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By autumn of the year 1928, the old plaza area of Los Angeles, the site of the city's birthplace, had fallen into decay. This area; bounded by Sunset Boulevard on the north, Arcadia Street to the south, Broadway on the west and Alameda Street to the east, was the hub of Los Angeles when it was a sleepy little pueblo. The once stately adobe town-houses in the vicinity have since met their fate in the form of a wrecking ball in order to make way for more modern wood and brick structures as the city grew and expanded southward away from the plaza. Earlier in the year, the newly constructed, twenty-eight story city hall was situated four blocks south of the old plaza and had become the new civic center of Los Angeles. The once prominent and lively plaza fell victim to neglect and in time it became an urban slum, a skid row.
One morning in late November 1928, a young woman named Christine Sterling took a casual stroll about the old plaza. As she walked and explored, she may have envisioned what it must have been like in its heyday. She headed north from the plaza on to Olvera Street, which was a grimy, unpaved alleyway with sewage flowing down a gutter in the center of the thoroughfare. It was a popular hangout for transients and a general criminal element. Mrs. Sterling came to a stop in front of an old deteriorated adobe structure on the east side of the street. It was a long, one-story building with whitewashed plaster crumbling from the walls exposing the layered adobe bricks. The wooden planks of its veranda were weathered and collapsed. The shake roof was in a similar condition. Tacked to a wall in front of the structure, Mrs. Sterling observed a condemnation sign placed there by the City of Los Angeles.
Photos: LAOkay.com
Mrs. Sterling knew this condemned building was once the elegant home of the Avila family, early Southern California pioneers. It was built in 1818 by Don Francisco Avila, making it the oldest existing residence within the city limits. It was older than the nearby Plaza Church which had been constructed in 1822. Mrs. Sterling knew that this ruin of an adobe had a rich and colorful history, and she felt strongly against it being razed. She believed it should be rejuvenated and preserved as a monument of the city's historic past. At the time the city had very few designated historic monuments and had not yet developed the spirit of preservation of its valued historic site. The city planned to demolish the Avila adobe in order to provide space for a gasoline station. Christine Sterling had to act quickly. She immediately launched a drive to save the adobe from its death sentence.
Don Francisco Avila, one-time alcalde (mayor) of the pueblo of Los Angeles and wealthy ranchero, began construction of his adobe home in 1818. He selected a site just a few hundred feet north of the town's plaza, where the citizens congregated frequently. He built his house on the east side of Olvera Street, one of the oldest streets in Los Angeles. At that time, the street was called Wine Street, because of a winery located there. Sometimes it was referred to as Vine Street, due to the vineyards which had grown along its path. Don Francisco himself had a vineyard in the rear courtyard of his home. Eventually the name was changed to Olvera Street, named in honor of Judge Agustin Olvera, who had an adobe town house at the front of the street facing the plaza.
The plaza that exists today, is not the original one. The first site, founded by Felipe de Neve and the eleven pobladores (settlers) on September 4, 1781, may have been near the point where the Hollywood Freeway crosses the west bank of the Los Angeles River. It was named El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles. Adobe homes of the first Angelenos adorned the sides of a rectangular plaza and crops were planted in nearby fields. This pueblo survived until the copious rains during the winter of 1814-1815 caused the Los Angeles River to swell over its banks and flooded the settlement. The second pueblo site was located on high ground just northwest of the first. Three years later, this pueblo was also washed away by the raging river.
In 1818, plans for a new plaza and Catholic church were formulated for the site of the present plaza. Don Francisco's adobe was among the first built near the current plaza and was the last to remain. Usually, the most prominent families had houses on or near the plaza. Many rancheros, while living on vast outlying ranchos, would often keep an adobe town-house near the plaza so that their families had a place to stay when they came to attend Mass, visit with friends and family on holidays, or to take care of business affairs. The plaza was the social center of the town.
