Santa Barbara marks the eastern end of the Santa Barbara Channel, bounded to the north by the California coast, the south by the Channel Islands, and to the west by Point Conception.

A lighthouse to mark Santa Barbara was completed in 1856, and the first keeper, Albert Williams, and his wife Julia, tended to the fourth-order Fresnel lens. Albert Williams tired of the monotony of lighthouse life, and eventually the family acquired a ranch nearby. Keeper Williams hired someone to light the lamp nightly. In 1865, Julia Williams agreed to serve at the light's official keeper. She served the station faithfully for forty years - retiring in 1905 at age 80 after breaking her hip while at the station.

On June 29, 1925, an earthquake shook Santa Barbara, and destroyed the lighthouse. Fortunately, no one was injured at the lighthouse. However, the lens and structure were a total loss. The light was eventually replaced by a minor optic on a steel tower. A steel tower still marks the site today.

References (see links)

Umbrella Guide to California Lighthouses, Nelson pp. 34-36
Woem Who Kept the Lights, Clifford pp. 77-81