Other Activities

These papers document civic and preservation activities conducted by Paul Mills while he was director of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and after his retirement when he was active on the board of the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation. Series I contains files on a number of projects that Mills worked on as a member of various Trust committees. Most notable was his work on the restoration of Casa de la Guerra and the design of the Presidio Chapel burial tiles. A small file of material about the flagpole at the Presidio and the Flags Project is also included in this series. Series II contains substantial files on Mills' relationship with the royal family of Spain and his tireless efforts in 1981 to work with the City of Santa Barbara and the Landmarks Committee to find a permanent home for a statue of King Carlos III, a gift from Juan Carlos I. Included is correspondence, speeches and news clippings that document the placing of the statue and the controversy that surrounded its location.