Don Francisco Avila was a native of Sinaloa, Mexico. He was one of several sons of Cornelio Avila, who came to settle in the two-year-old pueblo of Los Angeles in 1783. Francisco came to Los Angeles sometime after 1794. In 1810, Avila became alcalde of the pueblo of Los Angeles. The pueblo's population at the time grew to 415 inhabitants. In 1823, the Mexican government granted him 4,439 acres of land near La Brea Pits, approximately seven miles southwest of the pueblo. Avila grazed cattle here and turned it into a profitable venture. Before 1824, the Los Angeles River flowed in a southwesterly direction from the pueblo and followed a course through the plains into La Ballona Creek, emptying into Santa Monica Bay. As the river flooded, it diverted water into the low grassy plains through Avila's rancho. This converted much of this area into swamps or marshlands. The Avila land grant became known as Rancho Las Cienegas, which in English translated to "Ranch of the Marshlands".
Don Avila's rancho was bordered on three sides by four other ranchos, which in later years led to many boundary disputes involving Avila and the other owners. Rancho La Brea shared a property line to the north. Rancho La Cienega O' Paso de la Tijera was situated on the south. Ranchos Rodeo de las Aguas and Rincon de los Bueyes lay adjacent to the west and public land belonging to the pueblo was located on Avila's eastern border. Las Cienegas was rich and lush with vegetation and had an abundance of fresh water sources, which made conditions ideal for cattle grazing. Much of Don Francisco's wealth derived from the sales of cow hides which was used to make leather and tallow, from which items such as candles and soap were made.
Most of today's Mid-City District of Los Angeles now occupies the ranch land once owned by Avila. Topographical maps prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey describe the boundary lines of Rancho Las Cienegas as indicated:
Wilshire Boulevard between Hancock Park (La Brea Tar Pits) and Bronson Avenue was the northern boundary of Rancho Las Cienegas. The eastern line commenced directly south on Bronson from Wilshire to the present intersection of Pico Boulevard and Arlington Avenue. It continued south on Arlington to 18th Street, where it diverted westbound for a block to 3rd Avenue. The grant boundary headed south again between 3rd and 4th Avenues to Exposition Place. The southern border of the ranch began here and extended west between Exposition Boulevard and Rodeo Road to La Cienega Boulevard. From here the boundary line stretched in a northwesterly direction to a point where La Cienega Boulevard intersects the Culver City limit line. The western border extended from this point, heading north and paralleling most of Spaulding Avenue back to Hancock Park.
Today, all of this area is a busy urban region enshrouded by all the sounds of a major metropolis. It is quite different from the slow, peaceful days that the ranchero, Don Avila, was accustomed.
Francisco Avila married Maria del Rosaria Verdugo in 1810. Born on May 6, 1793, she was the daughter of Mariano de la Luz Verdugo and Maria Gregoria Espinosa. Mariano Verdugo was the brother of Jose Maria Verdugo, who was the original grantee of the 36,000-acre Rancho San Rafael. It was one of the first land grants in California granted to Verdugo in 1784 by Governor Pedro Fages. Jose Maria Verdugo, who was a Spanish soldier assigned to the guard at the San Gabriel Mission, was occupied with his official duties and placed his brother, Mariano in charge of the rancho. The present day cities of Glendale and Burbank mark the site of Rancho San Rafael.
The sturdy walls of the Avila adobe were between two and a half to three feet thick and made from sun baked adobes bricks. The ceilings were fifteen feet high and supported by durable beams hewn from cottonwood tree found along the banks of the Los Angeles River. The original roof was flat, not angled as it appears today. Natural "Brea" or tar was brought from the pools of asphaltum located near the north boundary line of his Rancho La Cienegas. These tar pits may still be seen at Hancock Park on Wilshire Boulevard. The brea was mixed with rocks and horsehair, then applied to the rough wooden beams of the roof. This mixture created a seal protecting the contents of the house from the elements.
The original floor of the Avila adobe consisted of hard compacted earth. Excess dirt was swept away several times a day to keep the floors surface smooth and clean. Dirt flooring was common among most early adobes in California. These floors had the consistency of a concrete slab when it was kept tightly packed and constantly swept clear of loose dirt. In later years, varnished wood planks were laid upon the earthen floors of the Avila adobe.
