El Paseo and Casa de la Guerra
Why it's listed
In downtown Santa Barbara, a block-sized complex joins one of the city's oldest houses with a 1920s shopping district. Casa de la Guerra, an adobe built between 1819 and 1827 by Indians from Mission Santa Barbara, was the residence of Don Jose de la Guerra y Noriega, commander of the Santa Barbara Presidio. It served as the town's leading private home for much of the 19th century and was visited by Richard Henry Dana. Two brick mercantile buildings from 1860 and the 1870s sit alongside it. In 1920 Bernhard Hoffmann bought the adobe and, using plans by architect James Osborne Craig, built El Paseo around it. The courtyards, arcades and the Street in Spain recall Andalusian village forms. The project was an early attempt to make preservation self-supporting and helped spread Spanish Colonial architecture across southern California. The complex still holds shops, a restaurant and offices, and a nonprofit trust has owned it since 1971.
Significance in brief: Casa de la Guerra was the home of Don Jose de la Guerra y Noriega, fifth Comandante of the Santa Barbara Presidio, and is described as the most prominent private residence in Santa Barbara in the first half of the 19th century. El Paseo, designed by James Osborne Craig for Bernhard Hoffmann, helped start the Spanish and Spanish Colonial architectural revival and is said to be the first pedestrian shopping center west of the Mississippi. The complex also includes two late 19th-century brick mercantile buildings.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 77000346, listed February 2, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 808--818 State St., 813--819 Anacapa St., and 9--25 E. de la Guerra St., Santa Barbara |
|---|---|
| County | Santa Barbara County |
| Listed | February 2, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77000346 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899, 1900- |
| Architect / builder | James Osborne Craig (architect, El Paseo); Bernhard Hoffmann (developer); adobe built by Indians from Mission Santa Barbara for Don Jose de la Guerra y Noriega |
| Architectural style | Spanish Andalusian / Spanish Colonial (El Paseo); adobe (Casa de la Guerra) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Literature, Politics/Government, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in use as shops, restaurants and offices; owned by a non-profit trust, with the adobe described as substantially unchanged from the original. |
| Acreage | 1.7 |
| Coordinates | 34.42060, -119.69942 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 77000346.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5047931
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.