Guide to the Vivian M. Obern Papers MS-09
Chris S. Ervin CA
Presidio Research Center
2020-03-23
215 East Canon Perdido St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
chris@sbthp.org
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Presidio Research Center
Title: Vivian M. Obern Papers
creator:
Obern, Vivian Marie (Hapeman), 1921-2015
Identifier/Call Number: MS-09
Physical Description:
3 Linear Feet
- in 3 boxes; 2 record storage boxes and 1 deep lid archival flat box.
Date (inclusive): 1965-2007
Abstract: The Vivian M. Obern Papers cover efforts made during the 1976 American Bicentennial by organizers and participants to recreate
the expedition by Juan Bautista de Anza and his party of 240 settlers from northern Mexico to northern California two hundred
years ealier in 1776. The collection also contains documents regarding the efforts of the Santa Barbara County Trails Council
to establish and maintain recreational trails throughout the county. Materials include correspondence, clippings, photographs,
audio tapes, one videotape, and publications about the various events and organizations associated with Anza.
Scope and Contents
The Vivian Obern Papers cover the efforts made by organizers and participants to recreate the expedition by Juan Bautista
de Anza and his party of 240 settlers from northern Mexico to northern California in 1776. The first reenactment took place
during the American Bicentennial in 1976. Vie Obern was instrumental in organizing riders from Santa Barbara to ride in the
event, and she corresponded with many landowners to obtain permission for the riders to pass through properties up and down
the state. Documentation on the establishment of the Anza National Historic Trail, authorized by Congress in 1990 is also
covered. In her role as corresponding secretary for the Santa Barbara County Trails Council, Obern was involved in efforts
to establish and maintain recreational trails throughout the county and California. Obern also served for five years on the
California Recreational Trails committee. Materials include correspondence, clippings, photographs, audio tapes, and publications
about the various events and organizations associated with Anza.
Biographical / Historical
Vivian "Vie" Marie (Hapeman) Obern was born on May 26, 1921 in Park Ridge, Illinois. She graduated from Principia College
in 1942 after majoring in political science and art. She married Earl George Obern in 1942 and they moved to Santa Barbara
in 1947, raising three children there.
In Santa Barbara, Obern, along with her husband, was active in historic and environmental preservation. An avid equestrian,
in 1967 she helped found the Santa Barbara County Trails Council to create and preserve hiking, riding, biking, and backcountry
trails. She also served for five years on the California State Recreational Trails Committee, appointed by Governor Ronald
Reagan. She was co-chair of the local chapter of Small Wilderness Area Preservation (SWAP) and helped save the Wilcox Property
in Santa Barbara as an open space preserve. She was chair of the 1976 Santa Barbara County Bicentennial Committee and in 1976
began organizing a series of re-enactments of the 1776 historic expedition of Juan Bautista de Anza from northern Mexico to
northern California, in which she also participated as a rider. Vivian and George Obern were also active equestrian participants
in the yearly Old Spanish Days parade in Santa Barbara, representing members of the de la Guerra wedding party and the de
Anza expedition.
Obern was also an active trustee and President of the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation for many years, organizing
the Santa Barbara Birthday event (Founding Day) held annually in April at El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park.
The George and Vivian Obern Preservation Stewardship Award, given each year, is named in honor of their work. She also worked
for over 30 years on behalf of La Purisima Misison State Historic Park on their Citizens' Advisory Committee.
Vivian Obern's community activism has been recognized by many honors and awards. She was named 1989 Santa Barbara Woman of
the Year; she and George were honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for dedication to trails and open space, from the
California Department of Parks in 1997; they were named co-recipients of the 1998 Pearl Chase Award for Historic and Environmental
Preservation; and in 1999 they received a Preservation Award from the California Heritage Council for the preservation and
restoration of Hope House in Santa Barbara.
Arrangement
These papers are organized into 3 series:
Series 1. Juan Bautista de Anza Expedition and Reenactment, 1971-2007
Series 2. Trail Activities, 1965-2003
Series 3. Personal Papers, 1973-2005
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gifted by Vivian Obern to Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation, August 22, 2006.
Separated Materials
Files from Vivian Obern's papers concerning the acquisition of the Wilcox Property in Santa Barbara, the commercial development
of the Santa Barbara waterfront, and the building of a hotel by Fess Parker were donated to the Santa Barbara Historical Museum.
A commemorative T-shirt from the Columbus Quincentennial celebration in 1992 was transferred to the curatorial collection
in the Research Center. Miscellaneous books and publications were added to the library collection.
Photographs of the Anza Reenactment in Santa Barbara were transferred to the photo collection in the Presidio Research Center.
Processing Information
The Vivian M. Obern Papers were processed and collection guide written by Laurie Hannah in 2015.
The collection guide was updated by Chris S. Ervin, 2020-03-23.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Vivian M. Obern Papers, MS-09, Presidio Research Center, Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation,
Santa Barbara, California.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to researchers.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Archivist and Librarian.
Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation Research Center as the
owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be
obtained by the reader. Copyright restrictions also apply to digital facsimiles of the original materials. Use of digital
files is restricted to research and educational purposes.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
California--History--To 1846
Trails
Photograph albums
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Anza, Juan Bautista de, 1693-1740
Santa Barbara County Trails Council
California Recreational Trails Committee
box 1, box 2, box 3
Juan Bautista de Anza Expedition and Reenactment
1971-2007
box-folder 1/1
Juan Bautista de Anza Expedition by Margarita Villa
box-folder 1/2
Misc. articles about Anza and the Expedition
box-folder 1/3
"The Impossible Dream," script by Helen Shropshire
Physical Description: 2 audio tapes, 5 slide transparencies, slide script notes in English and Spanish, and curriculum notes
box-folder 1/4
California-Colonial Time-Line, 1771-1783 by Kurt Bandley et al.
Physical Description: Prepared by students of Dr. R. Coke Wood, University of the Pacific, 1971; 53 pages
box-folder 1/5-6
Planning Binder, 1976 Reenactment
box-folder 1/7
Anza Reenactment 1976, General Materials
box-folder 1/8
Binder, Anza Reenactment 1976
General
Compiled by Vie Obern; contents removed from binder
box-folder 1/9
Anza Reenactment 1975-1976, Mexico, New Mexico, Arizona
box-folder 1/10
Anza Reenactment 1976, Riverside County
box-folder 1/11
Anza Reenactment 1975-1976, Los Angeles County
box-folder 1/12
Anza Reenactment 1976, Ventura County
box-folder 1/13
Anza Reenactment 1976, Santa Barbara County, Clippings
box-folder 1/14
Anza Reenactment 1976, San Luis Obispo County
box-folder 1/15
Anza Reenactment 1976, Monterey County
box-folder 1/16
Anza Reenactment 1976, San Francico-Bay Area
box-folder 1/17
Establishment of Anza National Historic Trail
1981-2000
box-folder 1/18
California Historic Landmarks/Santa Barbara County Landmarks Related to Anza Trail
1975-2007
box-folder 1/19
Rincon Sign Dedication
2005
box-folder 1/20
Correspondence--Don Garate
1995-1998
box-folder 1/21
Anza Trail Coalition, Yuma, Arizona
box-folder 1/23
Amigos de Anza, Project of Heritage Trails Fund
1994-1999
box-folder 1/24
Applications for Participation in the Anza Reenactment
1975
box-folder 1/25
De Anza Plaque, Goleta, Calif.
box-folder 1/26
Letters to Property Owners
1975-1976
box-folder 1/27
Anza Reenactment, Santa Barbara County. Planning Documents and Correspondence
1975-1976
box-folder 1/28
Old Spanish Days Fiesta
1976
box-folder 1/29
Anza Relay, Santa Barbara Bicentennial
1982
box-folder 1/30
Anza Reenactment, Santa Barbara
1995-1996
box-folder 1/31
Anza Historic Trail Relay, Santa Barbara 1996
box-folder 2/1
Anza Relay, Binder contents
1996
box 2
Anza Relay Copy (videotape)
1996-11-13
Physical Description: 1 Item - VHS T-120 videotape
box-folder 2/2
Juan Bautista de Anza Expedition Art Exhibit
1978
General
A series of original oil paintings by artist Thresa Potter, on exhibit at the Santa Barbara Historical Society April 17-May
16, 1978
box-folder 2/3
Anza and King Carlos III Statues, San Francisco
2000
box-folder 2/5
Maria Domecq California Mission Pilgrimage
1984-1985
box 3
Photograph album
1976
Scope and Contents
Album includes clippings and black and white and color photos of the Old Spanish Days Fiesta parade 1975; and the 1976 Anza
reenactment ride through Mexico and California, including personal photos of Mexican cities, people, and events.
box 3
Oversize photos
Scope and Contents
7 loose photos and 4 photocopies of the Anza Reenactment through Santa Barbara in 1976, including two images of a Chumash
tomol (canoe) off of East Beach.
box 2
Trail Activities
1965-2003
box-folder 2/7
California Recreational Trails Committee, Pismo State Beach
1972-1976
box-folder 2/8
Objectives and Policies for a Comprehensive Park and Recreation System. City of Santa Barbara
1965
box-folder 2/9
Calif. Recreational Trails Committee, San Luis Obispo Trails Council
1972-1977
box-folder 2/10
Calif. Recreational Trails Committee, Ventura County
1972-1975
box-folder 2/11
Santa Barbara County Trails Council, General Correspondence
1967-1986
box-folder 2/12
Santa Barbara County Trails Council, Carpinteria
1974-1990
box-folder 2/13
Santa Barbara County Trails Council, Santa Barbara County
1971-2003
box-folder 2/14
Santa Barbara County Trails Council, Sunset Valley Trail Project
1983
box-folder 2/15
Santa Barbara County Trails Council, Ventura County
1969-1971
box 2
Personal Papers
1973-2005
