It has been called “the unquestionable masterpiece of the courthouse interior.” As visitors enter the Mural Room, they are enfolded by Santa Barbara history — 6,400 square feet depicting scenes from the community’s past. This panorama is the work of Daniel Sayre Groesbeck (1879-1950).
There is an air of mystery surrounding Groesbeck’s early life, in part because he enjoyed spinning adventurous tales about himself. Most of his childhood was spent in Pasadena. Although it appears he fitfully attended art school, he was largely a self-taught artist. By around 1905, he had settled in Chicago and was gaining a reputation as an illustrator for books and magazines. His work appeared in the novels of Joseph Conrad and Jack London and the short stories of O. Henry, the latter a friend of his.
The problem in separating fact from fiction with Groesbeck is illustrated by his service in the Canadian army. He was part of the Allied expeditionary force sent to Russia in 1919 to intervene in the civil war there. He served as a gunner and also took part in a number of theatrical productions put on by the troops, designing scenery and costumes. He served a little more than a year. Groesbeck later expounded on his military service, saying he served for four years, fought against the Germans during World War I, then battled the Communists with the White Russians — highly dramatic embellishments.