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Step
into the Past at the
Santa Ynez Valley Historical
Museum and Carriage House
By
Kate Bardessono
The
Santa Ynez Valley Historical Society Museum and Carriage House is one
of Santa Barbara County’s greatest hidden gems. Located in the very
heart of Santa Ynez on Sagunto Street the museum boasts over 8,000 objects
relating to this valley’s diverse heritage. It is truly an educational
and cultural center of the Santa Ynez Valley.
The front room of the main building is the Native American
Room. You will experience a sense of awe as you are immediately surrounded
by several types of artifacts from the 25 North American tribes, up close
and personal. This is the extensive Goodwin Collection, containing baskets,
pottery, beadwork and much, much more. To your right, is a diorama depicting
the pre-mission life of the Chumash, along with very rare and cherished
Chumash baskets and other artifacts. Should you have any questions, a
friendly and knowledgeable docent is just steps away.
You next turn right into the turn of the century in The West
Room. Here you find artifacts from the Old Mission Santa Inés,
local cattle branding irons and ranching gear, and a large collection
of Western and Mexican saddles. You won’t want to miss the display
of saddles made by Art Hugenberger, a Santa Ynez Valley resident who is
considered by many to be one of the greatest saddle makers of all time.
Hugenberger was once an assistant to Montie Montana, famous for roping
President Eisenhower during his inaugural parade, among other things.
Hugenberger grew up with a passion for becoming a cowboy, and followed
his dreams the best he could through the depression and the war. He developed
his saddle making skills at Ed Gilmore Saddlery in North Hollywood, California,
then moved to Santa Barbara to work for Jedlicka’s Saddlery in the
mid 1950’s. In 1964, after marrying his beloved wife Matilda, Art
moved to Solvang and set up shop in his garage. As you gaze upon the beautiful
craftsmanship of an Art Hugenberger saddle, contemplate the twenty-five
plus hours that it took to create those beautiful pieces. And how wonderful
it is to have a gift such as his, to craft saddles for people like President
Ronald Reagan and his family, Audie Murphy, Joel McCrea and Dale Robinson.
The West Room is simply an awesome place!
The museum was founded in 1961 by a group of Valley residents
who wanted to preserve all of our rich, local history. It is made up of
several rooms and buildings, linked together by the quaint Mary Davidge
Courtyard. As you exit the Native American and West Rooms, you turn a
corner and relax in the courtyard’s lovely sitting area under a
wisteria-covered arbor. Take a peek inside the actual jailhouse used by
the town of Santa Ynez from 1883 to 1915, and contemplate history while
strolling past a gently bubbling fountain, geological displays and Chumash
implements.
Cross to the Parks-Janeway Carriage House, and you will see one of the
most outstanding collections of late nineteenth and early twentieth century
American carriages in the West. There are surreys, stagecoaches, phaetons,
carts, broughams and buckboard wagons, as well as a hitch wagon, dray,
runabout, hearse, hunt wagon, shooting brake and military supply wagon.
The western style stagecoach is one of my favorites. Operated by the Yellowstone
Stage Lines, it was probably used to bring tourists to the park, at which
time they transferred to open vehicles for better viewing. It carried
eleven passengers, plus a driver and a shotgun guard. It used a team of
four to six horses, depending on road conditions and grade. There is a
beautiful painted mountain scene on the door. Silver-mounted parade saddles
and wonderfully handcrafted equestrian gear are also featured in the carriage
house.
The Valley Room is a must see attraction! There is a showcase
on each of the Santa Ynez Valley’s five towns, reflecting their
beginnings, their future hopes and dreams, and their early historical
development of everything from communication, through transportation.
The window onto each town appears as a view through time and space into
each aspect of our area’s exciting history.
At the opposite end of this room is the changing exhibition
area. This room was created to add interest for our local and returning
visitors, as well as to provide our local contributing artists and historians
an opportunity to showcase materials that pertain to Valley history, culture,
and general interest. Currently featured is the artwork of an extremely
talented local wildflower photographer, Cheryl Alter Morris. Cheryl is
a resident of Figueroa Mountain who fell in love with wildflowers at an
early age. As she developed her talents in nature photography, she began
experimenting with different techniques and larger formats for her striking
images of her beloved flowers. Her work will be on display until April
26.
There is so much more to see inside this wonderful museum!
The blacksmith shop, the Jeannette Lyons Room of period clothing and antiques
that change from season to season, the Farm Annex, with its “Anderson
Special Automobile,” and the Pioneer Room. The latter gives you
a very unique and intimate view into the lives of a pioneer in the late
Nineteenth Century. Children, especially, love to stare in awe and wonder
at living in one room, and what it was like to churn butter by the wood
burning cook-stove.
Stop by the museum anytime, Wednesday through Sunday, between
12:00pm and 4:00 pm to enjoy all of this and more! On your way out, don’t
forget to stop by the bookstore, filled with historical books, t-shirts,
toys and local artwork. You can also join the Santa Ynez Valley Historical
Society for a nominal fee by filling out a membership form available by
the exit. |
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