Sharing my peaceful place
Santa Barbara's Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden
Near downtown Santa Barbara, there is a block that has become sacred to me. It is the legacy of one woman: Alice Keck Park, who did not live to see the garden that adds such grace and charm to this small city.
The 4.6 acre property had previously been home to the artist Albert Herter’s family and their mansion had been turned into an upscale hotel and garden before being damaged by fire and abandoned.
The prime real estate attracted many visions, including a 9-story hotel and an 11-story condominium project, neither of which fit Santa Barbara’s low-rise building codes. Then an anonymous donor stepped in, purchased the property and donated it to the city with the caveat that it remained a free, public park to be developed and overseen by the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.
After her death, the donor was revealed as Alice Keck Park and the city chose Grant Castleberg to design the park and Elizabeth de Forest to create the landscape in order to achieve Park’s vision of a four-season, quiet place of bright beauty with a stream, turtle pond and meandering paths.
About twenty-five years ago, after purchasing my first digital camera, I began a year-long project of photographing the park every week and discovered that it did, indeed, offer a constantly changing bright beauty. After returning to Santa Barbara two years ago, I chose the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara as my community as much for its location across from the park as its philosophy and activism.
Every Sunday, I walk through the park with my camera and it has become my peaceful time and place. Here is a momentary glimpse from one of those walks.
I know Alice Keck Park well. It’s been way too long since I’ve visited. Thanks for taking me back.
Thank you for sharing these photos and your quiet place. Next time I'm in Santa Barbara I'd like to visit that garden, along with all the other beautiful place that city has to offer.