Alviso Adobe Community Park
Encyclopedia
The Alviso Adobe Community Park is a 7 acres (2.8 ha) park
in the city of Pleasanton, California
, United States. It is built around an adobe
house constructed in 1854 by Francisco Alviso, a rare surviving example of an early American adobe that was continuously in use until 1969. The building is registered as California Historical Landmark
#510.
Construction of the park was initially planned to begin in 2000, but the city could not secure funding until 2007, when the $4.4 million project was finally begun. The park opened to the public with a grand-opening ceremony on October 25, 2008. Besides the adobe, which is furnished as it would have been in the 1920s, the park contains a replica of an old dairy
and interpretive displays of Ohlone
culture.
and later mayor of Oakland. Martin then resold it to Anthony Chabot
, the "Water King". Census records indicate that the Alviso family continued to live there until the 1880s. Afterwards, it was acquired by the Contra Costa Water Company and used by a succession of different families.
The 1906 San Francisco earthquake
damaged the building, leaving large cracks in the walls and chimney. In 1919, it was purchased by Walter M. Briggs, who started the Meadowlark Dairy, the first certified dairy in California. He had the building renovated and used it as housing for his workers. The adobe continued to serve this purpose until 1969, when the dairy moved its operations to Tracy
.
The Briggs company sold the ranch and adobe to the Great Southwest Corporation, who wanted to build an amusement park
on the site, but this was hotly contested by local residents and the plan was scrapped. The company then sold it to a real-estate development company. Most of the land was then converted to individual housing lots, but the adobe, which had been declared a California Historical Landmark in 1954, was donated to the city of Pleasanton.
The historical marker originally read:
However, in a 2000 report issued in preparation for the city's renovation plan, historians discovered several errors in the original plaque. Firstly, the Alviso adobe was confused with another adobe built by José Dolores Pacheco that had lain 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) to the north. Additionally, construction was wrongly credited to Alviso's father. Lastly, there is no evidence that Frémont ever used the building. The historical marker has since been removed.
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
in the city of Pleasanton, California
Pleasanton, California
Pleasanton is a city in Alameda County, California, incorporated in 1894. It is a suburb in the San Francisco Bay Area located about east of Oakland, and west of Livermore. The population was 70,285 at the 2010 census. In 2005 and 2007, Pleasanton was ranked the wealthiest middle-sized city in...
, United States. It is built around an adobe
Adobe
Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , 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...
house constructed in 1854 by Francisco Alviso, a rare surviving example of an early American adobe that was continuously in use until 1969. The building is registered as California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmarks are buildings, structures, sites, or places in the state of California that have been determined to have statewide historical significance by meeting at least one of the criteria listed below:...
#510.
Construction of the park was initially planned to begin in 2000, but the city could not secure funding until 2007, when the $4.4 million project was finally begun. The park opened to the public with a grand-opening ceremony on October 25, 2008. Besides the adobe, which is furnished as it would have been in the 1920s, the park contains a replica of an old dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
and interpretive displays of Ohlone
Ohlone
The Ohlone people, also known as the Costanoan, are a Native American people of the central California coast. When Spanish explorers and missionaries arrived in the late 18th century, the Ohlone inhabited the area along the coast from San Francisco Bay through Monterey Bay to the lower Salinas Valley...
culture.
Alviso adobe
Built in 1854 by Francisco Alviso for his wife and ten children, the adobe was the center of a 300 acres (1.2 km²) ranch. Alviso sold the property and land in 1872 to J. West Martin, a land speculatorSpeculation
In finance, speculation is a financial action that does not promise safety of the initial investment along with the return on the principal sum...
and later mayor of Oakland. Martin then resold it to Anthony Chabot
Anthony Chabot
Anthony Chabot was a nineteenth-century businessman and entrepreneur, notable for his contribution to developing hydraulic mining and for building water systems, especially in the Bay Area, so much that he became known as the "Water King".-Biography:Chabot was raised on a farm in La Presentation,...
, the "Water King". Census records indicate that the Alviso family continued to live there until the 1880s. Afterwards, it was acquired by the Contra Costa Water Company and used by a succession of different families.
The 1906 San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...
damaged the building, leaving large cracks in the walls and chimney. In 1919, it was purchased by Walter M. Briggs, who started the Meadowlark Dairy, the first certified dairy in California. He had the building renovated and used it as housing for his workers. The adobe continued to serve this purpose until 1969, when the dairy moved its operations to Tracy
Tracy, California
Tracy is the second most populated city in San Joaquin County, California, United States and an exurb of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 82,922 at the 2010 census.-History:...
.
The Briggs company sold the ranch and adobe to the Great Southwest Corporation, who wanted to build an amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
on the site, but this was hotly contested by local residents and the plan was scrapped. The company then sold it to a real-estate development company. Most of the land was then converted to individual housing lots, but the adobe, which had been declared a California Historical Landmark in 1954, was donated to the city of Pleasanton.
The historical marker originally read:
FRANCISCO SOLANO ALVISO ADOBE - This building, erected in 1844-46 by Francisco Solano Alviso, was the first adobe house to be built in the Pleasanton Valley. It was originally called Alisal—The Sycamores. Following the Battle of Sunol Canyon, General John C. FrémontJohn C. FrémontJohn Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
withdrew to this building, which became his headquarters for several days.
However, in a 2000 report issued in preparation for the city's renovation plan, historians discovered several errors in the original plaque. Firstly, the Alviso adobe was confused with another adobe built by José Dolores Pacheco that had lain 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) to the north. Additionally, construction was wrongly credited to Alviso's father. Lastly, there is no evidence that Frémont ever used the building. The historical marker has since been removed.