The original structure was nearly twice the length as it appears today. It originally was shaped in the form of the letter "L" with a wing that extended westward, jutting out nearly to the center of Olvera Street. To the rear of the house, a long corredor (porch) faced the patio. Don Francisco kept a garden in the rear patio as well as a vineyard. Water from the nearby Zanja Madre (Mother Ditch) irrigated the plantings of Avila. The Zanja Madre was an irrigation canal bringing water from the Los Angeles river to the pueblo.
In subsequent years, Don Francisco added a wooden veranda and steps to the front of the adobe. French doors and window frames were ordered from Boston and transported thousands of miles by sail around the southern tip of South America. Much of the Avila furniture was brought in the same manner from New England and European ports. He purchased colorful satin damask, imported from France, to drape over his furnishings. Avila would trade his cowhides and tallow for household goods stored on merchant ships anchored in San Pedro or San Diego. Then the merchandise was carried by an ox-drawn carreta, which was a crude wooden cart and a primary mode of transportation at the time.
Although small by modern standards, the adobe of Francisco Avila was considered a mansion in its era. It was known for its numerous spacious rooms and an ample number of windows. It was often the scene of many social gatherings and fandangos with Don Francisco hosting these events in his large sala (living room). Like so many of the Spanish Dons, his congenial hospitality was renown throughout California.
In 1822, Maria del Rosaria Avila died at the tender age of twenty-nine, leaving Don Francisco with three young children to raise. He did not wait long to remarry. He was betrothed to the lovely fifteen-year-old daughter of his close friend. The youthful bride was Maria Encarnacion Sepulveda, the daughter of Don Francisco Sepulveda and Dona Ramona Sepulveda. Francisco Sepulveda was the wealthy owner of Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica. This 30,000-acre ranch would many years later become the city of Santa Monica. This extensive grant extended westward incorporated a large section of the Santa Monica Mountains as well. Dona Maria Encarnacion, despite her young age, became a distinguished hostess of the Avila manor. During their ten-year marriage, she gave birth to two daughters and a third child who died at an early age.
Francisco Avila was known to be a generous man and devout Catholic. One of the rooms of the Avila adobe was used as a chapel, which contained a small altar. When the plaza church, Our Lady the Queen of Angels, was completed in 1822 he donated the brace of bells, which were used to call the townspeople to Mass. His home was always open to family, friends and travelers. The Avila family welcomed to their home the famous trailblazer, Jedediah Strong Smith. Smith led a small party of trappers across the desert from Salt Lake City and stayed at the adobe for a few days in January 1827. They were the first Americans to reach California from the east via an overland route. Smith recorded the following entry in his journal; "A few families are rich in cattle and horses and mules and among these Señor Abela (Avila) and his brother Don Ignatio (Ignacio) are perhaps the richest." Smith was killed about a year later by Comanche Indians along the Santa Fe Trail.
Avila had four brothers who were also prominent figures in early Southern California. Antonio (Ignacio) Avila, who was mentioned in Jed Smith's journal, was a wealthy ranchero also. He owned 22,458 acres of land known as Rancho Sausal Redondo (Ranch of the Circular Willow Grove). This large tract was situated along the coast at Santa Monica Bay. Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and sections of Inglewood were later formed on this land grant. Bruno Avila was the grantee of Rancho Aguaje de la Centinela (Ranch of the Waters of the Sentinel). This ranch, consisting of 2,219 acres, later became the site of downtown Inglewood. In 1820, Anastasio Avila was granted Rancho La Tajauta. Named for an old Indian village located nearby, it was 3,559 acres in size. The community of Watts in south central Los Angeles now exists on this former rancho. Then there was Jose Maria, perhaps the most legendary of the Avila brothers. He was one of the leaders of the revolt against the tyrannical Governor Manuel Victoria in 1831. He and fifty other Los Angeles leaders were imprisoned by Alcalde Vicente Sanchez for plotting against Victoria. An army of 150 men raised in San Diego by Jose Antonio Carrillo and Pio Pico marched into the pueblo and released all prisoners. Victoria led a force from Monterey to stop the insurrection in Los Angeles. The two armies clashed near the Cahuenga Pass near present day North Hollywood . Although the gallant Jose Maria Avila was mortally wounded, he still managed to spear Victoria from his horse inflicting serious injuries to the governor before dying. Victoria won the battle from a military standpoint, but decided to step down as governor.
