Santa Barbara Earthquake Centennial
1925-2025
Events Calendar
Event submissions can be sent to Dennis Doordan at: dennis.doordan.1@nd.edu
JUNE 28 – JUNE 29, 2025
THE GREAT Quake & Day of Remembrance
THE GREAT QUAKE: A Centennial Commemoration
June 28, Noon–4 PM
State Street (between Figueroa & Anapamu)
Join us for a free, family-friendly street exhibition commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake. Enjoy live entertainment, educational exhibits, interactive displays, hands-on workshops, and themed surprises. Highlights include:
Earthquake simulator (experience a 7.0 quake!)
Kid zone and history walk
Earthquake-themed food and booths
Stage events with musicians and storytellers
Disaster preparedness info and resources
Chalk Artist Rod Tryon
Organizations or individuals interested in hosting an exhibit or activity can register at eq25.org.
Hosted by the EQ25 Alliance—a coalition of local nonprofits, agencies, and residents led by the Santa Barbara Conservancy.
Day of Remembrance, June 29th
Memorial events, including the unveiling of a plaque and an event at the Mission.
EVERY SUNDAY 10 AM
Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara Walking Tour
Domingo Walking Tours
Step back in time and experience the architecture of downtown Santa Barbara as it was reborn after the 1925 earthquake. Stroll through historic paseos and along State Street as we discover the Spanish Colonial Revival buildings that emerged in its wake. Experience public art, hidden courtyards, histories of the Arlington and Granada theaters and other architectural delights. Whether you’re a history buff or an architecture lover, this tour offers a fascinating glimpse into the city’s resilience and beauty. Reserve your spot today! Reservations
Tour begins at Downtown Public Library courtyard – 40 E Anapamu St. Santa Barbara, CA 93101. $20/person donation.
Every Sunday at 10:00 am, beginning May 4, 2025
MAY 21 – JULY 6, 2025
1925 Earthquake Exhibit
The Santa Barbara Historical Museum will be hosting an exhibition about the 1925 earthquake. They’ll feature historic images from their Gledhill Library and related earthquake artifacts.
136 E De La Guerra St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
MAY 31 – AUGUST 9, 2025
Art Gallery of the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara
Art is a way to confront what scares and scars us. Local artist Marcia Rickard creates a body of work that addresses the human tragedy caused by the physical destruction of home, be it Aleppo, Ukraine, Gaza, Los Angeles—or Santa Barbara. The title of this exhibition comes from the Rolling Stones song Gimme Shelter. As the song reminds us, natural disasters—storms, fire, floods—threaten our lives and the structures that shelter us.
Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara
229 E Victoria St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
JUNE 1 – AUGUST 16, 2025
1925 santa barbara Earthquake: stories & lives remembered exhibit
JUNE 1 – JUNE 30, 2025
Lobby Display at the Santa Barbara Public Library
Santa Barbara Public Library – EQ25 will display materials – press clippings, photographs and ephemera – produced following the 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake and during the period of reconstruction and transformation of the city.
40 E. Anapamu St. Santa Barbara CA 93101
JUNE 1 – JUNE 30, 2025
City to rise again on ruins: edson smith photo collection – images of the 1925 earthquake at the santa barbara public library
Starting June 1 through June 30, the Santa Barbara Central Library will host a special exhibition in the East Faulkner Gallery of historical photographs from the Edson Smith Photo Collection showing the aftermath of the 1925 Santa Barbara Earthquake.
This display of twelve historical photographs demonstrates the resilience of Santa Barbarans in the face of disaster. Learn about extraordinary earthquake details and new research culled from newspaper clippings. On view is also footage of the earthquake damage recorded at the time that brings several of the photographs on display to life.
