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Goleta

Goleta History

   Locals aren't sure how Goleta got its name, which is Spanish for "schooner." But Spanish explorers have a long history in the coastal city, which is also known for its rich agriculture.
   In 1592, Portuguese navigator Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo landed in the Goleta area, which was then inhabited by the Chumash Indians. Nearly 200 years later, Spanish troops returned to the area and claimed it as their own. A chain of missions and presidios were founded along the coast, and farms and ranches were established in the rich Goleta Valley.
   Mexico took control of California in 1821 after winning its independence from Spain. The Goleta area remained under Mexican rule until 1846, when the Mexican government awarded the "Rancho Goleta" land grant to Daniel Hill. Two years later, California became part of the United States, and Easterners began moving out west.
   The city of Goleta was laid out in 1875 and soon boasted a post office, church, schoolhouse, lumber yard, blacksmith shop and working wharf. The population grew again after the Southern Pacific Railroad reached Goleta in 1887.
   In the 1890s, rancher Sherman Stow planted 600 acres of lemon trees on his land, and he shared the seedlings with area farmers. The crops thrived, and the Goleta Valley became a major lemon-producing area.
   Goleta remained relatively rural until World War II, when military bases brought workers and servicemen to the California coast. The growing population rose again when the University of California opened its Santa Barbara campus in 1954. Today, aerospace and technology are the major industries in Goleta, which incorporated as a city in 2002.

Activities

   The Stow House is the oldest frame home in the Goleta Valley. Built in 1873, the restored two-story house contains period furnishings, clothing and toys supplied by the Goleta Historical Society. Other historic buildings on the grounds include a carriage house and working blacksmith shop, a maritime museum, and the Goleta History Museum.
   The Stow House also hosts the annual Old-Time Fiddlers' Convention and the popular California Lemon Festival, which features live music, a pie-eating contest and lots of lemony treats.
   The South Coast Railroad Museum at Goleta Depot is dedicated to the history and technology of railroading. The waiting rooms of the 1901-era depot have been restored and are open to the public.
   Goleta Pier has boat-launching facilities and areas for saltwater fishing. Lake fishing is available at Lake Cachuma, 24 miles northwest of Goleta. Also located north of town, the Los Padres National Forest covers 1.75 million acres of terrain ranging from coastal zones to mountains. Recreational opportunities include camping, swimming, skiing, hiking, backpacking and horseback riding.

Goleta Fast Facts

   Location: Goleta is located along the Pacific coast, about nine miles north of Santa Barbara
  *Total area: 26.36 square miles (26.26 square miles land area; 0.10 square miles water area)
  *Population: 55,204
  *Housing units: 20,442
   Average annual rainfall: 16.93 inches
   Average temperatures: 69ºF in summer, 53ºF in winter
*Information provided by 2000 Census

Schools

   There are 11 public schools in Goleta: seven elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools.

Beaches

   Goleta Beach is known for its high cliffs and long fishing pier. The beach's 29 acres include a paved bicycle trail, volleyball courts and  horseshoe pits, restaurant and picnic areas, and boating and swimming facilities.
   The nearby El Capitan State Beach offers a sandy beach, rocky tidepools and shady sycamore trees. Stairs provide access to the beach area, and a bike trail connects the park with Refugio State Beach.

Maps of Goleta

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