Just four months after his brother was killed at the Battle of Cahuenga, Don Francisco Avila himself expired on April 5, 1832. He was buried at the old cemetery next to Our Lady Queen of Angles Church on Main Street across from the plaza near his home. His widow, Dona Encarnacion, continued to live in the adobe until her death in 1855. Don Francisco willed his Rancho Las Cienegas to his son, Januario, and his three daughters.
On May 18, 1846, Mexico declared war on the United States. Less than two months later, Commodore Robert Field Stockton of the United States Navy arrived at Monterey and formally declared California conquered on July 14th. On August 13, 1846, "Fighting Bob" Stockton and his men marched into Los Angeles and took the town without firing a shot. With San Diego also under occupation of American troops, Stockton figured the conquest of California was complete. Stockton chose to sail north to San Francisco and placed Lieutenant Archibald Gillespie in charge of a garrison of fifty men. This proved to be a mistake in selection for Stockton. Gillespie imposed martial law and harsh regulations upon the pueblo. The discontented inhabitants of the pueblo revolted against Gillespie and forced him and his small garrison to retreat to San Pedro. After two aborted attempts to retake the stubborn little town in October 1846, Stockton regrouped and sailed for San Diego.
Meanwhile, General Stephen Watts Kearny was leading his infantry, known as the First Dragoons, from Santa Fe, New Mexico. The aging general was en route to meet with Stockton in San Diego. At San Diego, the combined forces of Stockton and Kearny marched north destined for Los Angeles. They engaged a mounted army of Californios led by General Andres Pico at the Battle of San Pasqual on December 6, 1846. In the cold rain, this bloody battle was fought twenty-eight miles north of San Diego and caused a setback to the American advancement. After a three-week rest, the Americans set a northward course again. They marched unmolested until they reached the banks of the San Gabriel River near present day Pico Rivera. On January 8, 1847 a minor engagement with the Californios occurred which became known as the "Battle of El Rio San Gabriel". Washington Boulevard at Bluff Road in present-day Montebello is the approximate site of the battle. The following day, the two sides met again on the battleground known as "La Mesa". It was the last attempt of the Mexicans to resist their Yankee counterparts. This slight skirmish was fought on a site near today's 4500 block of Downey Road in the city of Vernon. The victorious Americans continued their advance to Los Angeles.
News of the American troops rapidly approaching Los Angeles caused many of the townspeople to evacuate the pueblo and seek refuge at outlying ranchos. Dona Encarnacion Avila also fled her adobe home. Sometime after the death of Don Francisco, she remarried a man named Juan Gallardo, but her husband was not home to protect her. She sought shelter at the house of family friend and prolific viticulturist, Louis Vignes, who lived a short distance east of the plaza. Dona Encarnacion left a young boy to take care of her house with strict instructions to keep all doors and shutters latched.
On January 10, 1847 the Americans re-captured Los Angeles without opposition. Stockton's men marched triumphantly into the tiny pueblo with a brass band proudly leading the way. The youthful caretaker of the Avila adobe was lured outside by the joyful music. As the troops, donned in blue uniforms, formed into columns in the plaza, the band commenced with a victory concert. The curious boy ran to the plaza to watch the spectacle leaving open the door to the Avila house. Meanwhile, some of Stockton's subordinates were patrolling the streets when they paused before the attractive adobe. Peering inside the open door, they saw ample sized rooms and extravagant furniture. They commandeered the place for their commanding officer. Stockton used the house as a temporary home and headquarters for a few days. Hostilities in California ended on January 13, 1847 when Colonel John Charles Fremont and General Andres Pico signed the Treaty of Cahuenga in an adobe house at the north side of Cahuenga Pass. Stockton left the Avila adobe and headed north to assume the position of military governor of California. Dona Encarnacion returned to her beloved adobe and remained there until her death.
