The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM) will host a talk on the History of Coal Oil Point by Goleta historian Tom Modugno for its Maritime Distinguished Speaker Series, 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15 at SBMM, 113 Harbor Way, Ste. 190.
SBMM members are invited to a pre-lecture reception, 6:15-6:45 p.m.
Tickets: free for Navigators Circle members, $10 for SBMM members, $20 for the general public, $5 for students and educators with a valid school ID or email. Buy tickets here or call 805-456-8750.
Devereux Point, also known as Coal Oil Point, is now a popular surf break and coastal walking spot, but like most places in Goleta, it has a deep and complex past.
In his presentation, Modugno, the creator of GoletaHistory.com, traces the layered story of the point from its Chumash roots as P’ok’oy, through the Mexican land grant era and Rancho Dos Pueblos, to the modern shoreline and nature reserve we know today.
Using historic photographs, maps, and archival research, Modugno will explore how natural forces and human decisions have shaped this stretch of coast over centuries.
He will explain how Coal Oil Point got its name, highlighting the natural underwater oil seeps that have been leaking around the point for roughly 500,000 years, releasing an estimated 100 to 150 barrels of liquid petroleum a day and leaving the tar that still washes up on local beaches.
Modugno will describe how the Chumash used this tar to seal water baskets, build plank canoes (tomols), decorate tools and clothing.
He will then connect this natural history to the region’s social and economic story, from the early Mexican land grants to Irish immigrant Nicholas Den, who received the Dos Pueblos Land Grant in 1846, becoming the first private owner of Coal Oil Point.
As Modugno points out, drought, changing land use, and economic pressures would eventually force Den’s descendants to sell off portions of the rancho, setting the stage for the agricultural, academic, recreational, and conservation landscapes we see today, including the renowned surf spot long known as Sands Beach.
“Coal Oil Point is one of those places we think we know — a beach, a surf break, a lagoon,” Modugno said. “But when you peel back the layers, you discover a story of Indigenous innovation, natural forces, boom-and-bust ranching, and ultimately a community deciding what it wants this coastline to be.
“My hope is that people will never look at this part of the shoreline the same way again.”
With GoletaHistory.com, Modugno has created an online time capsule that presents Goleta’s rich history in an accessible, engaging format, SBMM said.
His articles on Coal Oil Point, the Goleta Slough, the Ellwood oil fields, and other landmarks encourage residents and visitors alike to explore and preserve the remaining historic sites of the community.
“Tom’s work has become a go-to resource for anyone curious about the stories behind the places they pass every day,” said Jason Statucki, education coordinator.
“We’re excited to bring his research on Coal Oil Point into the museum, where it connects perfectly with our focus on the Santa Barbara Channel’s maritime and coastal history,” he said.
Learn more about SBMM at sbmm.org.