Visiting Adobes in Alta California

Adobe Was California’s Building Block

Adobe structures – called adobes for short – were very common in the 1800s. Building with hand-made adobe bricks was easy and inexpensive, and the thick adobe walls provide good insulation against heat and cold.

Adobe structures included most of the California Mission buildings, as well as residences, inns, stores, and military barracks.

A large number of historically important adobes still survive today. Click the headings to sort the table; click the links to find our more about each adobe.



Name Date Location
Alvarado Adobe 1830 Monterey
Alvarado Adobe replica San Pablo
Anza House 1834-38 San Juan Bautista
Boronda Adobe 1844 Salinas
Branciforte Adobe 1803 Santa Cruz
Caledonia Adobe 1835 San Miguel
Casa Amesti 1834 Monterey
Casa Covarrubias 1817 Santa Barbara
Casa de la Guerra 1818-28 Santa Barbara
Casa de la Torre 1852 Monterey
Casa del Oro 1845 Monterey
Castro Adobe 1848-50 Watsonville
Castro Adobe Site 1841 El Cerrito
Castro House 1839 San Juan Bautista
Chew Kee Store 1851 Fiddletown
Cooper-Molera Adobe 1825-30 Monterey
Dallidet Adobe 1859 San Luis Obispo
Dana Adobe 1839 Nipomo
Don Fernando Pacheco Adobe 1850s Concord
Don Salvio Pacheco Adobe 1840s Concord
El Adobe de los Robles 1856 Lemoore
Estrella Adobe Church 1878 Paso Robles
Fremont Adobe 1847 Monterey
French Consulate 1843 Monterey
General Sherman’s Quarters 1834 Monterey
Groveland Hotel 1849 Groveland
Gutiérrez Adobe 1846 Monterey
Hastings Adobe 1846 Collinsville
Hill-Carrillo Adobe 1826 Santa Barbara
House of Four Winds 1835 Monterey
Ide Adobe 1852 Red Bluff
Juarez Adobe 1845 Napa
Kottinger Adobe Barn 1852 Pleasanton
Larkin House 1835 Monterey
Locke Adobe Barn 1852 Lockeford
Martinez Adobe 1849 Martinez
Merritt Adobe 1852 Monterey
Moraga Adobe 1841 Orinda
Nash Adobe 1847 Sonoma
Old Adobe Barn 1850 La Grange
Olivas Adobe 1847-49 Ventura
Oreña Adobe 1849 Santa Barbara
Peña Adobe 1842 Vacaville
Petaluma Adobe 1836 Petaluma
Plaza Hotel 1858 San Juan Bautista
Rancho Los Alamos 1839 Santa Barbara
Roberto-Suñol Adobe 1836 Willow Glen
Robert Louis Stevenson House 1830s Monterey
Sonoma Barracks 1840 Sonoma
Stokes Adobe 1840s Monterey
Stone and Kelsey Adobe Site 1840s Kelseyville
Sugg House 1857 Sonora
Sun Sub Wo Co. 1851 Coulterville
Sutter’s Fort Adobe 1839-44 Sacramento
Swift Adobe Site 1848 Orland
Swiss Hotel 1835 Sonoma
Trussell-Winchester Adobe 1854 Santa Barbara
Vallejo Adobe 1836-46 Sonoma
Vásquez House Unknown Monterey
Zanetta House / Plaza Hall 1868 San Juan Bautista