US Post Office-Santa Barbara Main
Also known as: Santa Barbara Main Post Office
Why it's listed
Located at 836 Anacapa Street in Santa Barbara, this two-story post office and federal office building was begun in 1935 and completed in 1937 to designs by Reginald D. Johnson. It is built of white reinforced poured concrete with a red terracotta tile roof, a full basement and varied, picturesque massing. Spanish Colonial Revival forms such as piers, canales and corbeled eaves are combined with Art Deco details, including chevron-etched glass lanterns, chevrons cast in keystones, eagles above the north entrance and molded bronze doors. The lobby keeps its tile floor, pink limestone walls, original lighting and furniture. Relief sculpture and murals add to the interior. The 1936 planting plan is still used to guide upkeep of the landscaping, which the nomination calls the only surveyed example retaining its 1930s scheme. The building was listed for its architecture, its fit with nearby historic buildings including El Cuartel, the Lobero Theater and El Paseo, and its well-preserved original design.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is exceptionally significant under Criterion C as a well-preserved example of a small combined post office/federal office, blending Spanish Colonial Revival massing with Art Deco ornament. It also has local importance in urban design relative to nearby historic buildings, and its preserved 1930s landscaping and lobby sculpture and murals add to its value.
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 85000138, listed January 11, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 836 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara |
|---|---|
| County | Santa Barbara County |
| Listed | January 11, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85000138 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | Begun 1935, completed 1937 |
| Architect / builder | Reginald D. Johnson |
| Architectural style | Spanish Colonial Revival with Art Deco (Zig-Zag Moderne) ornament |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in excellent condition; exterior maintained in original condition, with lobby changes limited to new light fixtures, added post office boxes and a handicapped access ramp. |
| Acreage | 1.3 |
| Coordinates | 34.42275, -119.70025 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 85000138.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7890900
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.