Rios-Caledonia Adobe
The Rios-Caledonia Adobe is a California Historical Landmark (#936) and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is an adobe dwelling built in 1835,[3] located in San Miguel, California, in San Luis Obispo County.
Rios-Caledonia Adobe | |
Rios-Caledonia Adobe, north side | |
Location | 700 Mission St, San Miguel, California |
---|---|
Coordinates | 35°44′17″N 120°41′56″W |
Area | 1.7 acres (0.69 ha) |
Built | 1850 |
NRHP reference No. | 71000190[2] |
CHISL No. | 936[1] |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | July 14, 1971 |
Designated CHISL | 1981 |
History
Petronilo Rios, corporal commanding the Mission San Miguel guard and later owner of Rancho Paso de Robles, supervised the building of the two-story adobe home using Native American labor on property belonging to Mission San Miguel[4] (which is now across the street). In 1846, when the mission property was sold by Governor Pio Pico, Rios and William Reed purchased the mission and adobe.[3]
The original building was made of adobe, had a roof of hand-made tiles, and used strips of rawhide to tie the pine rafters in place.[3] The Rios family used the home as a residence [3] until Warran C. Rickard purchased it from the state on a possessory claim.[4]
From 1868 until 1886, George Butchart operated the building as the Caledonia Inn, a stagecoach stop, hotel, and tavern on El Camino Real.[4] The arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in San Miguel put an end to the Inn.[4] In 1887, it served briefly as an elementary school.[4] After that, it was used for various businesses (including a mattress factory and tailor shop from 1889 to 1895) and again as a home from 1895 to 1910 for various families.[4]
Charles Dorries purchased the property with 6 acres (24,000 m2) of land in 1923 and restored it to use as a tourist attraction. Dorries also built the gift shop in a similar style in 1938 specifically to serve visitors.[4]
By 1964 the adobe had fallen into disrepair.[3] That year, the County of San Luis Obispo purchased it. In 1968, the Friends of the Adobes formed to preserve and restore the adobe.[3]
Current
Major restoration work completed in 1972, and the building was then formally dedicated.[3] A museum and gift shop opened in June 1978, also opening the adobe for tours.[3]
The site is now operated as a county park.[4]
References
- "Rios-Caledonia Adobe". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved 2012-10-14.
- "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- "Rios-Caledonia Adobe brochure". n.d. Cite journal requires
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(help) - "Rios-Caledonia Adobe Self Guided Tour brochure". n.d. Cite journal requires
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