Founded on December 4, 1786, Mission Santa Barbara is the tenth mission established along the Camino Real. It was built about one and a half miles up the hill from the Santa Barbara presidio. The stone church was constructed between 1815 and 1820 with a neoclassical design based on an illustration in a Roman design book found in the mission library.

When I visited, the church was covered with scaffolding during a renovation project. So there are no images here of the beautiful twin bell tower facade. Neighborhood residential development, parking lots and other new construction has covered over many of the old buildings. Numerous earthquakes have also taken their toll. But restoration has always been carefully and lovingly done and the church and convent buildings have survived, although much rebuilt.

The patron saint, Saint Barbara was a third century Christian who, according to legend, was beheaded for her faith by her own father. Her Feast Day is December 4th, the day Mission Santa Barbara was founded.

Mission Santa Barbara is the only mission continuously operated by the Franciscans since its founding. It is an active Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.