Part of the Special Collections Recent Acquisitions 2008 Exhibit
July - October 2008
Grover Barnes, a Texas native, came to Santa Barbara over 62 years
ago. In 1942 he was hired by the Miramar Hotel as a porter and one year
later was the first African American promoted to Bell Captain where he
served for thirty-five years. It has been said that Grover Barnes is an
inimitable part of history of the city of Montecito. His level of
service is remembered by generations of guest. He was known for his
warm hospitality to the young and old, the rich and famous, and the not
so rich and famous.
In 2001, Grover Barnes was voted as a Local Hero in Santa Barbara and affectionately called "The Ambassador of Hospitality." He has been intensely involved in many community organizations including: the NAACP Santa Barbara Chapter, the Brotherhood of Santa Barbara, the Mason Lodge, the East side Study Group and the George Washington Carver Scholarship Society.
