Have you ever walked or biked the Obern Trail or enjoyed a trail in the local hills? Or perhaps you toured the Historic Thomas Hope House? Or even more, you learned about some of the history of the De la Guerra Wedding party from the Fiesta Parade. Perhaps you viewed or participated in an event at the Santa Barbara Presidio put on by the Trust for Historic Preservation? These all have been possible due to the dedication of Vivian Obern.
Vivian and George Obern moved to Santa Barbara in 1947 with their young son, Vaughn, when George was hired by UCSB as public information manager. As they became active in community affairs, Vie participated in many youth organizations. She taught Sunday school and led Cub Scouts for Vaughn and Girl Scouts at Vieja Valley School for her daughter, Dale. She served on the Santa Barbara Area Council of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA). One of her major achievements was initiating a project to build a seven-mile bikeway in Goleta and helping to raise the millions of dollars needed to construct it. The bike path was named the Obern Trail in their honor.
Vie’s interest in California history was inspired by Pearl Chase, and she became known as one of Pearl’s Girls. When the house Thomas Hope had built in 1875 was condemned, George and Vivian’s interest in history inspired them to purchase the house for their 25th wedding anniversary in 1965. They restored Hope House, and it is now a county historical landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places. Their daughter and her husband, Greg Hoeffliger, eventually moved in and raised four daughters there.
