On Devastation and Renewal
How disasters reshaped the present-day 805
This week, The 805 Diary travels up and down the 101 for a glimpse at some major disasters that defined the 805 area code, including its (roughly) geographic center: Santa Barbara.
The Great Santa Barbara Earthquake
This year – this weekend, in fact – marks the 100th anniversary of the 6.3 magnitude earthquake that struck Santa Barbara, killing 11 people and destroying so many buildings that many residents were forced to sleep outside that summer as aftershocks rattled the city. (I can’t help but think that only by the grace of supernatural forces did the quake hit in the summer months. Imagine having to sleep outside, or in tents, during the region’s typically cold, wet winters. No thanks!) In a plot twist reminiscent of Jaws, the disaster resulted in the attempted suppression of stories about it, as movie moguls feared a drop in Southern California tourism and business.
Fire at The Glen Tavern Inn
When the fire broke out at the south end of The Glen Tavern Inn on a Wednesday afternoon in 2006, staff of its tony new Avenue X restaurant were preparing to host its first “Winemakers Dinner.” The restaurant was also hosting a gala birthday celebration for one 80-year-old Ming Wan.
Avenue X employee Carlos Argueta first noticed the smoke rising from a pile of rags and electrical cords around 1:00 PM. As he peeked outside, he could see flames already licking the side of the building. Argueta alerted the other staff. The birthday party came to an abrupt halt as guests were told to evacuate. Late sleepers on the Inn’s upper floors had to be rousted out of bed and told to exit the building.
The fire, which blazed through the attic and damaged the lower floors, took the work of 60 firefighters from across Ventura County to tame. By the time it was snuffed out around 2:00 AM the next morning, it had caused $800,000 of damage and would force the temporary closure of the historic landmark.
At the time, the Inn’s new owners, Tom and Rosanna Jennett, were overseeing extensive renovations. Luckily, one of their recent upgrades had included a new sprinkler system. The fire’s cause was deemed accidental.
The Santa Paula Fire of 1903
In 1903, those dastardly northeast winds known at the Santa Anas sparked a wildfire that razed a good portion of Downtown Santa Paula. At the time, the city was only newly incorporated, lacked paved roads or road signs, and was home to roughly 1,000 souls. Its firefighting capacity was limited to just one water cart with a 200-foot hose. The fire claimed nine buildings, including the Odd Fellows building, which now boasts the town’s iconic clock tower.
Out of Disaster, Rebirth
In the fire’s aftermath, Santa Paula leaders instituted new building ordinances that required construction from brick, iron, stone and other nonflammable materials. City residents donated what they could to fund the building of the new clock tower. Streets and street signs were established. As one wit noted: “Now you’ll be able to tell where you live.”
The city also established an all-volunteer fire department that remained in force until the late 20th century, when it transitioned to a professional force. Many residents can fondly recall their fathers and grandfathers, who made their livings through other jobs, being called to duty by the city siren (at one time dubbed the “Big Tooter”), leaving dinners half-eaten or their sleep half-slept. Firefighter training was minimal. A lot rode on pure courage and seat-of-the-pants thinking.
Today, fire departments undergo extensive training and benefit from state-of-the-art engines. Modern firefighting gear can weigh up to 70 pounds. (I can’t imagine tromping through wildfires, through extreme weather conditions, in shorts and a tank-top, much less 70 pounds of gear.)
After the 2006 fire, the Glen Tavern Inn was restored to its trademark Tudor-Craftsman beauty and reopened in 2007.
The city of Santa Barbara, too, rose from the rubble. As the city rebuilt, it embraced a Spanish Colonial Revival aesthetic, now the city’s hallmark.
Disaster is never welcome, but it does afford us the chance to regroup, rethink, plan, and improve. Disaster often becomes the fertile soil of hope (and sometimes, pure audacity). So, here’s to the architects, the visionaries, and yes, even the capitalists who assessed the damage, saw what was, and dared to envision what could be.
And most especially, here’s to the firefighters and first responders who risk their lives to mitigate tragedy and help those who are hurting.
We couldn’t do this without you.
NOTES
The Great Santa Barbara Earthquake
City of Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Independent
The Glen Tavern Inn Fire
Santa Paula Times, April 21, 2006
Santa Paula Times, April 26, 2006
Firehouse.com
Santa Paula Historical Society
The Santa Paula Wildfire of 1903
Santa Paula Historical Society
Many thanks to Santa Paula’s historians for their time, research, and generosity.