Salinas – Jose Eusebio Boronda Adobe Casa

The choice of building materials for the early Spanish settlers and Mission builders of California and much of the southwest of the U.S. was adobe.  Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material (sticks, straw, and/or manure), which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for some of the oldest existing buildings in the world. In hot climates, compared with wooden buildings, adobe buildings offer significant advantages due to their greater thermal mass, but they are known to be particularly susceptible to earthquake damage.

Due to the earthquake damage, and general neglect, there are not as many adobe structures left in the state as once were. However, you will find them in the heart of some of the older cities of California, and thankfully, due to restoration committees and heritage societies they are being restored for all to enjoy.

Built between 1844 and 1848 by Jose Eusebio Boronda, This is an outstanding example of a Mexican era rancho adobe. Virtually unaltered since its construction.  It shows many features of the “Monterey Colonial” style which resulted from the fusion of New England and California building traditions during California’s Mexican period.