The home at 111 West Valerio Street has one of the most varied histories of all the homes I’ve written about in this column. It’s been a boarding school for girls, a dormitory, and several different inns, as well as a private home.
It was designed by a local architect who had a diverse history himself. In addition to designing a number of homes here, including the Glendessary mansion in Mission Canyon, he was also a poet and a playwright.
The home is a Structure of Merit, one of only a handful in Santa Barbara built in the American Colonial Revival style. It sits on the southwest corner of Valerio and Chapala streets, where a small one-story cottage once sat.