Casa del Herrero
Encyclopedia
Casa del Herrero is a home and gardens located in Montecito
near Santa Barbara, California
. It is an estate designed and constructed in the Spanish Colonial Revival Style architecture
. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, and made a National Historic Landmark
on January 16, 2009. Today the entire 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) site is owned and operated as a historic house museum and garden by the non-profit Casa del Herrero Foundation, with the goal of restoring and preserving the house and grounds.
. The residence was completed in 1925. George Fox Steedman, an industrialist, engineer, and amateur architect, had a vision for the house and grounds that went beyond fashion, and he assembled an extraordinary team of architects, landscape architects, antiquarians, and horticulturists, to produce the Casa del Herrero estate —considered one of the finest examples of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture
in America. His participation in every detail of the property’s buildings, furnishings, and gardens is the reason the estate makes a single artistic statement that is greater than the sum of its parts. In the 1930s his former associate Lutah Maria Riggs
designed the jewel-like octagonal library addition for the Steedmans. Today the estate is recognized as a masterpiece of the American Country Place era, rare with undiminished acreage and exceptional continuity of stewardship.
Montecito, California
Montecito is an unincorporated community in Santa Barbara County, California. As a census-designated place, it had a population of 8,965 in 2010. This does not include areas such as Coast Village Road, that, while usually considered part of Montecito, are actually within the city limits of Santa...
near Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
. It is an estate designed and constructed in the Spanish Colonial Revival Style architecture
Spanish Colonial Revival Style architecture
The Spanish Colonial Revival Style was a United States architectural stylistic movement that came about in the early 20th century, starting in California and Florida as a regional expression related to history, environment, and nostalgia...
. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, and made a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
on January 16, 2009. Today the entire 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) site is owned and operated as a historic house museum and garden by the non-profit Casa del Herrero Foundation, with the goal of restoring and preserving the house and grounds.
History
Casa del Herrero ( 'House of the Blacksmith' ) was designed for George Fox Steedman and his wife, from St. Louis, by the renowned architect George Washington SmithGeorge Washington Smith (architect)
George Washington Smith, , was an American architect and painter. He is noted particularly for his work around Santa Barbara, California, and for popularizing the Spanish Colonial Revival style in early 20th Century America....
. The residence was completed in 1925. George Fox Steedman, an industrialist, engineer, and amateur architect, had a vision for the house and grounds that went beyond fashion, and he assembled an extraordinary team of architects, landscape architects, antiquarians, and horticulturists, to produce the Casa del Herrero estate —considered one of the finest examples of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture
Spanish Colonial Revival Style architecture
The Spanish Colonial Revival Style was a United States architectural stylistic movement that came about in the early 20th century, starting in California and Florida as a regional expression related to history, environment, and nostalgia...
in America. His participation in every detail of the property’s buildings, furnishings, and gardens is the reason the estate makes a single artistic statement that is greater than the sum of its parts. In the 1930s his former associate Lutah Maria Riggs
Lutah Maria Riggs
Lutah Maria Riggs, FAIA was an American architect who worked for several decades in the Southern California region...
designed the jewel-like octagonal library addition for the Steedmans. Today the estate is recognized as a masterpiece of the American Country Place era, rare with undiminished acreage and exceptional continuity of stewardship.
Tours
Docent-led Tours of the Casa del Herrero house, gardens and workshop are available by reservation. The Casa del Herrero Foundation offers the tours on Wednesday and Saturday, at 10 am and 2 pm. The address is 1387 East Valley Road, Montecito, CA 93108.“Use well thy time.
Fast fly my hours.
Good work lives on.
The night brings rest.”
George Fox Steedman
See also
- History of Santa Barbara, CaliforniaHistory of Santa Barbara, CaliforniaThe history of Santa Barbara, California, begins approximately 13,000 years ago with the arrival of the first Native Americans. The Spanish came in the 18th century to occupy and Christianize the area, which became part of Mexico following the Mexican War of Independence...
- Spanish Colonial style architecture
- Mediterranean Revival Style architecture