Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden

Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden is a park located in Santa Barbara, California. It consists of one entire city block, bounded by Santa Barbara, Micheltorena, Garden and Arrellaga Streets. It is across Santa Barbara Street from the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara, and across Micheltorena Street from Alameda Park. The park was designed by well known landscape architect, Grant Castleberg ASLA. The property, formerly the site of artist Albert Herter's El Mirasol Hotel (demolished 1960s), was purchased and donated to the city in 1975. The anonymous gift included funds for the land's conversion into gardens, and an endowment for their maintenance. The donor's identity remained a mystery until her death, two years later, when it was revealed to have been Alice Keck Park (1918–1977). Park was the daughter of William Myron Keck, the founder of Superior Oil Company. Park had a family connection to the Herters and the site – W. M. Keck's sister Caroline (Alice's aunt) had been the widow of Herter's son Everit, who died in World War I. The City dedicated the gardens in 1980, and named them in Park's honor. Grant Castleberg produced a visionary landscape that is filled with color and motion. Elizabeth de Forest, a member of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden board was tasked with making sure Alice Keck Park's wishes were adhered to. Castleberg shared Elizabeth's and Alice's vision of th

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