It was a brief note in a news bulletin of Lucus & Lewellen Winery that alerted me to the opening of an exhibit at the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Society Museum & Carriage House.  This new exhibit told the story of the early beginnings and growth of the wine industry in Santa Barbara County.
That was all the information we needed to arrange a visit with Chris Bashforth, director of the Museum.
The exhibit is entitled "Uncorked-- Evolution of Wine in the Santa Ynez Valley" and takes the visitor through the plantings of the first vineyards in the late 1800s to its huge presence today with 16,000 acres of vineyards and the many wineries with famous names.
Besides this exhibit we were awed with the scope of this museum and its other exhibits including the best collection of stagecoaches, buggies, wagons and carriages from the late 1800s that we have ever seen.  These are in the well named Carriage House.
The Museum is located at 3596 Saguntgo Street in Santa Ynez and is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.  Admission $4 for adults and free for children under 16.