Mountain Drive: Santa Barbara’s Pioneer Bohemian Community, edited and compiled by Elias “Lee” Chiacos, has been a local favorite for over three decades. Now, after being out of print for some time, the book is back by popular demand with a new edition sure to satisfy readers with steady interest.
The new edition includes an update on the Santa Barbara Historical Museum show in 2022 alongside the original praised content. First published in the 1990s, the book highlights the unconventional post-World War II community of artists, musicians, gardeners, builders, and free spirits who created a bohemian community in the foothills of Montecito. In an era when “high technology meant an AM radio, a small black and white TV, and telephone party lines, a group of intrepid artists, writers, and ‘do it yourselfers’ established [this community.]” According to Chiacos, it is the story of people who resisted the mold that was made for them after WWII and made a community based on values they shared that continue to inspire … We can thank them for the wine industry in our county, the Renaissance Faire, early music revival, the Solstice Parade, the Beach Art and Craft show, the redwood hot tub, and much more.”
To mark the book’s re-release, on October 9 from 5:30-7:30 p.m., there will be an event at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum (136 East De La Guerra Street) that will feature a screening of a short film Hot Tubs about the “hot tub phenomenon” that came from Mountain Drive. Chiacos will also be signing books that evening and filmmaker Gabe Rosenn will be on hand as well…