40 E. Anapamu St. Santa Barbara CA 93101
JUNE 1 – JULY 1, 2025
1925: Huguette Remembers the Earthquake
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Santa Barbara earthquake, Bellosguardo is featuring a pop-up exhibition by the Santa Barbara Historical Museum that includes a recording of Huguette Clark—the last owner of the estate—describing the destruction she witnessed. Reservations are required and part of all regularly scheduled tours from June 1 to July 1, 2025.
For more information: Bellosguardo
JUNE 19, 2025
Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara Lecture Series
Why Buildings Fell: The 1925 Santa Barbara Earthquake
By Sage Shingle and Jasper Jacobs
Thursday, June 19, 2025 at 6:00 pm
Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara Gallery,
229 E. Victoria Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Tickets
Join us for an eye-opening lecture on why buildings fell during the 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake. Using simple, everyday language, and historic photographs local structural engineers, Sage Shingle S.E. and Jasper Jacobs S.E. of T&S Structural Engineers, will evaluate the key reasons why many downtown structures collapsed—and what lessons we’ve learned since.
Whether you’re a history buff or just curious about earthquake safety, this talk will give you valuable insights into how buildings stand (or fall) when the ground shakes. Don’t miss this fascinating look at Santa Barbara’s past and how it shaped the city we know today.
JUNE 23 – JUNE 27 , 2025
Santa Barbara Earthquake Centennial Evening Walking Tours
The Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara will be conducting the popular Domingo walking tour every evening beginning at 6:00pm. Step back in time and experience the architecture of downtown Santa Barbara as it was reborn after the 1925 earthquake. Stroll through historic paseos and along State Street as we discover the Spanish Colonial Revival buildings that emerged in its wake. Experience public art, hidden courtyards, histories of the Arlington and Granada theaters and other architectural delights. Whether you’re a history buff or an architecture lover, this tour offers a fascinating glimpse into the city’s resilience and beauty. Reserve your spot today! Reservations
Tour begins at Downtown Public Library courtyard – 40 E Anapamu St. Santa Barbara, CA 93101. $20/person donation.
Every evening – Monday, June 23 through Friday, June 27 at 6:00 pm.
JUNE 25, 2025
1925 earthquake history downtown walking tour
A Walking Tour by Neal Graffy
Join us for a walking tour that will lead you to the sites of buildings that crumbled, rescues and recovery, and resilient structures that inspired the city’s iconic Spanish Colonial Revival style. Discover how Santa Barbara transformed tragedy into opportunity—and how the quake reshaped not just the skyline, but the spirit of the community.
The tour will begin with a glass of wine at the Museum.
Wednesday, June 25 | 5:30 pm | Santa Barbara Historical Museum
136 East De la Guerra Street, Santa Barbara
JUNE 26, 2025
Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara Lecture Series
The Earthquake Survivors Speak
By Betsy Green
Thursday, June 26, 2025 at 6:00 pm
Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara Gallery,
229 E. Victoria Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Tickets
The earthquake that hit Santa Barbara on the morning of June 29, 1925 killed 11 people. For those who survived, it was a day they would never forget. What was it like to be shaken awake at 6:42 in the morning? People in hotels were thrown out of their beds and staggered down the stairs. Families in homes stumbled through items that had fallen on the floor and ran outside. People on the streets and sidewalks dodged the debris raining down. But although the buildings downtown fell apart, the people pulled together and helped each other. After a cup of strong coffee and some breakfast provided by volunteers in De la Guerra Plaza or Alameda Park, people began to think about rebuilding Santa Barbara in a style that would be envied by other cities.
Historian and author Betsy J. Green will share some of the stories told by the earthquake survivors and their descendants. Copies of her latest book, Way Back When: Santa Barbara in 1925, will be available.
JUNE 27, 2025
santa barbara visionaries: bernhard and irene hoffman
Pearl Chase Society: Kellam de Forest Speaker Series – Topic: Bernhard and Irene Hoffmann and their role in the pre- and post-earthquake Spanish Colonial Revival Style architecture along with Pearl Chase.
