La Casa Primera de Rancho San Jose facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Casa Primera de Rancho San Jose
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Casa Primera de Rancho San Jose, August 2008
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 Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1569 N. Park Ave., Pomona, California |
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| Area | 1.6 acres (0.65 ha) |
| Built | 1837 |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000436 |
| Added to NRHP | April 3, 1975 |
La Casa Primera de Rancho San Jose is a very old adobe house built in 1837 in Pomona, California. It's the oldest home in the Pomona Valley and was part of the huge Rancho San Jose land grant. This special house was named a historic landmark in 1954 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
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History of Casa Primera
The Rancho San Jose Land Grant
The land for Rancho San Jose used to belong to Mission San Gabriel Arcángel. In 1834, the Mexican government took control of mission lands. This was part of a big change called "secularization."
In 1837, the Mexican Governor, Juan Bautista Alvarado, gave this land to two men: Ygnacio Palomares and Ricardo Vejar. The Rancho was very large, covering about 15,000 to 22,000 acres. It was used as a sheep and cattle ranch.
Building the First Home
After getting the land, Ygnacio Palomares built his first home in 1837. This simple five-room adobe house is known as the Casa Primera. It was the very first home in the Pomona Valley.
The house was built in the traditional Mexican adobe style. It had thick walls made from adobe bricks. Palomares and his family lived in Casa Primera for about seventeen years. Later, between 1850 and 1855, Palomares built a much bigger adobe home for his family. That house is known as the Ygnacio Palomares Adobe.
Francisco Palomares and the Water Well
In 1867, Ygnacio's son, Francisco Palomares, moved into the Casa Primera. He lived there with his wife, Lujardo Alvarado. Francisco made an important discovery at the house. He found an artesian well on the property.
This was the first well of its kind found in the Pomona Valley. The well provided lots of water. This allowed Francisco to plant orange trees in the area. Some of these trees were still growing strong in the 1970s.
Because of the good water supply, Francisco and his partners started a company. It was called the Old Settlement Water Company, formed in 1874. You can still see parts of an old stone-lined canal built by this company. Francisco Palomares lived in Casa Primera until he passed away in 1882.
New Owners and Preservation Efforts
After Francisco's death, Dr. Benjamin S. Nichols bought the Casa Primera. He also bought another nearby historic house, La Casa Alvarado. Dr. Nichols had moved to Pomona from New York. He became the President of the Pomona Land and Water Company.
In 1947, Roscoe Hart bought the property. He owned it until 1972. In 1972, Mr. Hart decided to sell the Casa Primera at a public auction. He told the Los Angeles Times that it was "too much work" to keep it up. At that time, the house had four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a dining room, three fireplaces, and a pool. It sat on about 1.7 acres of land.
The Historical Society of Pomona Valley wanted to save the Casa Primera. They raised money to buy the house. They hoped to pay up to $80,000. When the bidding went higher than $80,000, the auctioneer paused. This gave the Historical Society time to talk. They finally placed the winning bid, buying the home for $85,000. Another person bidding said they were ready to pay $100,000. But they stopped bidding when they learned they were competing against the Historical Society.
Casa Primera as a Museum
After buying the Casa Primera, the Historical Society worked to restore it. They filled it with furniture from the time period when it was built. Then, they opened it to the public as a historic museum.
Since 1973, Casa Primera has been a popular place for celebrations. Many traditional Mexican and Spanish folklorico events are held there. These events often include displays of Spanish shawls, music, and dancing.
In 1987, a special celebration took place at Casa Primera. It marked 150 years since the Rancho San Jose land grant was signed. The celebration featured Mexican dancers and musicians. There was also a parade of people whose families were among the first Mexican settlers. A staged wedding ceremony was even held, with everyone dressed in old-fashioned costumes.
Historic Landmark Status
The Casa Primera was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Today, the Historical Society of Pomona Valley manages the building as a museum. It helps people learn about the rich history of the area.
See also
