Shalawa Meadow, California
Encyclopedia
Shalawa Meadow is a 3 acre (0.01214058 km²) seaside meadow used in ancient times as a burial site by the Chumash people, adjoining a once large Chumash community about 5 miles east of Santa Barbara, California
in the Coast Village portion of the community of Montecito
.
as one of the most important archaeological regions in California, having been densely occupied by the Chumash for over 13,000 years. They ranged from the Santa Barbara Channel Islands north to the Carrizo Plain
in most of what is now Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura Counties. Many traces of their settlements, art, crafts and tools have been found in this region and many are on display in local museums. Ancient rock art may also be viewed in locations such as Painted Cave
in the hills a few miles from Shalawa. This coastal region is also said to be extremely significant in Native American culture due to the spiritual "Western Gate" in the nearby Point Conception
area.
In 1958 most of the estate was sold to developers, and a condo complex was built in the 1960s named for the Bonnymede mansion that was destroyed in a fire. Complex and contentious negotiations followed until 1989, when 20 condos and 12 private homes were built on the remaining land with three acres of the meadow preserved for public use. Hammond's Estate is on the only Chumash site in the coastal zone that is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places, added in 1978 as Site #78000782, also known as CA-SBa-1213. Some controversy continues regarding use and maintenance of the meadow, one of the few remaining public coastal parcels in Montecito. The adjoining beach boasts one of California's more popular surfing locations since at least 1960.
In 1979 a Chumash elder began a movement to protect the sacred nature of the site, joined by surfers and some area residents.
A marker monument was built on the small remaining parcel near the southern (beach) approach to Shalawa Meadow with colorful inlaid ceramic tiles adorned with lizards, birds, flowers, and two bas-relief dolphins in turquoise ceramic along with this inscription:
Ceremonies are still held on the site during significant celestial events such as solstice and equinox.
During summer months the meadow is mowed to bare ground, exposing many gopher holes and reducing the natural beauty. This is apparently done to reduce fire hazard, and possibly also to make it less attractive for unauthorized camping.
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...
in the Coast Village portion of the community of Montecito
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...
.
History
The South Coast area of Santa Barbara County has a historyHistory of Santa Barbara, California
The 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...
as one of the most important archaeological regions in California, having been densely occupied by the Chumash for over 13,000 years. They ranged from the Santa Barbara Channel Islands north to the Carrizo Plain
Carrizo Plain
The Carrizo Plain is a large enclosed plain, approximately 50 miles long and up to 15 miles across, in southeastern San Luis Obispo County, California, about 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles, California...
in most of what is now Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura Counties. Many traces of their settlements, art, crafts and tools have been found in this region and many are on display in local museums. Ancient rock art may also be viewed in locations such as Painted Cave
Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park, California
Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park is a unit in the state park system of California, USA, preserving a small sandstone cave adorned with rock art attributed to the Chumash people. Adjoining the small community of Painted Cave, the site is located about north of California State Route 154...
in the hills a few miles from Shalawa. This coastal region is also said to be extremely significant in Native American culture due to the spiritual "Western Gate" in the nearby Point Conception
Point Conception
Point Conception is a headland along the Pacific coast of U.S. state of California, located in southwestern Santa Barbara County. It is the point where the Santa Barbara Channel meets the Pacific Ocean, and as the corner between the mostly north-south trending portion of coast to the north and the...
area.
Development
A mansion named Bonnymede was built in 1906 on a large estate that included what is now the small remaining Shalawa Meadow. Esther Fiske Hammond, who died in 1955, bought the estate in the early 1900s and through 1950 her family built other structures there. Her son George built an airstrip and ran a business flying supplies to a family on nearby San Miguel Island.In 1958 most of the estate was sold to developers, and a condo complex was built in the 1960s named for the Bonnymede mansion that was destroyed in a fire. Complex and contentious negotiations followed until 1989, when 20 condos and 12 private homes were built on the remaining land with three acres of the meadow preserved for public use. Hammond's Estate is on the only Chumash site in the coastal zone that is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places, added in 1978 as Site #78000782, also known as CA-SBa-1213. Some controversy continues regarding use and maintenance of the meadow, one of the few remaining public coastal parcels in Montecito. The adjoining beach boasts one of California's more popular surfing locations since at least 1960.
Monument
A marker monument was built on the small remaining parcel near the southern (beach) approach to Shalawa Meadow with colorful inlaid ceramic tiles adorned with lizards, birds, flowers, and two bas-relief dolphins in turquoise ceramic along with this inscription:
Ceremonies are still held on the site during significant celestial events such as solstice and equinox.
During summer months the meadow is mowed to bare ground, exposing many gopher holes and reducing the natural beauty. This is apparently done to reduce fire hazard, and possibly also to make it less attractive for unauthorized camping.
Access
Access is convenient from U.S. Route 101. The Hammond Meadow Trail can be accessed at the south end of San Ysidro Road, where there is parking at the Eucalyptus Lane beach access. Facing the ocean, the trail starts out to the right, and after a short distance, reaches Hammond Beach to the east of the Coral Casino. Walking back to the starting point via the beach makes for an easy loop with a variety of scenery.See also
- Burro Flats Painted CaveBurro Flats Painted CaveBurro Flats Painted Cave is in the Burro Flats area of the Simi Hills, located between the Simi Valley, and West Hills and Bell Canyon, in Ventura County of Southern California, United States. It is a Cave containing Chumash Native American pictographs...
- Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park, CaliforniaChumash Painted Cave State Historic Park, CaliforniaChumash Painted Cave State Historic Park is a unit in the state park system of California, USA, preserving a small sandstone cave adorned with rock art attributed to the Chumash people. Adjoining the small community of Painted Cave, the site is located about north of California State Route 154...
- Chumash people
- 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...
- Painted RockPainted RockPainted Rock is a smooth horseshoe-shaped marine sandstone rock formation with pictograph rock art about 250 feet across and 45 feet tall near Soda Lake within the Carrizo Plain National Monument on the southwest side of the northern Carrizo Plain, west of Bakersfield, California and about east...