Francisca Avila, the youngest of the Avila daughters, was married to German native, Theodore Rimpau, in 1850. Following the death of Dona Encarnacion in 1855, the couple moved into the Avila adobe and lived there until 1868. After the Rimpau family vacated the aging structure, they still kept possession of it for sentimental purposes only. In ensuing years, the adobe was rented to several different families and subsequently became a boarding house. At one point, the place was converted to a restaurant. The structure sustained some damage during an earthquake in 1870. Neglect and the elements over the years caused the building to fall into ruin and ultimately its condemnation by the city of Los Angeles in 1928.
Christine Sterling, a woman of English decent, was born in San Francisco, California. She came to Los Angeles with her two children in the mid-1920s and settled in the Chavez Ravine area, which was an economically depressed residential neighborhood predominantly populated by Hispanic-Americans. This area later was bulldozed to make room for Dodger Stadium.
Sterling immediately developed a great deal of interest in the historic past of Los Angeles, especially its Spanish and Mexican heritage. In 1926 she began work on a special project; the transformation of the old plaza area from ruin to a Latin-American social and commercial center. She presented her idea to Harry Chandler, publisher of the Los Angeles Times. Chandler was impressed with the concept and agreed to assist by publishing a series of articles about the history of the plaza and the proposed project for its renewal. The articles generated some interest and several attempts were made to raise funds for the plan. However, within two years the restoration project was failing. It was lacking sufficient funds and public support dwindled. Christine Sterling felt she was fighting a lost cause.
Upon learning of the condemnation of the Avila adobe, Sterling sprung into action in an attempt to get a reprieve for the old place. First, she traced the owners of the adobe, which was still in possession of members of the Rimpau family. Miss Sophia Rimpau agreed to rent the adobe to Sterling for a nominal payment. Next, Mrs. Sterling went to the publishers of several local newspapers requesting that they should dispatch reporters to Olvera Street. The press went out and covered the story of the Avila House and of Sterling's efforts. The newspaper coverage sparked the wide scale public support that Sterling needed. Harry Chandler handled her publicity campaign and within a few months she received enough money to by the house. Several influential people in the community made contributions to her preservation project. One of the first to come to the aid of Sterling was Mrs. Florence Dodson de Schoneman, a descendant of the Sepulveda family. During the "Days of the Dons", this particular branch of the Sepulveda family owned the entire Palos Verdes Peninsula in the form of Rancho Los Palos Verdes. Mrs. Schoneman provided the furnishings for an entire room at the Avila adobe. Most of these items were antiques once owned by her Sepulveda ancestors.
The Avila adobe underwent the necessary renovations required to save it from the wrecking ball. Christine Sterling went before the city council to rescind the condemnation order. Not only did the council comply with Sterling's request, they agreed to provide her with jail inmates to assist with the clean up of old Olvera Street. The adobe was restored to its former splendor and completely furnished with early nineteenth century antiques, similar to those owned by the Avila family when they occupied the house.
With the successful restoration of the Avila Adobe, a new wave of public support came together for Sterling's ultimate goal: the complete restoration of the remaining structures on Olvera Street as well as the plaza area. Through her solitary efforts, she was able to raise over $30,000, which helped convert her vision into reality. In March 1930, the once grimy skid row that was Olvera street had transformed into a Mexican-style marketplace. The quaint village-like atmosphere and unique shops became an instant success and to this day, Olvera Street is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Los Angeles.
Christine Sterling resided in the adobe she rescued and offered tours to special groups and students. In 1953, the State of California acquired the Avila Adobe as part of the forty-four acre El Pueblo de Los Angeles State Historic Park. Mrs. Sterling remained living in the adobe until her death in 1963. Tours of the city landmark continued until February 9, 1971, when the Sylmar Earthquake struck, causing major damage to the adobe building. Reconstruction cost $120,000 and took five years to complete. During this particular restoration a rear building was added to the house. This structure housed a memorial marker that honors Christine Sterling. The Avila adobe was reopened in April 1976, and remains open to the public as a museum of history and culture.
