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With Summer in full swing, I thought I’d give you a short mini-in-between episode about one of my favorite places in California, Santa Barbara. Enjoy!
In the 1870s, eucalyptus trees were planted on the grounds of what would become known as the American Riviera in Santa Barbara, California. With the arrival of the rail line in 1897, tourists began to venture into the area, and in 1913 the Flying A studio was busy turning out silent movies in the complex they built in the area of Mission, State, Padre, and Chapala Streets in Santa Barbara.
By the time they closed in 1922, Flying A produced more than 1200 silent films, primarily Westerns, adaptations of popular novels and stage plays, slapstick comedies, and more.
According to the Lompoc Record, from 1912 to 1919, Santa Barbara was considered the film capital of the world.
Meanwhile, the eucalyptus trees in the Riviera were flourishing, and the grounds around them were home to a state school. Just across the road, James Warren, President of the County National Bank, built dormitories and several ten-room houses and cottages on his property to house faculty and students.
By 1917 the student housing proved unsuccessful, and Mr. Warren announced plans to develop a cottage hotel to cater to the growing tourism market. On February 2, 1918, El Encanto Hotel opened for business. From 1933 to 1950, El Encanto enjoyed increased popularity as a Hollywood hideaway hosting such luminaries as Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, and Hedy Lamarr.
Over the years, the hotel changed ownership, and in 2018 LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton acquired Belmond Ltd. The hotel became, El Encanto, a Belmond Hotel.
The eucalyptus trees remain, and this year a pair of red-tailed hawks put on a show as they raised their young in a tall tree in front of the pool, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.