Casa de la Guerra
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The Casa de la Guerra was the residence of the fifth commandant of the Presidio de Santa Barbara, José de la Guerra y Noriega from 1828 until his death in 1858. Descendants of José lived in the home until 1943. The site is currently owned and operated by the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP) and is a tourist attraction in downtown Santa Barbara, California.
The time when José lived in the casa it was known to locals as the casa grande (big house), as the thirteen room structure dwarfed the surrounding one room adobes. In the casa grande period, José added the altito structure. The altito structure no longer stands, but acted as José's office and was where he stored his money.
In 1857, the Fort Tejon earthquake did significant damage to the residence, and due to José's declining health, his son Pablo spearheaded renovations. Pablo's renovations reflected the change in style in the Santa Barbara area, modifying the home to give it a Victorian appearance. The most significant changes in this time were the removal of the adobe columns in favor of wooden columns and the addition of wooden siding to the house.
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