About Santa Barbara Beautiful
Santa Barbara Beautiful was conceived and formally inaugurated in September 1965 by founder Mrs. Catherine Adams and the founding committee, which included Mahlon Read, R. Peter Krupszak, Stan C. Lowry, Michael Pahos, and Pearl Chase. The first awards program was carried out by the organization in 1966.
Fifteen years in the making, we have completed and are proud pleased to present the Santa Barbara Beautiful History Project: Past Presidents’ Oral History “In Their Own Voice” – Volume 1. You can download the PDF. Recently, in July 2021, we also produced a brochure giving you a look at an overview of our organization. Download the PDF of our new brochure today.
Mission
The purpose of Santa Barbara Beautiful is to stimulate community interest and action toward the enhancement of Santa Barbara’s beauty as a complement to current and future government and private activity.
Santa Barbara Beautiful is an organization of volunteers dedicated to beautifying our area in a variety of ways not only by working independently but also by cooperating with city departments, neighborhood associations, and other agencies.
Board of Directors
Santa Barbara Beautiful is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit managed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors. Our Board brings vital expertise and leadership with a special dedication to the beauty of our city and the health of our entire community.
History of Santa Barbara Beautiful
A meeting was held on September 9, 1965 at City Hall for the purpose of establishing Santa Barbara Beautiful as the name of a newly developing organization. The founder, Mrs. Catherine Adams, was present, and the founding committee included Mahlon Read, chairman; Miss Pearl Chase (City Plans & Planting); R. Peter Krupszak, Secretary (Ge–Tempo); Stan C. Lowry (Chamber Of Commerce); and Michael Pahos, city landscape architect. At this meeting Miss Chase offered a quotation from Abraham Lincoln that says “I like to see a man proud of the place where he lives.” She said she felt a motto could help to crystallize community thinking and stimulate interest. Thus the idea for Santa Barbara Beautiful took root.
