In 1755 the De Anza expedition from Mexico passed through the Goleta Valley on its way to San Francisco where that presidio and Mission Dolores were established. The trail led past the present day Goleta Valley Community Center and down Hollister Avenue. Seven years later, another Mexican expedition was sent to establish a fourth and last presidio in upper California. At first Goleta Valley was considered for the site but the presence of thousands of Chumash Indians there helped change the location to present day Santa Barbara. In 1786 the mission was founded two miles from the presidio. By 1790, the mission had established cattle herds and farms in the Goleta Valley. In 1803 the sub-mission church of San Miguel was established in the Goleta Valley near present day Hollister Avenue and David Love Place. It served the Indian ranchers there until its destruction in the 1812 earthquake, which also destroyed the mission in Santa Barbara.

1821 Mexico won independence from Spain. Santa Barbara Mission was rebuilt and continued to grow as did all the missions in California until 1833 when all mission lands were confiscated and eventually distributed to various families and individuals as "land grants".