Jensen Alvarado Ranch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Cornelius Jensen Ranch
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Jensen Alvarado Ranch House in 1870
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 Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | Jurupa Valley, Riverside County, California, US |
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| Nearest city | Riverside, California |
| Built | 1870 |
| Architectural style | Danish vernacular |
| NRHP reference No. | 79000519 |
| Added to NRHP | September 6, 1979 |
The Jensen Alvarado Ranch is a special historic park and museum in Jurupa Valley, California. It's managed by the Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District. You can visit it at 4350 Riverview Drive or 4307 Briggs Street. This ranch has the first building in Riverside County made with bricks fired in a kiln. It's also the oldest building not made of adobe in the Inland Empire area.
Contents
A Look Back at the Ranch's Story
How the Ranch Began
A Danish sea captain named Cornelius Jensen came to Agua Mansa around 1854. He opened a store there. Soon after, he married Mercedes Alvarado, a woman from a Californio family.
In 1862, a huge flood hit the area. Most of Agua Mansa was destroyed. Only the cemetery, the chapel, and Jensen's store survived. After the flood, Jensen bought some land from the Rubidoux ranch. In 1865, Jensen and Alvarado bought more land in Agua Mansa.
Building the Ranch House
Between 1868 and 1870, Cornelius and Mercedes built their home on a ranch that was about 300 to 400 acres. Jensen had learned from the 1862 flood that adobe bricks could dissolve in water. So, he built their new home using strong, traditional bricks.
Their home was very important to the area. It served as the local general store, the post office, and even a stop for stagecoaches. It was built right next to the town's chapel. At one point, the ranch was worth about $30,000, making it the second most valuable ranch in Riverside County.
The Ranch's Unique Architecture
Design of the Main House
The Jensen home has a special architectural style called Danish vernacular. This style showed Jensen's roots from his birthplace in Sylt, Denmark. But it also had a front porch, which was a common feature in Californio homes and showed Mercedes' influence.
This house was the first building in Riverside County made with bricks fired in a kiln. It was also one of California's first buildings to use clay bricks. The clay for the bricks came right from the ranch itself! The strong rock foundation and the lime used to hold the bricks together came from Jensen's own quarry north of the house. The wood for the house's beams was brought from the San Bernardino Mountains. The house has tall ceilings but only one closet.
Other Buildings on the Ranch
There are other brick buildings on the ranch too. One of them was a winery, where they made wine. Today, this old winery is a museum that visitors can explore.
Farming and Ranch Life
What They Grew and Raised
The Jensens were busy farmers. On their Agua Mansa ranch, they had orchards with apricots and oranges. They also grew wheat and raised sheep. They even owned another 400 acres of land in Temecula.
Wine Production
While the city of Riverside was known for not allowing alcohol, the Jensen's Agua Mansa ranch was different. It was on the other side of the Santa Ana River and had its own vineyard. Each year, they produced and sold about 2,000 gallons of wine.
A Historic Landmark Today
Visiting the Park and Museum
Today, the Jensen Alvarado Ranch and home are part of the 32-acre Jensen Alvarado Ranch Historic Park and Museum. It's like stepping back in time to the 1880s! Riverside County Parks manages this living history museum.
When you visit, guides dressed in old-fashioned clothes lead you around. They show you how people lived back then. You might even see them making butter or cooking tortillas!
Official Recognition
The Jensen Alvarado Ranch is a very important historical site. It is a registered California Historical Landmark (number 943). It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 6, 1979. The ranch is special because of its unique architecture, its role in farming history, and because of Cornelius Jensen's important work in the community and government.
See also
In Spanish: Rancho Jensen Alvarado para niños
