Adobe de Palomares, Pomona

Adobe de Palomares
CA Historical Landmark No. 372
491 E. Arrow Highway
Pomona, CA 91767
Historical Society of Pomona Valley: 909-623-2198
http://www.pomonahistorical.org/palomares/

Sun: 2p-5p
Closed Easter, Memorial Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving weekends.

Adobe de Palomares was the 13 room home of Don Ygnacio Palomares and his wife, Dona Concepcion Lopez de Palomares. The Palomares and Vejar families owned the Rancho San Jose, which covered eastern Los Angeles county, some 150 years ago. The land now covers many cities of the Pomona Valley of Southern California, including Pomona, LaVerne, San Dimas, Diamond Bar, Azusa, Covina, Walnut, Glendora, and Claremont.

The Adobe is more than a museum or a restored building. Its rooms and gardens allow us to be taken back in time and to see the adobe as it was lived in, during a very special period, 150 years ago. This was a crucial period in California history, as the American annexation of the state brought tremendous changes to the Palomares family and their contemporaries.

The furnishings, all in accord with the style of the period, have been assembled from the length and breadth of Southern California, forming one of the finest collections of early days to be found anywhere. Many of the articles are precious heirlooms of descendants of the early families who have generously loaned or donated them.

Even the landscaping of the spacious courtyard and gardens have been reproduced in accurate detail according to findings of painstaking research. The grounds can be seen today with their original charm and beauty. A special part of the garden is the herb garden. The herbs were important for seasoning and were the source of medical remedies. Knowledge of medical herbs was important and is reflected in the selection of present plants in the active herb garden.

An important part of the Adobe is the Blacksmith shop. It was used for shoeing horses and the maintenance of ranch equipment including saws, pots and buggies.

Adobe de Palomares, to add to its busy round of activity, was an important stop on the San Bernardino stage route, where passengers could obtain food and relaxation from the bumps and jolts of the long and dusty road. Many an exhausted immigrant party and foot-sore wanderer found a resting place here.

Contact the Historical Society of Pomona Valley for latest information.