Presented by Cheri Rae | Event Details
6:00 pm June 27, 2025
Alhecama Theatre
215a E Canon Perdido St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
JUNE 27, 2025
an educating conversation: Earthquakes at the old mission: 1925 was not the first!
Robert Hoover, emeritus professor at Cal Poly SLO, & Tina Foss, emeritus director of the Old Mission.
Join a select group of those interested in an informative conversation with experts who will first share from a vast store of knowledge, then engage with those present in a lively give & take.
6:00 to 8:00 PM – June 27, 2025
Tickets are $20 general admission which supports the work of the Archive-Library in preserving California history.
Santa Barbara Mission Archive Library
2201 Laguna Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93105
JUNE 28 – JUNE 29, 2025
The great quake & day of remembrance
THE GREAT QUAKE: A Centennial Commemoration
June 28, Noon–4 PM
State Street (between Figueroa & Anapamu)
Join us for a free, family-friendly street exhibition commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake. Enjoy live entertainment, educational exhibits, interactive displays, hands-on workshops, and themed surprises. Highlights include:
- Earthquake simulator (experience a 7.0 quake!)
- Kid zone and history walk
- Earthquake-themed food and booths
- Stage events with musicians and storytellers
- Disaster preparedness info and resources
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Chalk Artist Rod Tryon
Organizations or individuals interested in hosting an exhibit or activity can register at eq25.org.
Hosted by the EQ25 Alliance—a coalition of local nonprofits, agencies, and residents led by the Santa Barbara Conservancy.
Day of Remembrance, June 29th
Memorial events, including the unveiling of a plaque and an event at the Mission.
JUNE 29, 2025
1925 Earthquake EQ25 Symposium
Join the American Institute of Architects Santa Barbara on June 29, 2025, at the Lobero Theatre for Santa Barbara 1925 Earthquake, Then and Now, a 90-minute symposium exploring the historical, architectural, and cultural impacts of the 1925 earthquake. Moderated by Robert L. Ooley, FAIA, the event features a panel of experts discussing the emergence of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, seismic safety advancements, and urban planning changes. A post-event reception with light refreshments will follow.
33 E. Canon Perdido St. Santa Barbara 93101
Sunday June 29, 2025 – 5 pm to 8 pm
JUNE 29, 2025
Casa del Herrero Centennial Community Day
On the morning of June 29, 1925, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake devastated downtown Santa Barbara, yet Casa del Herrero remained untouched, allowing George Fox Steedman to move in that very day. Now celebrating its 100th anniversary, the estate has withstood a century of natural disasters, showcasing the architectural mastery of Lutah Maria Riggs, George Washington Smith, and landscape architect Ralph T. Stevens. Join us for a special celebration with three 2-hour sessions of activities, mini-tours of the home and workshop, and exploration of the grounds:
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Session 1: 10 AM–12 PM
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Session 2: 12:30 PM–2:30 PM
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Session 3: 3 PM–5 PM
Bring your family and friends to discover the “Hearst Castle of Montecito”! Purchase tickets here.
SEPTEMBER, 2025
sANTA bARBARA 1925-2025: a PORTRAIT IN MAPS
Looking at maps is an excellent way to understand what makes Santa Barbara special. A map is a portrait of a place. Different types of maps describe different aspects of a place: the natural environment, the urban environment, the history and culture of a place. Maps can describe what exists now, what existed once, and what could exist in the future. Maps tell stories. This exhibition tells the story of Santa Barbara since the 1925 earthquake using a variety of maps.
Venue: Casa de la Guerra
When: Mid-September, 2025 (opening & closing dates TB)
Contact: Dennis Doordan (dpdoordan@gmail.com)
Sponsored by The Santa Barbara Conservancy with the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation and The Citizens Planning Association.
Past Events
JUNE 18, 2025
Stories of survival from the great earthquake
With Betsy J. Green
Join historian Betsy J. Green for a talk about our community’s response to the 1925 earthquake as she thoughtfully shares stories of survival and resilience that ultimately led to a rebirth of our city.
