Volunteer Day at Santa Inés Mission Mills

The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP) will host a community Volunteer Day at the Santa Inés Mission Mills in Solvang on Saturday, March 6 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Santa Inés Mission Mills is a historic site next to Old Mission Santa Inés, comprising 39 acres of land and featuring historic grist and fulling mills.

[UPDATE:Due to rain forecasted for Friday and Saturday, the volunteer day at Santa Inés Mission Mills scheduled for Saturday, March 6 will be postponed. The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation will hold this opportunity for community members to help restore a historic site in Solvang on Saturday, May 1 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The third annual Santa Ynez Valley FREE Museum Day will be held as scheduled on Saturday, March 6.]

In 2008, the SBTHP sold the Santa Inés Mission Mills complex to California State Parks, initiating the process of creating a new state park in Solvang. The volunteer day Saturday will be an excellent opportunity for members of the community to preview the new State Historic Park. Currently, access to the complex is on an appointment only basis. “We’re thrilled to give the public a chance to visit the Mills and experience this cultural treasure firsthand. This may be the first opportunity for many to see the site for themselves, ask questions and offer their input for future park planning,” said SBTHP Executive Director Jarrell Jackman in a press release.

Volunteers will help plant olive trees and help maintain 190-year-old buildings and reservoirs. The SBTHP will hold a tour of the mills at noon. To RSVP, call (805) 965-0093 or email jared@sbthp.org. Tools and light refreshments will be provided by the SBTHP.

Also on Saturday, March 6, the Santa Ynez Valley Visitors Association will host its third annual Santa Ynez Valley FREE Museum Day. Seven museums in the Santa Ynez Valley will offer free admission for all ages for the entire day. Participating museums include:

– Wildling Art Museum (2928 San Marcos Avenue, Los Olivos)

– Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum & Carriage House (3596 Sagunto Street, Santa Ynez)

– Old Mission Santa Inés Museum (1760 Mission Drive, Solvang)

– Los Alamos Historical Display (Bell (Hwy 135) & Helena Streets, Los Alamos)

– Hans Christian Andersen Museum (1680 Mission Drive, Solvang)

– Elverhoj Museum of History & Art (1624 Elverhoy Way, Solvang)

– Buellton Historical Society History Room (376 Avenue of Flags, Buellton).

For more information visit SantaYnezValleyVisit.com.

[EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally ran prior to the first event, which was canceled due to rain. We have decided to re-publish it again as a preview for the rescheduled May 1 event.]