Los Banos del Mar
Why it's listed
Los Banos del Mar is a public swimming pool and bathhouse on Santa Barbara's waterfront, completed in 1939 as the third bathhouse on its site. Architects Henry Howell and William A. Edwards designed a modest one-story building that blends smooth, streamlined Art Moderne walls with red-tiled Hispanic elements on the east side. The reinforced concrete pool is L-shaped, with an Olympic-sized main pool and a small beginner's area. Funded with Public Works Administration aid during the Depression, it grew out of the city's expanding municipal recreation programs begun in 1929. It is considered one of only two relatively unaltered swimming pool complexes surviving from California's coastal bathhouse era. The exterior has not changed since 1939, though gardens and shuffleboard courts were lost to street work in 1943 and the wading pool was replaced in 1979. The pool remains popular for recreation, training and the annual Semana Nautica events, and was designated a city landmark in 1992.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is tied to the rise of municipally sponsored recreation programs in Santa Barbara and is one of only two surviving, relatively unaltered historic swimming pool complexes from California's coastal bathhouse era. It also illustrates how local architects adapted Hispanic-inspired design to Art Moderne trends during the Depression.
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 92001726, listed December 24, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 401 Shoreline Dr., Santa Barbara |
|---|---|
| County | Santa Barbara County |
| Listed | December 24, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92001726 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1939-1942 |
| Architect / builder | Associated Architects of Santa Barbara [Howell, Henry and Edwards, William A.]; Charles M. Urton; Jack Bramlage; L.A. Cline, Inc. |
| Architectural style | Art Modern and Spanish Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a public pool and bathhouse; has received only routine maintenance since the mid-1980s. Designated a City of Santa Barbara Landmark in 1992. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.40775, -119.69357 (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 92001726.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q49519364
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.