Santa Barbara, California, USA
1854 - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, a county in the S. W. part of California, has an area estimated at above 3000 square miles. It is bounded on the W. and S. by the Pacific, on the E. and N. E. by the Coast Range, and partly on the N. by the Santa Maria creek, and is drained by the Santa Clara and San Buenaventura, and other small streams, which flow into the Pacific ocean. The Coast Range in some parts attains the height of 4000 feet. A large portion of the county is suitable for grazing, but the soil of about one-third is well adapted to the cultivation of grain. Along the streams it is very fertile, with facilities for irrigation. Agriculture is in a very rude state, and material for fencing scarce. Beans, barley, Indian corn, potatoes, fruit, cattle, horses, and sheep are the staples; many melons are also raised. In 1852 this county produced 0083 bushels of beans ; 4748 of barley ; 2316 of corn ; 3323 of potatoes, and about 10,000 pounds of grapes. There were 1560 tame cows, 30,055 I wild cows, 50,297 beef cattle. 2990 horses, and 7391 sheep. The waters of the coast i abound in mackerel, blackfish, crawfish, sardines, clams, and other excellent species ] of fish. Large quantities are taken in i April and May at the mouths of the river. A bed of oysters, about ISO yards in length and 9 in width, and of the finest quality, has been discovered near the town of Santa Barbara. Gold is found in the southern part of the county. There is a hot sulphur spring near the town of Santa Barbara, with a basin large enough to bathe in. Temperature about 100° Fahrenheit. Salt is abundantly supplied from the Salinas, where it is gathered in August and September by cartloads. There are one or two tar springs in the neighborhood of Santa Barbara. Bitumen is thrown up by the sea for leagues along the shore. The islands on the seacoast are a rendezvous of otters, seals, sea-elephants, and beavers. Capital, Santa Barbara. Population, 2131.

Santa Barbara, a post-town, capital of Santa Barbara county, California, is situated near the seacoast on the main road from San Jose to Los Angeles, 279 miles in a straight line, nearly S. £. from San Francisco.

A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

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