Archives of the Province of Saint Barbara

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The Province of Saint Barbara

Founded in 1915, the Franciscan friars of the Province of Saint Barbara for many years served in many parishes, missions, retreat houses, social service, and other ministries throughout the western United States as well as in foreign countries. In October 2023, most of the friars of Saint Barbara Province joined with friars from five other provinces in the United States to form Our Lady of Guadalupe Province, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The headquarters of the Province of Saint Barbara is in Oakland, California.

The Archives of the Province of Saint Barbara and the Santa Bárbara Mission Archive-Library

Old Mission Santa Barbara (OMSB) houses several independent organizations, including the Santa Bárbara Mission Archive-Library (SBMAL), and provides storage for portions of the Archives of the Province of Saint Barbara (Provincial Archives). The Provincial Archives houses historical documents, photographs, correspondence, books, ephemera, and other materials that belonged to, or were created by, the friars and ministries of the Province of Saint Barbara. All Provincial personnel files are located at the Provincial headquarters in Oakland. In 2019, after the retirement of the last Provincial Archivist and in consultation with the Board of SBMAL, Provincial leadership voted to leave the materials of the Provincial Archives on deposit with 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 Province. Interested researchers should submit inquiries directly to the Province of Saint Barbara at info@sbofm.org. The Province will forward approved requests to SBMAL to facilitate access.

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

Zacatecan and Mexican Friars

Santa Barbara Collection

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