Santa Cruz Island: An Illustrated History

Looking for a gift for someone who has visited Santa Cruz Island, or who calls Santa Barbara home? Santa Cruz Island: An Illustrated History by John Gherini is the only comprehensive illustrated history of Santa Cruz Island, the largest island in California. This two-volume coffee-table set contains nearly 600 images, many of which have never been published.

Order direct from the author below for a signed copy, or find it on Amazon and at Chaucer’s Bookstore and Tecolote Book Shop in Santa Barbara.

What the Book Covers

The book explores the geologic origins of the island and traces its cultural history from the Native inhabitants who lived there more than 13,000 years ago. It details the ranching operation on the island, from wine production and the cultivation of Zinfandel grapes to the herds of sheep that roamed the island. It also covers the establishment of Channel Islands National Park in 1980 and the park’s current efforts to preserve and protect the island.

A Gift For

• Anyone who has hiked, camped, or kayaked on Santa Cruz Island
• Santa Barbara residents who look out at the island every day
• Readers interested in Chumash history, California ranching, and Channel Islands National Park

“John Gherini is the perfect individual to tell this tale. A descendant of one of the families who shaped twentieth-century Santa Cruz Island and a person with deep roots in the Santa Barbara Channel region, John brings an insider’s knowledge to this complex story.”

Robert M. Senkewicz, Professor of History, Santa Clara University

“John Gherini weaves natural history, cultural history, and his own family’s generations on Santa Cruz Island into a fully-realized tapestry of one of the most complex and beautiful locations among our National Parks. This is more than a splendid coffee-table book; it educates even while it illuminates.”

James F. Brooks, Professor of History and Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara

Shopping for more local gifts? See our Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz Island Gift Guide.

About Santa Cruz Island

Rising from the waters of the Pacific off the Southern California coast, Santa Cruz Island captures the imagination. It is the largest island in California and is part of Santa Barbara County. Once home to a large Chumash population, in the nineteenth century it became a self-sufficient island rancho. As with all islands of beauty and size, it attracted people from the coastline.

The attractions of the island, however, routinely led people into conflict, wrapping it in a shroud like its morning fog. The modern history of the island would witness the passion to own it, to protect it, to use it and to fight over it.

For the first time a thorough history of Santa Cruz Island’s tumultuous past is provided. In pre-Columbian times it was a source of wealth to the Indigenous peoples, the place where they made their shell bead money. During the Spanish-Mexican period it was a smuggler’s haven, where fur hunters avoided the customs officials.

As a land grant, it passed through the hands of Andres Castillero and William E. Barron, and was eventually purchased by Justinian Caire. The island flourished under the direction of Caire and his family. It was a secluded paradise off the Santa Barbara coast, with extensive sheep and cattle holdings as well as an esteemed winery.

Seeds of conflict were sown by Justinian Caire’s will when the island was divided among family members. The Stantons, Rossis, Gherinis, the National Park Service, and The Nature Conservancy all were involved over time. The tortured legal and family disputes are recounted for the first time in this important work.

Island ranching, hunting and recreation, and environmental challenges are described in detail. Recent historical events involving the establishment of Channel Islands National Park are explored as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good gift for someone who visited Santa Cruz Island?

Santa Cruz Island: An Illustrated History by John Gherini is a two-volume set with nearly 600 images covering the island’s geology, Native history, ranching era, and the creation of Channel Islands National Park in 1980.

Can I get a signed copy?

Yes. Copies ordered direct from John Gherini on this website are signed by the author.

Where can I buy the book in Santa Barbara?

The book is available at Chaucer’s Bookstore and Tecolote Book Shop, as well as on Amazon and direct from the author on this site.

Is it a coffee-table book?

Yes, and more. The two-volume set contains nearly 600 images, many never before published. UC Santa Barbara historian James F. Brooks called it “more than a splendid coffee-table book; it educates even while it illuminates.”

Is Santa Cruz Island part of Santa Barbara County?

Yes. Santa Cruz Island is part of Santa Barbara County, California, and is the largest island in California. Ownership is split between Channel Islands National Park (24%) and The Nature Conservancy (76%).

Has John Gherini written other books about the island?

Yes. His first book, Santa Cruz Island: A History of Conflict and Diversity, was published in 1997.

Q&A with Author John Gherini

The Heritage of Santa Cruz Island

The Gherini family history is inextricably linked to Santa Cruz Island. Looking back on your years there, is there a specific sensory memory (a view, a sound, or even the feeling of the island air) that still serves as your “north star” when you consider why this place must be preserved?

The one sensory memory would be the island’s solitude and tranquil beauty, particularly in a dark, clear evening under the umbrella of the Milky Way. It’s difficult to experience the same feeling in an urban environment. While the island is only twenty-some miles distant from the mainland, it feels like you are in another world.

Capturing a Multi-Generational Legacy

Writing a two-volume history of Santa Cruz Island is a monumental undertaking. During your research and writing, was there a specific discovery or a family story that surprised you or changed your understanding of the island’s legacy?

The research, over the years, was a humbling but rewarding adventure. I learned a lot about how complex and rich the island’s history is and how intertwined it is with local, state, and national issues. As soon as some questions get answered, more issues arise that entice one to do further research.

The Power of Partnership

The Channel Islands National Park Foundation works to bridge the gap between the park’s immediate needs and its long-term vision. From your perspective as both a historian and a supporter, why is a dedicated philanthropic partner such as CINPF so vital to the future of these “Galapagos of North America”?

The public/private partnership enhances the sustainability and accountability of park lands like the Channel Islands. This is particularly true when one considers that over 300 million people annually visit properties owned or managed by the National Park Service. The partnership is not only beneficial, assisting with immediate needs and long-term visions, but also provides an important mechanism to share information that is needed to facilitate good decision-making.

An Invitation to the Public

For someone who has never set foot on the islands, the experience can be transformative. How would you describe the Channel Islands’ unique “magic” to a first-time visitor to entice them to make the journey?

The lure of the islands reaches back thousands of years to when early inhabitants settled on the Channel Islands. Indeed, there is “magic” or a “magnetism” about the island. As I wrote in 1997 in my first book, Santa Cruz Island: A History of Conflict and Diversity, “the attraction…routinely led people into conflict, wrapping it in a shroud like its morning fog. The modern history of the island would witness the passion to own, to protect it, to use it and to fight over it.”

In the summer of 1908, Margaret Eaton, author of Diary of a Sea Captain’s Wife, told Captain Colis Vasquez that she was making her first trip to Santa Cruz Island. He responded, “…once you go over to those islands, you will never be satisfied from them.” Margaret and her seafaring husband stayed on Santa Cruz Island for nearly thirty years.

Looking Toward the Horizon

As we look at the ongoing restoration and educational efforts supported by the Foundation, what is your greatest hope for the next generation of island stewards who will read your books and walk the trails you know so well?

Understanding the “natural, scenic, wildlife, marine, ecological, archaeological, cultural and scientific values of the Channel Islands” and their importance is an integral component of the Channel Islands’ preservation. It is my hope that present and future stewards embrace the islands’ rich history and its values. As Jean-Michel Cousteau observed, “if we can learn to properly manage these rugged isles, perhaps we can apply this knowledge toward improving resource management on a global scale.”