Like so many wealthy patrons from the East who fell in love with Santa Barbara, philanthropist Alden Freeman decided to make a big donation to the community. In 1927, he purchased several acres on Mission Ridge, where, more than a decade earlier, Italian immigrant and horticulturist Francesco Franceschi had established gardens and built a redwood Craftsman-style home. Newcomer Freeman’s intention was to create a city park and community gathering place in honor of Franceschi, who had died three years earlier.
For a variety of reasons, some not quite understood, all did not go according to plan.
City leaders at the time declined the donation due to the expense of its upkeep. The terms of the donation changed, and in 1931, the city accepted it along with the promise of $1,500 donated annually for two years from the Riviera Association…