Early Santa Barbara History: The Chumash Indians thrived in the Santa Barbara area until just over 200 years ago. They lived in clusters of small villages along the Santa Barbara coast and Channel Islands. For thousands of years, protected by the rugged mountains and ocean, they enjoyed a comfortable, easy lifestyle afforded by an abundance of wildlife and natural resources. In 1542 the first Europeans arrived when Portuguese explorer Juan Cabrillo entered the Channel and claimed the land for Spain. The Spanish did not come back for another century. In 1602, after weathering a severe storm, Sebastian Vizcaino’s ships entered the Santa Barbara Channel. Thankful to God for answering their prayers to guide the ships through the storm, one of the Carmelite friars on board named the bay and nearby shore after Saint Barbara. In 1782, the Spaniards came to stay. The Spaniards governed the area until 1822, when California became a Mexican territory. In 1846, Colonel John Fremont and his soldiers took Santa Barbara for the United States.