The Santa Barbara County Courthouse is located at 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA. The building and gardens cover a full block between Anacapa St., Santa Barbara St., Anapamu St. and Figueroa St.

For almost 160 years this site has been the home of local government and a place of civic pride and celebration. Visitors from around the world come to see the courthouse, mural room and grounds. Hundreds get married in the Mural Room or in the Garden every year. The County Board of Supervisors caused the construction of this, now historic courthouse in 1926, after the smaller Greek-Revival courthouse was damaged in an earthquake of the previous year.

The building was dedicated on August 14, 1929 in with the ceremonial setting of a bronze medallion provided by the Native Sons of Golden West. The Supervisors mixed the ingredients of water from each of the California missions with sand and gravel from each of the counties in California on the main stage with a packed crowd of residents and visitor’s looking on during Old Spanish Days Fiesta.

The courthouse complex is comprised of four buildings totaling 150,000 square feet. There is a full basement that contains the mechanical equipment, parking and storage. The Jail Wing is no longer used for prisoner holding. The jail has a total of seven floors.

When constructed in 1929 there were just two courtrooms located in the Figueroa Wing, with other county government offices. In 1967, when non-court functions of county government moved into a new building across the street, the vacated space was remodeled into additional court rooms and support spaces for court functions.

On Tuesday, April 5, 2005 the Secretary of the Interior, the Hon. Gale Norton, signed the designation memo officially naming the Santa Barbara Courthouse a National Historic Landmark!

Tours

Visitors may see this working courthouse any time during the business day (8am to 5pm M-F) or during the weekends (10am to 4:30pm)

Docent lead tours occur daily (except Sunday) at 2pm beginning in the Mural Room and are free. Additional tours occur at 10:30am Monday, Tuesday and Friday. Special tours dates and times can be accommodated by request. Contact the Docent Council to make arrangements.

Telephone 805-962-6464

When visiting the Historic County Courthouse, please stop by the Information Booth, there a Docent will be available to answer your questions.

Weddings at the Courthouse

The Santa Barbara County Courthouse is a beautiful and happy place to have your wedding. In order to help you make your plans, click here to view the County of Santa Barbara’s website for answers to frequently asked questions and a list of officiants.