Hill-Carrillo Adobe
Why it's listed
Hill-Carrillo Adobe is a single-story, U-shaped building at 11 East Carrillo Street in Santa Barbara. Its street-facing section is the original adobe of 1825-26, built by Daniel Hill, an early American settler, for himself and his wife, Rafaela Luisa Ortega. Two stucco wings added in the early 20th century form a rear courtyard. The front has a tile roof over a veranda, classical wooden mouldings, and twelve-paned double-hung windows in their original locations. The house later belonged to Captain John D. Wilson and became a center of social life in the last years of Mexican rule. In 1847 General John C. Fremont used it as temporary headquarters. The first Santa Barbara city council met there in 1850, and a portrait painter had a studio there in 1851. The Carrillo family owned it from the 1850s. Listed for architecture and for its association with early Mexican-era history, it is valued as a rare surviving adobe despite changes to its interior and setting.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a major remnant of California's Mexican past and a good example of Hispanic-era architecture and construction. It is tied to Santa Barbara's social and political life, including early American settlers, Captain John D. Wilson, and the first city council meetings in 1850. The reviewer's final comments accept it under Criteria A and C, citing its rarity as a surviving example of adobe construction and its association with early Mexican history.
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 86000778, listed January 14, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 11 E. Carrillo St., Santa Barbara |
|---|---|
| County | Santa Barbara County |
| Listed | January 14, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000778 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1825-1850s |
| Architect / builder | Daniel Hill |
| Architectural style | Hispanic-era California adobe construction |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Marked occupied and in good, altered condition. It houses the Santa Barbara Foundation and other offices. The roof structure was recently reconstructed with hand-adzed beam and rafter replacements and the original tile reinstalled. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 34.42235, -119.70187 (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 86000778.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5761953
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.