Perched high on the Riviera mount, in one of Santa Barbara’s most prestigious suburbs, a dilapidated mansion sits in ruin among what was once one of the finest gardens in California.
Built in 1893 by Francesco Franceschi, a 19th Century Italian immigrant and renowned horticulturalist, the Franceschi Park and House was the first home of the Southern California Acclimatizing Society, a group dedicated to botanical study and plant cultivation. Between 1894 and 1913, Franceschi imported over 900 species of plants to Santa Barbara’s mild Mediterranean-like climate, and in doing so completely transformed the landscape of southern California. The 40 acre property is 800 feet above sea level and had an excellent climate to grow the eucalypts, cedars, pines, bamboo, orchids as well as numerous varieties of tropical fruit, flowering shrubs and vines that Franceschi introduced. The original two-story residence featured a number of bay windows offering beautiful 180-degree views through the garden from the Santa Barbara mountains to the North Pacific Ocean.
Franceschi owned the acreage until 1927 when Alden Freedman, a philanthropist and social reformer, bought the estate and added strange plaster medallions commemorating Italian immigrants and famous American historical figures to the manor's facade. As a gesture of recognition of Franceschi’s work, Freedman dedicated the estate to the City of Santa Barbara in 1931, who has been the custodian ever since.
Despite being one of the most significant botanical sites in California, Franceschi Park is neglected and unkempt. The gardens are overgrown and the mansion is a boarded up derelict. Freedman’s plaster heads are still visible on the exterior of the building, but are in various states of disrepair.
While Franceschi Park is not known for its gardens any longer, the park has spectacular views of the city, and is a popular picnic spot for locals and despite the deteriorating surroundings, it still rates as one of Santa Barbara’s best make out spots.
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