Casa del Herrero is pleased to welcome its newest board member, Elizabeth Esrey. Elizabeth joins a committed group of volunteers who provide leadership in stewarding the historic house museum and gardens. Together, the Board of Trustees works to ensure that the Casa remains a lasting community legacy.

As a certified, advanced mediator and mediator trainer, Elizabeth is a master in conflict resolution. While working for the Chicago Bar Association, Elizabeth designed and implemented mediation programs for Chicago Public Schools and private businesses. Elizabeth was part of an ambassador delegation working with organizations and officials in South Africa on how to process grievances suffered under apartheid. Through her work, Elizabeth hopes to provide peaceful and successful conflict resolution.

Elizabeth is always looking for ways to give back to her community. She has previously supported organizations such as The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, MOCSA, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and PTPI, and more.

"It is an honor to be a part of such a storied treasure like Casa del Herrero. The Casa is a beautiful reminder of how people and their passions impact the landscape and legacy of Santa Barbara. Casa del Herrero and the people who support it are gems within the Santa Barbara community."

Casa del Herrero is thrilled to welcome Carol Linn as its newest Board member. Carol brings with her years of experience in the business and non-profit world.

“I love the feeling of stepping back into the history as I enter the Casa grounds. I get a glimpse of Montecito as it was in the 1920’s.”

Carol spent more than 30 years serving the natural oil and gas industry. Her career spanned a variety of roles, including Vice President of U.S. Industry and Regulatory Affairs, Vice President of the Data Logic Division as well as International Managing Director for the IHS Energy Group responsible for all employees outside the US and Canada. An accomplished public speaker, she taught a Public Speaking short course for San Francisco State University for 8 years.

Carol shares her time supporting various charities and fundraising events with her husband, Michael C. Linn. As a couple they have received the The National Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service and The National Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser Award presented to them by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Now retired, Carol lends her skills to several local and national non-profit boards.

“I believe the Casa offers an opportunity to learn about architecture, inventions, gardens, creativity and the knowledge that was needed to complete this house and the grounds in the 1920’s. A visit to the Casa can spark curiosity to learn more about the history of Montecito and want to learn more about how to get involved in Casa del Herrero.”

The annual Christmas at the Casa celebration was held on Saturday December 10, 2022. It was a magical evening backed by the soundtrack of raindrops and elegant Spanish guitar. Although the rain altered the party layout, guests enjoyed a cheerful and cozy night with the fireplace crackling and festive drinks flowing.

This year’s honoree was Laura Bridley! For over 30 years, Laura has been a devoted volunteer, advisor, and friend to the Casa! The Casa is grateful for the support Laura continues to give.

On Saturday, August 13, 2022 Casa del Herrero hosted a beautiful garden party, featuring live acoustic music and fabulous locally sourced cuisine & beverages! The historic house museum is beaming with gratitude from all of the love and attention!

On behalf of the Shindig Event Committee and the Casa del Herrero Board of Trustees we would like to thank our community for supporting this summer fundraiser through ticket purchases, donations, and sponsorships. Thank you for celebrating the role of historic spaces in the fabric of our community!

In 1993, Casa del Herrero became a nonprofit organization, thanks in part to Founding Trustee George Steedman Bass. George remains dedicated to the Casa and is proud of his family’s legacy in the community. Recently, George was kind enough to share some anecdotes about the Casa, memories of his grandparents, and the passion he will always have for Montecito’s only National Historic Landmark.

CDH: Why was it important for you to give Casa del Herrero to the community?

George: My grandfather, George Fox Steedman, was an amazing person. He had energy, vision, and a love of quality. He was innovative and a talented artist. I believe he was a genius. There are so many important aspects of the estate worth saving – the Spanish antique furniture, Spanish ceiling, and Moorish tiles. Also, the innovatively designed book tower, workshop with its amazing tools and exquisite equipment, and wine cellar. My grandfather took up silversmithing toward the end of his life, and the Casa is fortunate to have several pieces by his hand including bowls and large vases.

CDH: What was your biggest challenge during the process?

George: My mother died very quickly from cancer, but before she did, she set a clear vision for the future of the estate. My sister and I began the process of giving the Casa to the community, but it was very complex. It was challenging to get all of the family members on the same page, but we did, and today I am proud that we were able to create a nonprofit organization and that the estate has become a National Historic Landmark.

CDH: Can you share a few childhood memories of your time at the Casa?

George: I remember camping for one week in the small forest area in the south acreage with my brother, Tom. My grandfather had the staff set up beds with each leg in a small can of water so that the ants would not bother us while we slept. I can also recall my grandmother asking the driver, Clarence, to take Tom and me for rides in the silver-grey Buick with the convertible top down. We all enjoyed Fiesta, and I can still recollect the fire engines, music, and groups of horses. I loved to see the gentlemen and women mounted on antique silver saddles wearing their old Spanish finery. It was a wonderful parade.

CDH: What were your grandparents like?

George: I feel that my grandparents were very polite, and were always dressed in nice clothing. My grandfather wore a bow tie every day. I loved the Casa, but I had to be careful of my clothes, my manners, and my politeness toward other people. During the Great Depression, my grandfather would provide work for men on the estate, and my grandparents were both very generous. Obviously, when I was young, I didn’t know about this generosity. My grandparents were busy – my grandfather in his shop, and my grandmother with her flowers. They were very friendly people.

