-------------

-What does it take to create a beautiful city?

A nearly perfect climate and a location where the mountains meet the sea are not enough. Padre Junipero Serra, pioneer California missionary, described the future site of Santa Barbara as a "dismal and treeless" place when he first saw it in April 1782. It has taken the work of generations of dedicated people and the efforts of organizations such as Santa Barbara Beautiful to create a city known throughout the world for its beauty.