Casa del Herrero

A visit Casa del Herrero takes you back in time to the era of great Spanish Colonial Revival architecture in America. It is among the few legendary estates in Montecito that survived many years of alterations, still bearing most of its original features, and stands today as a historical marker in the area.

Architect George Washington Smith designed Casa del Herrero for the Steedman family. It was built on an 11-acre lot and was completed in 1925. Today is gives visitors a peek at how Montecito must have looked like in the 1930s.

The details of the marvelous estate include Spanish antiques from the 14th to 18th centuries in its interior while extensive Moorish gardens adorn its exterior. The name Casa del Herrero literally means “House of the Blacksmith.” The National Register of Historic Places included the estate in its list and in 2009 then Secretary of Interior Dirk Kempthorne designated Casa del Herrero as a National Historic Landmark.

If you are planning to include a visit to Case del Herrero in your itinerary when you go on a tour of Montecito, Santa Barbara, California, make sure to ask for the schedule in order to get a slot in the guided tour. Public tours are available beginning February until mid December, every Wednesdays and Saturdays. There will be two schedules per day, one at 10 a.m. and another at 2 in the afternoon.

A tour of any city in the world becomes more meaningful and exciting when you are given a glimpse of what it used to be centuries ago. It would really be amazing to be in the presence of a historical edifice that had been a silent witness as important events unfold. Truly, Casa del Herrero in Santa Barbara is a historical gem that has been well-preserved for the younger generations to see.