Goleta, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Goleta, California
City
City of Goleta
Aerial photo of the Goleta area from offshore.
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  The Good Land
Location of Goleta in Santa Barbara County, California.
Goleta, California Location in California Show map of California Goleta, California Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Santa Barbara
Incorporated	February 1, 2002
Government
• Type	Council–Manager
Area
• Total	7.92 sq mi (20.53 km2)
• Land	7.85 sq mi (20.33 km2)
• Water	0.07 sq mi (0.19 km2)  0.90%
Elevation	20 ft (6 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	32,690
• Density	4,128/sq mi (1,592.3/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific Time Zone)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Codes	93111, 93116–93118, 93160, 93199
Area code	805
FIPS code	06-30378
GNIS feature ID	1660687, 2015546
Website	CityofGoleta.org

Goleta (/ɡəˈliːtə/ goh-LEE-tuh) is a city in southern Santa Barbara County, California, United States. The name "Goleta" comes from the Spanish word for "schooner," which is a type of sailing ship.

Goleta became an official city in 2002. Before that, it was the largest populated area in the county that wasn't a city. In 2020, about 32,690 people lived there. Goleta is well-known for being very close to the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) campus.

History of Goleta

This historic gas station is outside the former Ellwood Oil Field.

Early Times in Goleta

For thousands of years, the Chumash people lived in the Goleta area. The Spanish called them Canaliños because they lived along the coast near the Channel Islands. One of their biggest villages, S'axpilil, was near the Goleta Slough, close to where the Santa Barbara Airport is today.

The first European to visit the Goleta area was Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo in 1542. He spent time around the Channel Islands. In the 1980s, a 16th-century cannon was found on the beach. This led some people to think that Sir Francis Drake might have sailed into the Goleta Slough in 1579.

In 1602, another Spanish sailing trip, led by Sebastian Vizcaino, explored the California Coast. Vizcaino named the channel 'Santa Barbara'. Spanish ships likely stopped here sometimes over the next 167 years. However, no one built any permanent settlements.

Spanish Explorers and Settlements

The first land trip to California, led by Gaspar de Portolà, visited the Goleta area in 1769. They were on their way to Monterey Bay. At that time, the Goleta Slough was a huge lagoon that covered most of what is now Goleta. There were at least five native towns in the area. The largest was on an island in the middle of the lagoon. The explorers called these towns 'Pueblos de la Isla', meaning 'towns of the island'.

This island was later called Mescalitan Island. It was flattened in 1941 to create land for the military airfield, which is now the Santa Barbara Airport.

In 1774, another Spanish trip came to the Santa Barbara area. Soon after, the road along the coast became the El Camino Real. This road connected the Spanish missions. In 1782, the Presidio of Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara Mission were founded. The Goleta area became part of their land.

Later, a sailing ship called a "goleta" was wrecked at the lagoon's entrance. It stayed there for many years, giving the area its current name. After Mexico became independent from Spain in 1821, the mission lands were divided. The Goleta area became part of two large ranchos. The eastern part was Rancho La Goleta, named after the shipwreck. The western part was Rancho Dos Pueblos.

Goleta in the 19th and 20th Centuries

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Goleta Valley was mostly farmland, famous for growing lemons. Oil and natural gas were also found and extracted in some areas, like the Ellwood Mesa.

In the 1920s, people started using parts of the Goleta Slough for landing airplanes. In 1940, plans began to build a proper airport there. The need for an airport became very clear after a Japanese submarine attacked the Ellwood Oil Field in 1942. This was one of the few direct attacks on the U.S. during World War II. The Marine Corps finished building the airport.

After the war, a new lake, Lake Cachuma, was built. This provided water for more homes and new research and aerospace companies. In 1954, the University of California, Santa Barbara, moved to part of the old Marine base. Goleta changed from a farming area to a place known for high-tech businesses. Today, Goleta is still a center for high-tech companies. Many people who work in nearby Santa Barbara also live here.

Becoming a City

Goleta officially became a city in 2002. This happened after several tries. Before 2002, Goleta was an "unincorporated" area. This means it was not part of an official city and was managed by the county government. When it became a city, Goleta gained its own local government.

Geography of Goleta

UCSB Lagoon

Goleta Beach

A shoreline near Goleta

Goleta is about 8 miles (13 km) west of Santa Barbara. It is located along the coast of southern California. The University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) and the student community of Isla Vista are very close by.

The city covers about 7.92 square miles (20.53 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Land and Mountains

The Goleta Valley is a flat coastal area. It is about 3 miles (5 km) wide. It sits between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. The land is made up of different types of soil and deposits from rivers and the ocean.