CDH: What is your favorite thing about the Casa?

George: I loved the personal elevator!

Channing Peake was a renowned California artist whose career was celebrated internationally. What few realize, however, is that Peake worked as an apprentice at Casa del Herrero from 1933-34. While only at the estate for a year, he left an indelible mark on the aesthetic. Peake’s important artistic contribution will be celebrated in the upcoming exhibition Channing Peake at Casa del Herrero and Highlights from the Santa Barbara County Collection on view at the Channing Peak Gallery in Santa Barbara. Coinciding with the gallery’s 30th anniversary, the exhibition will provide insight into the special nature of the internship and its influence on Peake throughout his artistic career.

“We are thrilled to collaborate on this exhibition and showcase Channing Peake’s work – it will be particularly meaningful as we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the dedication of the gallery,” said Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture Curator and exhibition co-curator Julia Rutherford Daly.

Channing Peake is credited with painting many images on the interior of the historic George Washington Smith house including the frieze in the book tower, panels in the first floor bathroom, a niche in the living room, and panels in the foyer. The exhibition will include photographs of the architectural paintings Peake completed during his brief year at the Casa in addition to original drawings never before available for public viewing. Peake’s work from the County Arts Commission’s permanent collection will also be displayed as an important component of the exhibition. Representing a span of 40 years, this body of work offers incredible insight into the range of materials the artist employed from the 1940s to the 1980s.

“As the viewer will see, the Casa images are whimsical – painted to reflect the artistic temperament of the original owner, George Fox Steedman,” said Casa Executive Director and exhibition co-curator Jessica Tade. “This exhibition highlights the uniqueness of the Casa internship while showing its role on Channing Peake’s artistic aesthetic later in life.”

Eager to study mural painting, Peake left Casa del Herrero for Mexico where he worked with the renowned muralist Diego Rivera. He would later describe his experience working with George Fox Steedman at the Casa by saying, “He was a silversmith, a retired wealthy man from St. Louis and he needed somebody to translate Gothic designs that he liked very much so that he could work in silver in them. That was an interesting experience in many ways. I mean it was really…a great education.”

Channing Peake at Casa del Herrero and Highlights from the County Collection will be on view at the Channing Peake Gallery located at 105 E. Anapamu Street from March 4 to September 2019.

Longtime educator Dan Eidelson moved with his wife from Orange County to Montecito in the 1980s so that they could be close to their son and his family. Dan first learned about Casa del Herrero from his wife, who had visited the grounds as part of a private tour through an extension class she was taking at UC Santa Barbara. She spoke so enthusiastically about what she had seen, that Dan was intrigued. A chance meeting with George Bass, the Casa’s founding trustee, led to a friendship and devotion to the Casa that has now lasted more than 30 years. “When I think about my life in Montecito, Casa del Herrero is the focal point,” said Dan. “There was a period of time that I was completely devoted to the property, and as a result, the significance of the estate will always be important to me.”

George Bass was the steward of his mother’s final wish to make Casa del Herrero a public charity. During this transition period in the 1990s, Dan decided to give his all to the project, becoming a member of the Casa’s first Advisory Committee where he worked with a small group of dedicated individuals. He devoted up to five days a week meeting with residents, going to meetings, and talking to the planning commission – all in the hope of giving the Casa to the community. “I have such great admiration for George Bass,” said Dan. “He is a thoughtful, generous person. He was very sensitive during the transition process, and was deeply concerned about the impact on residents. He was flexible, and really listened, which resulted in the preservation of a great monument in our community.”

Dan has spent much time at the estate, working in the gardens, leading tours, serving as a board member for many years, and now lending his expertise as a member on the Buildings and Grounds Committee. His love of mechanical things drove Dan’s interest in and concern for the wellbeing of the Casa’s Pump House, which he has devoted many hours to preserving. Dan has given his time again and again, all in the hope of maintaining the Casa in perpetuity. “There is something very special about this property,” said Dan. “I don’t know what it is, but I do know I will always love it.”

Lynda Millner had been working as a tour guide at the Santa Barbara Zoo for three years when she found out that the organization would soon discontinue its tour services. Fortunately, a friend had recently told her about a charming destination hidden in the hills of Montecito – Casa del Herrero.

Needless to say, Lynda fell in love with the Casa after her first visit, and has spent the past 17 years serving as a diligent and dedicated docent. “Working as a docent is my way of giving back to the community,” said Lynda. “I’ve always loved being a tour guide.”

When asked what she finds special about the Casa, Lynda said “It’s amazing! First of all, there aren’t really any houses to speak of that you can go through in Santa Barbara. What is special to me, besides the property, is that we still have all of the Steedmans’ things – all of their furniture, linens, and silverware. It feels like a home to me, and I think people recognize that.”

While visitors expect to learn more about the Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, the fifteenth and sixteenth-century fine art collection, and the gardens, they are also given a new perspective of the Casa through Steedman family stories. “I love telling stories about the Steedman family,” said Lynda. Whether sharing anything from why the Steedmans’ brought chickens onto the property (though they no longer remain) to how George Fox Steedman educated his young boys on the important matter of camping (moving their beds to the bottom of the garden for a night), Lynda has a story to share with her tour.

“I love that there are still family members on the Casa Board of Trustees who can tell us stories about their childhoods,” said Lynda. “I’ve always enjoyed being a tour guide, and will continue to love the stories I get to tell people here.”