Through the course of time, a series of alterations to the original Avila adobe have been made. The original structure was larger and now has been reduced to seven rooms. It is restored in such a way as to give one an impression of what life was like around the plaza during the 1840s. The thick adobe walls appear sturdy and in its day it provided adequate insulation to the house. The interior was easily kept warm in the winters and comfortably cool during the balmy summers. The outer walls of adobe are plastered over and painted white. All the exterior wood fixtures such as; doors, shutters, front porch, and roof supports are painted a dark brown. Small trees adorn the front of the house facing the brick covered Olvera Street.
The largest room of the house is the family room. Here the Avilas would dine together or entertain guests during social gatherings. The black lacquered table is the only original piece of furniture in the room, which belonged to Dona Encarnacion Avila. She used it as a sewing table and may have been a wedding gift given to her in 1822.
The office was the headquarters of Don Avila's Rancho Las Cienegas. Here, the ranchero conducted business pertaining to his ranch and vineyard operations. The room was also used for the storage of valuables. An old accounting book on the desk dates back to the 1880s and was donated by descendants of the Avila family.
The master bedroom is furnished in the colonial Mexican style of the 1840s. Demonstrating the reliance of foreign trade to obtain quality household goods in early California, this room is decorated with items from all over the world. The colorful shawl draped over the canopy bed came from China and the antique commode next to the bed was imported from England. The beautiful hand crafted chest of drawers is a seventeenth century Italian piece.
The sala (living room) was reserved for only special occasions such as wedding receptions or baptismal celebrations. Here, important guests such as, Jedediah Smith, were entertained without sparing extravagances. This room is designed to denote the Spanish colonial period of the home. The Steinway square grand piano dates back to 1881 and was donated by the Pelanconi family, who were related to the Avilas. Isabel Ramirez, a granddaughter of Francisco Avila, married the Italian born gold miner, Antonio Pelanconi. They purchased the brick house across the street from the Avila adobe in 1865. The Pelanconi House, as it was known for many years, still stands and is now La Goldrina Restaurant.
The children's room was usually shared by more than one child. The young Avila children slept on simple beds made of wood frames with rope or strips of hide fastened tightly over the tops which supported mattresses stuffed with straw. Clothes, linens, toys and other miscellaneous items were stored here in floor chests or trunks. Closets were not a common convenience in the era of the Avila family.
The kitchen was primarily used for the storage of food and cooking utensils. The early adobes were not equipped with indoor fireplaces or stoves, therefore the cooking of family meals were performed outdoors. Usually in the courtyard of the adobes, there were dome-shaped adobe ovens called "hornos", where the baking and cooking took place. The present fireplace in the kitchen of the Avila adobe was a later addition. The kitchen was also used by past residents for the purpose of bathing.
Located to the rear of the adobe, there is a shady corridor and a pleasant courtyard. The preparation of food, gardening and general chores of the house was among the main activities occurring here. Most of the plants and trees are examples of what may have grown here in the mid nineteenth century. Varieties of cacti, fruit trees and grape vines graces the courtyard grounds adding a bit of color to an otherwise bland space. A rickety wood cart sits in the corner of the rear yard area. It is a replica of a carreta. When driven by a team of oxen it was the best means of transporting passengers and cargo in the slow-paced adobe days of Los Angeles.
The Avila adobe survives as a legacy to the great city's historic and cultural past. It is registered as California Historical Landmark 145 and marked by a state plaque. In addition to shopping and restaurants, Olvera Street and the surrounding State Park has numerous historic buildings and points of interest that are available to the public. See the Visitors Information Center for group tours or to obtain pamphlets for self-guided tours. The Avila Adobe is located at East 10 Olvera Street within El Pueblo de Los Angeles State Historic Park. Park office is at 845 N. Alameda Street and the Visitors Information Center is at 128 Paseo de la Plaza.
Avila Adobe
10 E. Olvera Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Map
Open the the public
Tuesday through Friday, 10 A.m. to 3 p.m. and weekends 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Historic Adobes of Los Angeles County © 1997 John R. Kielbasa
Unless otherwise noted, photos © 2001-2004 LAokay.com