Underneath the ground, there are layers of rock that hold groundwater, which is important for drinking water. Some of these rock layers also contain oil and gas. The Ellwood Oil Field was used for oil production starting in the 1920s. The La Goleta Gas Field is now used to store gas.

The Santa Ynez Mountains are a beautiful backdrop to Goleta. They are made of sandstone and other rocks. These mountains have risen quickly over time, giving them their rugged look. They can be over 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) high.

Wildlife in Goleta

Goleta is home to various animals. You might see bobcats and coyotes in the area. Skunks and raccoons are also common in neighborhoods. Opossums often live near people's homes.

One special sight is the Monarch butterflies. They spend the winter in several eucalyptus groves on the Ellwood Mesa. While rare, bears and mountain lions live in the mountains nearby.

Goleta's Climate

Goleta has a mediterranean climate. This means it has mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Winds from the Pacific Ocean keep temperatures moderate.

The warmest temperature ever recorded was 109°F (43°C). The coldest was 20°F (-7°C). This shows that while Goleta is usually mild, it can have some extreme temperatures. Chilly days and very warm nights are not common.

Goleta's Population

Population in 2010

In 2010, Goleta had a population of 29,888 people. Most residents (about 69.7%) were White. About 9.1% were Asian, and 14.0% were from other races. About 32.9% of the people identified as Hispanic or Latino.

There were 10,903 households in Goleta. About 31.3% of these households had children under 18 living in them. The average household had 2.72 people.

Population in 2000

In 2000, the Goleta area had a population of 55,204 people. At that time, about 78.61% of the population was White. About 6.43% were Asian, and 22.33% were Hispanic or Latino.

The average household size was 2.72 people. The average family size was 3.18 people.

Economy in Goleta

The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Resort.

The University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) is a major part of Goleta's economy. It provides many jobs and supports many businesses that serve students and staff.

Several well-known companies have their offices in Goleta. Deckers Outdoor Corporation, which owns brands like UGG Australia and Teva, is based here. Many high-tech companies are also in Goleta because of its closeness to the university. These include Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and FLIR. The Bacara Resort, a large hotel, also employs many people in the city.

Clean Energy Goals

Goleta is working towards using 100% clean, renewable energy for its city buildings and for everyone in the community by 2030. They also want at least half of the city's electricity to come from renewable sources by 2025.

In 2019, Goleta created a plan to reach these goals. This plan includes using a new energy provider that focuses on clean energy. The city is also planning to install solar panels at City Hall in 2021. They are looking into adding more electric vehicle charging stations and creating a "microgrid." A microgrid helps keep power on even if there's a big power outage.

Parks and Recreation in Goleta

Fishing at Goleta Pier

Goleta has many great parks and places for fun. Some popular spots include Stow Park, Girsh Park, and Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park.

Lake Los Carneros and the Coronado Butterfly Preserve are also in Goleta. The preserve is the largest place where Monarch butterflies spend the winter. It offers access to the Ellwood Mesa Open Space, which has bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean and beach access. Goleta Beach County Park is just outside the city.

For history buffs, there's the Stow House and the South Coast Railroad Museum.

Education in Goleta

Most students in Goleta attend schools in the Goleta Union School District and the Santa Barbara Unified School District. There are also several smaller private schools.

Schools in Goleta

Elementary Schools

• Brandon School
• El Camino School
• Ellwood School
• Foothill School
• Goleta Family School
• Hollister School
• Isla Vista School
• Kellogg School
• La Patera School
• Mountain View School
• Santa Barbara Charter School
• South Coast Montessori School of Santa Barbara

Secondary Schools

• Goleta Valley Junior High
• Dos Pueblos High School

Transportation in Goleta

Goleta has several ways to get around. The Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District runs bus lines throughout the city. The main road is U.S. 101. Other important streets include Hollister Avenue, Cathedral Oaks Road, and Fairview Avenue.

For longer trips, you can take Amtrak trains from the Goleta Amtrak Station.

The Santa Barbara Airport is right next to Goleta. It serves the greater Santa Barbara area. Five airlines fly from this airport to larger cities.

Major Highways

• U.S. Route 101
• State Route 217

Notable People from Goleta

• Carl Barks: A famous American comics artist and writer. He created characters like Scrooge McDuck and drew many Donald Duck comics. He lived in Goleta in the 1970s.
• Danny Duffy: A professional baseball player for the Kansas City Royals.
• Burnett Guffey: An Oscar-winning cinematographer.
• Katy Perry: A well-known pop singer.
• Derrick William Plourde: An American drummer, musician, and artist.
• Kim Wilson: A blues singer and musician.

Images for kids

• 

  Cabrillo Business Park, a business park in Goleta

See also

In Spanish: Goleta (California) para niños