Diego Sepúlveda Adobe facts for kids
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 Location in California
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| Location | Costa Mesa, California |
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| Coordinates | 33°40′23″N 117°56′13″W / 33.67306°N 117.93694°W |
| Name as founded | Estancia de la Misión San Juan Capistrano |
| English translation | Station of Mission San Juan Capistrano |
| Military district | First |
| Native tribe(s) Spanish name(s) |
Tongva Gabrieliño |
| Native place name(s) | Lukup |
| Governing body | City of Costa Mesa |
| Current use | Museum |
| Reference no. | #227 |
| Website | |
| https://costamesahistory.org/adobe.htm | |
The Diego Sepúlveda Adobe is a very old building located in Costa Mesa, California. It is sometimes called the Costa Mesa Estancia or the Santa Ana Estancia. This historic adobe structure is important because it is the second-oldest building still standing in Orange County, California.
Contents
History of the Adobe Building
The Diego Sepúlveda Adobe was built a long time ago, between 1817 and 1823. Its main purpose was to provide a home for the mayordomo (a manager) and the people who looked after the cattle and horses. These animals belonged to Mission San Juan Capistrano, which was located to the south.
Why the Adobe Was Built Here
The building was placed in a smart location, right by the Santa Ana River. This spot was about six Spanish leguas (a unit of distance, roughly 2.6 miles) north of the main mission. From here, people could easily watch over the grazing lands for the cattle. It also helped them keep an eye on the Tongva villagers who lived in a place called Lupukngna.
The Adobe as a Lookout Post
The adobe even served as a lookout point during a time of danger. On December 14, 1818, a French privateer named Hippolyte de Bouchard attacked Mission San Juan Capistrano. A privateer was like a pirate, but they had permission from their government to attack enemy ships. The adobe helped people watch for any threats.
By 1820, the building and the land around it became an official estancia. An estancia was a mission station. Padres (priests) from the main mission would visit regularly. They would come to share their faith with the people living and working there.
Changes After Mexican Independence
After the Mexican secularization act of 1833, the church lost control of many lands and buildings, including this adobe. The land and building then became part of a large land grant called Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana. This land grant was first recognized by Spain and later by Mexico.
Around 1868, the United States government officially gave the adobe and some of the surrounding land to Diego Sepúlveda. He was a former alcalde (a type of mayor or judge) during the Mexican era in Pueblo of Los Angeles.
The Adobe Today
The Diego Sepúlveda Adobe has been carefully restored to look like it did when it was first built. The people who restored it used the same building methods from that time. It remains the second-oldest building still standing in Orange County, California. The oldest building in the county is "Serra's Chapel" at Mission San Juan Capistrano.
Today, the adobe is a local history museum. The Costa Mesa Historical Society operates it, helping people learn about the area's past.
See also
- List of Spanish missions in California
- History of Orange County, California
- California Historical Landmarks in Orange County, California
- Ranchos of Orange County, California
- USNS Mission Santa Ana (AO-137) — a Mission Buenaventura Class fleet oiler built during World War II.
