The top part of Valerio Street, on its eastern end where it meets Grand Avenue, was one of the steepest streets of Santa Barbara in the early 1900s. Technology has allowed us to pave and drive on much steeper streets now, but in 1914, the city wasn’t quite sure how to transform this dirt street into asphalt. Some folks recommended that the top of the street, called Valerio Hill, should have “brick in the center of the street…. The brick [10 feet wide] was planned because of the steep grade, and as it would enable horses to pull heavier loads without liability of falling in rainy weather” (Santa Barbara Daily News, September 9, 1914). Eventually, the road was paved with asphalt.
Setting a Record
It was a tough climb for horses, and the steep portion of the street was also used as a test for early automobiles. In 1921, the local paper published a photo of Valerio Street being used to demonstrate the power of a new car. “Climbing the steep Valerio Street hill on high is some job. But a stock Oldsmobile Four did this trick a few weeks ago … it is the second time any automobile has accomplished such a feat” (Santa Barbara Morning Press, May 15, 1921).
Climbing the hill was a challenge, but traveling downhill attracted another group of drivers who may have used the street name (named after a Chumash outlaw) as inspiration.
“Too Much Speed. The Valerio Street hill, which seems to be the place most motorists select to test the speed of their cars, proved the downfall of E. Croft yesterday. Speed Officer Tatreau nabbed Croft as he was making 28 miles an hour down the hill” (Santa Barbara Morning Press, June 25, 1918)…