Rios-Caledonia Adobe
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The Rios-Caledonia Adobe is a California Historical Landmark (#936) and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is an adobe dwelling built in 1835[1], located in San Luis Obispo County.
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[edit] History
Petronilo Rios supervised the building of the two-story adobe home using Indian labor on property belonging to Mission San Miguel[2] (which is now across the street). In 1846, when the mission property was sold by Governor Pio Pico, Rios and William Reed purchased the mission and adobe.[1]
The original building was made of adobe, had a roof of hand-made tiles, and used strips of rawhide to tie the pine rafters in place.[1] The Rios family used the home as a residence [1] until Warran C. Rickard purchased it from the state on a possessory claim.[2]
From 1868 until 1886, George Butchart operated the building as the Caledonia Inn, a stagecoach stop, hotel, and tavern on El Camino Real.[2] The arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in San Miguel put an end to the Inn.[2] In 1887, it served briefly as an elementary school. [2] After that, it was used for various businesses (including a mattress factory and tailor shop from 1889 to 1895) and again as a home from 1895 to 1910 for various families.[2]
Charles Dorries purchased the property with 6 acres of land in 1923 and restored it to use as a tourist attraction. Dorries also built the gift shop in a similar style in 1938 specifically to serve visitors[2].
By 1964 it had fallen into disrepair.[1] The County of San Luis Obispo purchased the adobe in 1964. In 1968, the Friends of the Adobes formed to preserve and restore the adobe.[1]
[edit] Current
Major restoration work completed in 1972, and the building was then formally dedicated.[1] A museum and gift shop opened in June of 1978, also opening the adobe for tours. [1]
The site is now operated as a County park.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Rios-Caledonia Adobe brochure" (undated).
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Rios-Caledonia Adobe Self Guided Tour brochure" (undated).
[edit] External Links
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