Santa Barbara County Courthouse Flagpole Restoration

March 19, 2004: The Flagpole was placed in its new footing today. The flawless installation was managed by the Santa Barbara Contractors Association. It was a great day today as the flagpole, sitting on the lawn since November 2003 finally was raised into its new footing. Thanks to the those listed at the top of this page that wonderful effort! With the generous help from the following companies, the flagpole, rigging and weather vane will be restored so that future generations can enjoy this truly historic flagpole. Santa Barbara Contractors Assoc.--new footing working with the constrictors association are. Melchiori Construction--Coordination and Footing Work Specialty Crane--lifting and holding into new footing Northridge Equipment Rentals--Backhoe & Bobcat Jerry Hayes Concrete Pumping State Ready Mix--Concrete for the footing County Facility Wood Shop--Wood restoration work Santa Barbara Industrial Finishing--Metal restoration History of the Flagpole. This flagpole is a double-mast, 86-foot high structure consisting of two ship's booms. The segments are attached by a wood step or "crow's nest." The flagpole was originally located at Plaza Del Mar, near Los Banos near the West Beach. After the Potter Hotel burned down in 1921 at the site of today's Ambassador Park, the area fell into disrepair. Local citizens rallied to move the Plaza Del Mar flagpole to the Courthouse grounds. The combined flagpole had only been on the Courthouse site a short time before the 1925 earthquake. An October, 1993 Santa Barbara News-Press article attributes this flagpole's (lower section) origin as the first flagpole erected by Commodore Robert F. Stockton at the Santa Barbara Presidio in 1846 to officially fly the American flag. The ship's mast segments were removed from Stockton's ship, the USS Congress. An authority on historic flagpoles, Mary Ann Quinn, has written that this flagpole is the among few in the nation of its kind which is double-mast.	Specialty Crane holds the flagpole while the concrete sets... Historic flagpole before coming down. Read more about its history.
County Architect inspects the Weather Vane installation....(right) lift straps are placed.

Melchiori Staff make one last check before the flagpole is lifted...(right) and up she goes...
Once lifted into place, the footing cage is placed and tied.
Flagpole is being held by the Specialty Crane while the concrete sets...
And speaking of concrete---arrival of the Ready Mix truck...right on schedule.
With the Flagpole set, let the mud pour...here two Melchiori staff help Jerry Hayes who brought his concrete pumper in from Lompoc.
The mud goes in....
Another view of Specialty Crane and the flagpole...
Now to release the lift straps... The flagpole is up and Specialty is packing up the rig...thanks Specialty. Many have forgotten that the top mast always had a bend to it....once the flag are up the bend will straighten out.