Santa Barbara Historical Museum | Wednesday, June 18 | 5:30 pm
JUNE 12, 2025
Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara Lecture Series
Pearl Chase: The Woman Who Helped Shape Our City, Part Two
By Cheri Rae
Thursday, June 12, 2025 at 6:00 pm
Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara Gallery,
229 E. Victoria Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Tickets
The author of A String of Pearls: Pearl Chase of Santa Barbara will join us for two special presentations that will offer insights about how this iconic figure helped shape the City of Santa Barbara before and after the 1925 Earthquake.
Part II: How Pearl worked with Bernhard Hoffmann immediately after the Earthquake and carried on his work through the Plans and Planting organization after he left Santa Barbara.
Historic photos, anecdotes, and Pearl’s own words will add to your understanding of the leadership role of this extraordinary woman in the creation of the myths and magic of Santa Barbara that continues to this day.
JUNE 9, 2025
Science Pub: The 1925 Santa Barbara Earthquake
At Dargan’s Irish Pub & Restaurant, 18 E. Ortega Street
June 9, 2025 / 6:30 PM–8:00 PM
Join engineering geologist Larry D. Gurrola, Ph.D., P.G., C.E.G. at Dargan’s Irish Pub & Restaurant for a captivating talk about the Santa Barbara earthquake and its lasting impact. He’ll share what geologists have learned over the past 100 years, how local faults shaped the landscape, and what “The Big One” could mean for Santa Barbara. This fun, friendly, and free event is part of the Science Pub series, held on the second Monday of each month, and the EQ25 Alliance’s centennial commemoration.
Dr. Gurrola’s research focuses on fault, landslide, and forensic studies, with work spanning the San Andreas fault and Santa Barbara’s coastline. No tickets or reservations are required—just arrive early to grab a seat, enjoy food and drinks, and buy a raffle ticket to support science education and win Museum swag. Visit the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History’s website for more details, or contact Kelsey Perry at kperry@sbnature2.org.
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JUNE 5, 2025
Astronomy on tap
Seismic Legacy: How the 1925 Santa Barbara Earthquake Transformed Our City and State
Sandy Seale, Las Cumbres Observatory
The show will feature Sandy Seale, presenting “Seismic Legacy: How the 1925 Santa Barbara Earthquake Transformed Our City and State,” as well as Andy Howell and Emily Mann-Nicholas with a fun overview of Astronomy in the News.
NASA Hubble posters will be given free to anyone wearing an astronomy image and to anyone who asks a question of the speakers.
This event is featured on the Las Cumbres Observatory website.
Thursday, June 5, 2025 at 7:30PM
M Special Brewing Company, 634 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
JUNE 5, 2025
Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara Lecture Series
Pearl Chase: The Woman Who Helped Shape Our City, Part One
By Cheri Rae
Thursday, June 5, 2025 at 6:00 pm
Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara Gallery,
229 E. Victoria Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Tickets
The author of A String of Pearls: Pearl Chase of Santa Barbara will join us for two special presentations that will offer insights about how this iconic figure helped shape the City of Santa Barbara before and after the 1925 Earthquake.
Part I: From her upbringing in Boston to her experiences in the San Francisco Earthquake to the establishment of the Community Arts Association. Within the CAA, a Plans and Planting Committee was created which campaigned to increase public awareness and appreciation for architectural quality and integrity. Plans and Planting was a major force behind the movement to design buildings in the Spanish Colonial Revival style and give Santa Barbara a unified architectural look.
Historic photos, anecdotes, and Pearl’s own words will add to your understanding of the leadership role of this extraordinary woman in the creation of the myths and magic of Santa Barbara that continues to this day.
