Sometime after the De Anza expeditions, a sailing ship ("goleta") was wrecked at the mouth of the lagoon, and remained visible for many years, giving the area its current name. After Mexico became independent of Spain in 1821, most of the former mission ranch lands were divided up into large grants. The Goleta area became part of two adjacent ranchos. To the east of today's Fairview Avenue was Rancho La Goleta, named for the shipwreck and granted to Daniel A. Hill, the first American resident of Santa Barbara. An 1840s diseño (claim map) of the rancho shows the wrecked ship.
Sometime after the De Anza expeditions a sailing ship ("goleta") was wrecked at the mouth of the lagoon and remained visible for many years giving the area its current name After Mexico became independent of Spain in 1821 most of the former mission ranch lands were divided up into large grants The Goleta area became part of two adjacent ranchos To the east of today's Fairview Avenue was Rancho La Goleta named for the shipwreck and granted to Daniel A Hill the first American resident of Santa Barbara An 1840s diseño (claim map) of the rancho shows the wrecked ship