The thirteen-room Casa de la Guerra

The Casa de la Guerra was the residence of José de la Guerra y Noriega, the fifth commandant of the Presidio de Santa Barbara and founder of the prominent Guerra family of California. From 1828 until 1858, the thirteen-room structure was known to locals as the casa grande because it dwarfed the surrounding one-room adobes. During this period, José added a structure called the altito, which served as his office and a place to store his money. While the altito no longer stands, the house remains a significant site in Santa Barbara history.

In 1857, the Fort Tejon earthquake caused significant damage to the residence. Because of José's declining health, his son Pablo spearheaded renovations to update the home. Pablo modified the house to give it a Victorian appearance, which included replacing the original adobe columns with wooden columns and adding wooden siding to the exterior.

Today, the property is owned and operated by the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation as a historic house museum. The house is a Santa Barbara City Landmark, a California Historical Landmark, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as El Paseo and Casa de la Guerra. The interior has been restored and furnished to appear as it did between 1828 and 1858. Visitors can explore the exterior at any time, while the interior is open on Saturdays and Sundays.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikimedia Commons