A SANTA BARBARA SITE OF HISTORY AND LORE
Old Mission Santa Barbara is the resting place of the woman whose story inspired the beloved Scott O’Dell novel “Island of the Blue Dolphins.” What: The building, completed in 1820 and rebuilt after the quake of 1925, is surrounded by 12 acres of gardens. But if you loved Karana, the brave hero of “Blue Dolphins,” you might head straight for the cemetery. This is where mission leaders buried Juana Maria, a native woman about 50 years old who was found alone on San Nicolas Island in 1853. She had apparently endured 18 years of solitude and weather. She lived about seven weeks after her return to the mainland, then died from dysentery. Though her grave is unmarked, the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution has placed a memorial plaque. Info: Old Mission Santa Barbara, 2201 Laguna St., Santa Barbara; (805) 682-4713, santabarbaramission.org. Self-guided tour is $9 for adults, $4 for ages 5-17. An hourlong docent-guided tour is $13 for adults, $8 for youths.