The Arlington Theater actually used to be a hotel. The Arlington Hotel burned down a long
time ago in a famous fire which has long been forgotten. So I guess the fire isn't so
famous anymore. But you can read about the fire in the local history books.
Back when this was a hotel the stagecoach used to stop here to pick up passengers.
The sign says, "OLD STAGECOACH ROUTE 1861-1901 The first overland stage coach arrived in
Santa Barbara on Monday evening, April 1, 1861, celebrated by firing of cannon, etc. Many
of Santa Barbara County's own stage coach runs started from this spot which marks the
location of the first Arlington Hotel, destroyed by fire in 1909. (Sponsored by: Wells Fargo
Bank; Goleta Beautiful; Goleta Historical Society; City & County of Santa Barbara;
De La Guerra y Pacheco Chapter 1.5 E Clampus Vitus and other friends.)"
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| THE ARLINGTON HOTEL, with 1887 Annex on left, was a take-off point for
northbound stagecoaches in the 1880's. The six horses hitched to this mud wagon
indicate a destination beyond San Marcos Pass; four horses were sufficient on
the level run to Lompoc or Los Angeles. |
So let's climb aboard one of these lovely uncomfortable looking contraptions and take
a ride up San Marcos Pass. We've got six horses hitched to this mud wagon. We need all
six to get us up the pass.
Fanny Trollope wrote about her stagecoach experience in her classic 1832 book
Domestic Manners of the Americans. She wrote, "The coach had three seats,
each calculated to hold three persons, and as we were only six, we had, in the phrase
of Milton, to 'inhabit lax' this exalted abode, and, accordingly, we were for some miles
tossed about like a few potatoes in a wheel-barrow. Our knees, elbows, and heads
required too much care for their protection to allow us leisure to look out of the
windows; but at length the road became smoother, and we became more skilful in the art
of balancing ourselves, so as to meet the concussion with less danger of dislocation."
