Rios-Caledonia Adobe facts for kids
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Ríos-Caledonia Adobe
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Ríos-Caledonia Adobe, north side
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 Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 700 Mission St, San Miguel, California |
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| Area | 1.7 acres (0.69 ha) |
| Built | 1835 |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000190 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 14, 1971 |
The Ríos-Caledonia Adobe is a very old and important house in San Miguel, California. It was built way back in 1835 by a person named Petronilo Ríos. This special building is now a California Historical Landmark, which means it's officially recognized as a place with a lot of history. Today, you can visit the Ríos-Caledonia Adobe because it's a house museum and also has a library inside. It's a great place to learn about the past!
Contents
The Story of the Adobe House
Building the Adobe
Petronilo Ríos was a corporal, which is like a leader, for the guards at Mission San Miguel. He also later owned a large piece of land called Rancho Paso de Robles. In 1835, he oversaw the building of this two-story adobe home.
Adobe is a special kind of brick made from earth and straw. The people who helped build it were from the local Salinan community. The land where the house was built belonged to Mission San Miguel, which is now right across the street.
New Owners and Changes
After 1833, the Mexican government decided to sell off mission properties. In 1846, Governor Pio Pico sold the Mission San Miguel and the adobe house. Petronilo Ríos and William Reed bought them together.
The original house was made of adobe bricks and had a roof of handmade tiles. Even the pine rafters, which are like roof beams, were tied together with strips of rawhide. The Ríos family lived in the house for many years. Later, a person named Warran C. Rickard bought it from the state.
The Caledonia Inn Era
From 1868 to 1886, the building became a busy place called the Caledonia Inn. George Butchart ran it as a stop for stagecoaches, a hotel, and a tavern. It was located on El Camino Real, a famous old road in California.
When the Southern Pacific Railroad arrived in San Miguel, people started traveling by train instead of stagecoach. This meant the Inn was no longer needed. In 1887, the building was used as an elementary school for a short time. After that, it housed different businesses, like a mattress factory and a tailor shop, from 1889 to 1895. It also served as a home for various families from 1895 to 1910.
Restoration Efforts
In 1923, Charles Dorries bought the property, which included about 6 acres of land. He wanted to bring the adobe back to life as a place for tourists to visit. In 1938, he even built a gift shop next door in a similar style, just for visitors.
By 1964, the adobe had started to fall apart. The County of San Luis Obispo bought it that year to save it. In 1968, a group called the Friends of the Adobes was formed. Their goal was to protect and fix up the old adobe house.
The Adobe Today
A Museum and Library
Thanks to the Friends of the Adobes, a lot of major repair work was finished in 1972. The building was then officially opened to the public. An extra building, added in 1930, now serves as a library where you can research local history.
In June 1978, a museum and gift shop opened, and the adobe started offering tours. Today, the Ríos-Caledonia Adobe is operated as a county park. It's a wonderful place to explore and learn about California's past.
See also
In Spanish: Rios-Caledonia Adobe para niños
