doubtless much of the track would have been demolished.
 "The main highways which con meet Santa Barbara with the re- mainder Of the state also parallel the coast So close do the hills ap. proach the ocean east of inc city that at places it has been necessary to drive piles into the beach and construct tho road on them around the cliffs. The motorist driving over these sea going stretches of high way often hears the breakers laundering immediately beneath him.
 Channel Is OaChtsmsn's Paradise Santa Barbara is situated on the only extensive section of the coast of California which lies almost di- rectly east and west. It is about 36o miles down the coast from San Francisco and not more than 7j miles from the ports of Los An gelcs. Its situation has made it famous as a place for water sports .FT rl,