JUNE 1, 2025
Resilience in Action: Santa Barbara’s History of Community Response to the 1925 Earthquake and Other Disasters
Santa Barbara Public Library – Join local historian, Betsy Green, and Chaucer’s Books owner and former public librarian, Jen Lemberger, for an afternoon exploring the profound impact of the 1925 Earthquake on Santa Barbara. You’ll hear stories about the remarkable resilience and resourcefulness of civic leaders and Santa Barbara’s public librarians as they rose to the challenge in the aftermath of this devastating natural disaster. From the 1925 Earthquake to the Thomas Fire, Montecito Debris Flow in 2017/2018, Santa Barbarans have responded to disasters with remarkable strength and unity.
40 E. Anapamu St. Santa Barbara CA 93101
MAY 21, 2025
1925: Santa Barbara Remembers the Earthquake
Join us for our opening with an optional talk by Neal Graffy
Location: Santa Barbara Historical Museum
136 E De La Guerra St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
5-7:00 PM EXHIBITION OPENING
6-6:30 PM COMPLIMENTARY TALK BY NEAL GRAFFY (OUTDOORS)
Boom! At dawn on June 29, 1925, our city shook with a 6.3 earthquake leaving much of downtown destroyed or heavily damaged. The twin towers of Mission Santa Barbara collapsed, and eighty-five percent of the commercial buildings downtown were destroyed or badly damaged. A failed dam in the foothills released forty-five million gallons of water, and a gas company engineer became a hero when he shut off the city’s gas supply and prevented fires like those that destroyed San Francisco twenty years earlier.
Out of the rubble would come a new Santa Barbara with the headline, “Spanish Architecture to Rise from Ruins.”
The exhibition is being held in conjunction with EQ2025: A City Transformed.
MAY 10, 2025
Community history day
The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation invites you to its annual Community History Day! Enjoy live dance performances, guided history tours, free exhibits, lotería, face painting, and fun, family-friendly educational booths hosted by over fifteen local nonprofit organizations!
Saturday, May 10, 2025 from 11am to 2pm
23 E. Canon Perdido Street
MAY 6, 2025
Lecture: Women architects shaping santa barbara after the 1925 earthquake
The 1925 earthquake was a pivotal moment in Santa Barbara’s architectural history, occurring just as a few pioneering women were breaking barriers in the field of architecture. Their visionary designs helped define the city’s distinctive aesthetic, leaving a lasting legacy in Spanish Colonial Revival, Modern, and other iconic styles.
Join us for an enlightening lecture exploring the remarkable women who shaped Santa Barbara’s built environment: Presented by, Nicole Hernandez, Architectural Historian for the City of Santa Barbara.
- Julia Morgan & Margaret Baylor – Gymnasium & Beaux Arts with Spanish Colonial Revival style Inn Design
- Mary M. Craig – Spanish Colonial Revival Influence
- Lutah Maria Riggs – Spanish & Modern Innovations
- Anna Louise Murphy Vhay – Spanish Colonial Revival influence
- Harriet Moody – Planner and designer of English Cottage
May 6, 2025 at 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Meridian Studios Courtyard, 112 East De La Guerra Street, Santa Barbara
To register, click the link: May Women In Architecture Lecture Series Tickets, Tue, May 6, 2025 at 5:30 PM | Eventbrite
APRIL 25, 2025
THE SPEAKEASY SOIRÉE
The season of activities began with the Roaring 20s Speakeasy Soirée at the Historic El Paseo Restaurant. Proceeds will benefit community programming.
JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 1, 2025
Chinatown Remembered: A Celebration of Santa Barbara’s Chinatown
On January 31 and February 1, 2025, the historic El Presidio grounds transformed into a breathtaking celebration of Santa Barbara’s rich cultural heritage with Chinatown Remembered: A Celebration of Santa Barbara’s Chinatown. This two-night event was a free, family-friendly experience that honored the traditions of the Chinese New Year while shedding light on the vibrant yet overlooked history of Santa Barbara’s Chinatown.
EQ25.org - 100 Year Santa Barbara Earthquake Commemoration
copyright 2025 | EQ25org@gmail.com
