Archives of the Province of Saint Barbara
The Province of Saint Barbara
The friars of Mission Santa Barbara are part of the Province of Saint Barbara. The Province of Saint Barbara was founded in 1915 and is one of seven Order of Friars Minor (OFM) Franciscan entities in the United States. The Province oversees Franciscan ministries in the western United States and has offices in Oakland, California.
The Archives of the Province of Saint Barbara and the Santa Bárbara Mission Archive-Library
Mission Santa Barbara is home to the Archives of the Province of Saint Barbara. The Provincial Archives houses important historical documents, photographs, records, correspondence, books, ephemera, and other materials that belonged to, or were created by the friars and ministries of the Province of Saint Barbara. The Provincial Archives include materials related to the friars' missions abroad in the Philippines, China, and Peru; friars' personnel papers; and twentieth-century photographs from the Province. After consulting with the SBMAL Board, Provincial leaders voted in 2019 to integrate the Provincial Archives into the curation responsibilities of the Santa Bárbara Mission Archive-Library (SBMAL).
Accessing the collections of the Archives of the Province of Saint Barbara
The materials of the Provincial Archives are accessible to researchers with the approval of the Secretary of the Province. Interested researchers should submit inquiries, a completed Access to Resources Request form, and all necessary addenda to SBMAL, at research@sbmal.org. SBMAL staff will forward requests to the Secretary for approval.
Access to Resources Request form
Finding guides for the collections of the Archives of the Province of Saint Barbara
The following finding guides for the collections of the Archives of the Province of Saint Barbara are available. Click on a guide to view that collection's finding guide.
Topowa, Arizona - St. Francis Solano Mission
Berkeley, California - Franciscan School of Theology
Mesilla Park, New Mexico - Holy Cross Retreat
Tularosa, New Mexico - St. Francis de Paula
Mescalero, New Mexico - St. Joseph Mission
San Juan Bautista, California - St. Francis Retreat Center
San Francisco, California - St. Boniface Church
San Miguel, California - San Miguel Mission and College
Oceanside, California - San Luis Rey Mission and College
Sacramento, California - St. Francis Church
Oakland, California - St. Elizabeth's Church
Malibu, California - Serra Retreat Center
Huntington Beach, California - Sts. Simon and Jude Church and Parish
Danville, California - San Damiano Retreat Center
Delano, California - Our Lady of Guadalupe
Lakeport, California - St Mary's
Tuscon, Arizona - San Xavier del Bac Mission
White River, Arizona Collection
Scottsdale, Arizona Collection
Native Americans of Arizona General Collection
Portland, Oregon - Ascension Church
Spokane, Washington - St. Francis Church
Franciscan Communication and VHS
DocPhoto Shelves - Photographs and Scrapbooks