Leonis Adobe facts for kids
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The Leonis Adobe
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The Leonis Adobe, 2008
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| Location | 23537 Calabasas Rd., Calabasas, California |
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| Built | 1844 |
| Architectural style | Monterey Colonial, Adobe, Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000433 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 29, 1975 |
The Leonis Adobe is a very old house in Calabasas, California. It's one of the oldest homes still standing in Los Angeles County. It's also one of the oldest buildings in the San Fernando Valley.
This historic adobe was built in 1844. A rich rancher named Miguel Leonis lived there until he passed away. After his death, there was a long legal fight over the property. This fight involved his partner, Espiritu Chijulla, and his family.
In 1961, the adobe was damaged by vandals. Its owner wanted to tear it down to build a supermarket. But people who cared about history stepped in. They got the adobe named Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #1 in 1962. This saved it from being destroyed. In 1975, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Today, the Leonis Adobe has been fixed up. It works as a living museum. Visitors can learn about life in the past.
Contents
History of the Leonis Adobe
Early Days of the Adobe
The first part of the adobe was built in 1844. We don't know much about it before Miguel Leonis owned it. Some stories say it was a stop for stagecoaches. These coaches traveled on the Camino Real road. They went between Mission San Buenaventura and Mission San Fernando Rey de España.
Miguel Leonis and His Ranch
Miguel Leonis (1824–1889) bought the adobe in the 1850s or 1860s. He was a tall man from a town in France called Cambo-les-Bains. Miguel Leonis owned a lot of land in the San Fernando Valley. He also owned land in Ventura County.
The adobe was built in different steps. By the 1870s, Leonis made the house much bigger. He changed it into a Monterey Colonial-style mansion. This is the beautiful house we see today. He added more rooms by closing in the porches. He also added a fancy Queen Anne-style porch to the front.
Leonis started as a sheep herder. He became a very powerful rancher. He controlled his lands with many vaqueros (cowboys). His first land was the 1,100-acre Rancho El Escorpión. He bought half of it from its owner. He got the other half from Espiritu Chujilla, a Native American woman. He lived with her for many years.
Leonis kept adding to his land. He used California's homestead laws. He would build a small shack wherever his animals grazed. Then, one of his workers would live there. This helped him claim the land. Leonis and his vaqueros often fought with people trying to settle on his lands. In 1875, a fight with former soldiers lasted two weeks. It ended in a big battle. When he died, he owned a huge amount of land. His property was worth about $1,000,000.
Espiritu Chujilla's Legal Fight
In 1889, Miguel Leonis died. He was hurt falling from his wagon. His will said Espiritu Chujilla was his "faithful housekeeper." He left her only $10,000. The rest of his money went to his family. Many people were surprised. They thought Espiritu was his wife for almost 30 years.
Espiritu went to court to challenge the will. This started a long legal battle. It lasted for over ten years. In 1891, Espiritu had many people testify. They said Leonis had told everyone she was his wife. Espiritu told the court she met Leonis in 1859. She lived with him for 30 years. They even had a child together who died young. The child's grave showed Leonis as the father.
After a five-week trial, the jury agreed with Espiritu. She was given half of Leonis's large estate.
But Espiritu's problems didn't end. Other people tried to claim the land. Some people tried to trick her out of her money. The estate had over 100 lawsuits. Espiritu faced very tough times financially. She continued to live at the adobe until she passed away in 1906.
The Adobe from 1910 to 1940
After Espiritu died, her son, Juan Menendez, moved into the adobe. He built the barn behind the house. Juan was a blacksmith. He also made wine and built a special tank house to store it.
Menendez sold the property in 1922 to the Agoure family. The town of Agoura is named after them. The Agoures updated the house in 1920. They added bathrooms and made the living room bigger. The Agoures lost the property in 1931. The adobe was then used as a restaurant. Later, it became a retirement home. The last person to live there was actor John Carradine.
Saving the Leonis Adobe
Around 1950, a company bought the land where the Leonis Adobe stood. They planned to build homes around it. At first, they wanted to restore the adobe.
But by 1961, a new owner wanted to tear down the adobe. He planned to build a shopping center. People who wanted to save the adobe fought back. They asked the city to protect it.
While waiting for a decision, vandals damaged the adobe. Windows were broken, and walls were smashed. The Leonis Adobe Association offered to put a fence around it. But the owner refused. He said he would tear it down anyway. He wanted a lot of money to sell the property.
In August 1962, the city said no to tearing down the adobe. The city's new Cultural Heritage Board named the adobe the first Historic-Cultural Monument. This was a big step for saving history in the San Fernando Valley.
It was hard to find money to buy the adobe. But in March 1963, a woman named Kay Beachy bought it. She paid the $240,000 the owner asked for. Mrs. Beachy agreed to hold the property. This gave the Leonis Adobe Association time to buy it from her. The mayor even gave her an award for saving the adobe.
Restoring the Adobe
The Leonis Adobe Association finally bought the property in 1965. They did a lot of research. They wanted to make the adobe look just like it did when Miguel Leonis lived there. After the restoration was finished, the adobe opened to the public in 1966.
Ghost Stories at the Adobe
Some people believe the Leonis Adobe is haunted. It was even shown on a TV show about ghosts called Most Haunted in 2005. The first ghost stories started in the 1920s. New people moved into the adobe and began to fix it up.
They heard footsteps on the stairs. Then, two loud thuds came from an upstairs bedroom. It sounded like boots dropping. When they checked, the room smelled strongly of soap. Miguel Leonis was known for always smelling clean and of soap. The noises continued. The new owners learned to live with what they thought was the ghost of the former owner.
Another story says a woman living there in the 1930s was saved by a ghost. She was leaning against a railing that broke. A ghost supposedly pulled her back, stopping her from falling. Some visitors claim to have seen a ghostly image in the upstairs hallway. It spoke in a female voice, saying "Chichita, Chichita." This was a nickname Espiritu's granddaughter said her grandmother used. A young person in Calabasas claimed to see Leonis's ghost. He was dressed in an old coat and walking his sheep dog near the adobe. There are also tales of people hearing digging sounds. Legend says Leonis buried his fortune there.
A Designated Historic Site
The Leonis Adobe is one of only four adobe homes left in the San Fernando Valley. It is recognized as a historic building at both city and national levels:
- When the Los Angeles Cultural-Historical Board started in 1962, the Leonis Adobe was the first site they named a Historic-Cultural Monument. It has the special title of Historic-Cultural Monument #1.
- In 1975, the adobe was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Leonis Adobe Museum
A Living History Museum
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The Leonis Adobe now works as a living history museum. It shows what life was like on a California ranch. Many school groups visit the museum. Students can go back in time to the 1880s. They tour the property and learn about daily life. Students can also pet and feed the ranch animals. Museum guides are there to help them.
The Plummer House
| Plummer House | |
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Plummer House, 2008
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| Built | 1874 |
| Architect | Eugene Raphael Plummer |
| Designated | January 11, 1935 |
| Reference no. | 160 |
In 1983, the Plummer House was moved to the Leonis Adobe Museum grounds. Eugene Raphael Plummer built it in 1874 in Plummer Park, West Hollywood. It was known as the "Oldest House in Hollywood." It became a California Historic Landmark in 1935.
The Plummer House fell apart over time. It was damaged by vandals and fires. The Leonis Adobe Association worked with others to move part of the house. It was brought to its current spot at the Leonis Adobe. The Plummer House has been fixed up. It is now the visitor center and gift shop for the museum.
