Casa de San Pedro facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Casa de San Pedro |
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Casa de San Pedro Hide House Marker
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| Location | Fort MacArthur in San Pedro |
| Built | 1823 |
| Designated | June 6, 1978 |
| Reference no. | 920 |
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The Casa de San Pedro, also known as the Casa de San Pedro Hide House, is a very old building. It was one of the first business structures near San Pedro Bay. This important site was named a California Historical Landmark on June 6, 1978. It has the number 235. Today, you can find the spot where it stood near Meyler and Quartermaster Roads in San Pedro.
Early Days of the Casa
In 1823, two traders named McCulloch and Hartnell built the Casa de San Pedro. They used it to store cattle hides (animal skins). These hides came from nearby missions like Mission San Gabriel Arcángel and Mission San Fernando Rey de España.
The building changed hands a few times. In 1829, it was sold to Mission San Gabriel. Then, in 1834, a businessman named Abel Stearns bought it. Abel Stearns helped set up a stagecoach route. This route connected San Pedro Bay to the early settlement of Pueblo de Los Ángeles, which later became the city of Los Angeles.
The Casa de San Pedro is even mentioned in a famous book! Richard Henry Dana wrote about it in his 1840 book, Two Years Before the Mast. He described it as an adobe (mud-brick) hide house. This building played a big role in the early days of the Port of Los Angeles.
Later Years and Landmark Status
In 1846, Pío Pico, who was the Mexican governor of California at the time, set aside some land. This land was about 43 acres facing San Pedro Bay. It was meant to be a government area.
By 1904, a surveyor named H.H. Burton checked on the Casa de San Pedro. He reported that the Casa was just "ruins of adobe buildings." There was a long legal argument about this land. It was eventually surrounded by what became Fort MacArthur. The dispute finally ended in 1922.
Today, a special plaque marks the site of the Casa de San Pedro. You can find it near the Chaldean's play yard on Quartermaster Road. The plaque explains the history of the site:
- The first known business building on San Pedro Bay was built here in 1823.
- It was built by McCulloch & Hartnell to store cattle hides from the San Gabriel and San Fernando Missions.
- Richard Henry Dana wrote about this adobe hide house in his book Two Years Before The Mast.
- This building marked the beginning of the Port of Los Angeles.
