St. Anthony's Seminary, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County

St. Anthony’s Seminary

St. Anthony’s Seminary was a secondary boarding school founded at Mission Santa Barbara in 1896. Excavation for the first permanent seminary building was started August 25, 1898, on Mission Hill, adjacent to the Mission. The building was designed by Brother Adrian Wewer, a Franciscan monk who was the architect of more than 100 churches, seminaries, friaries and other church-related buildings throughout the United States. The final touches were done on the last day of 1900. It was first used for classes January 27, 1901. In 1923, architect Ross Montgomery was hired to design two new wings for the building. Montgomery was hired again to repair damage from a M6.5 earthquake in June 1925. Citing declining enrollment and staffing shortages, the facility closed in 1987. The former seminary has been designated a Santa Barbara City historical landmark.

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Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County
Photographer: John Bare