Reyes Adobe

Driving along U.S. Highway 101 about two miles east of the Los Angeles-Ventura County line, there is a freeway exit named Reyes Adobe Road. This road leads to the Reyes Adobe, located a little over a quarter of a mile north of the freeway. It sits abandoned behind an iron fence upon a low bluff on the west side of the road. Plaster has fallen off the outside walls revealing the gray adobe bricks and the doors and windows are covered by plywood. Recently, a small park named for this adobe structure has developed to the west. Restoration is in the future for the decayed adobe, but as of this writing, no work has taken place. When the author photographed the house in 1986, the neighboring hills were barren and area development was slow. Today, the suburban tract homes of Agoura Hills surrounds the site and the hills are covered with expensive modern houses.

Evidence recovered by archaeologists over the years indicates that several Chumash Indian villages were located in what is now Agoura Hills. Theses pre-historic settlements were situated along the banks of Lindero Canyon Creek and Medea Creek. Lake Lindero was the site of a large village observed by the Portola Expedition in 1770, during their return trip from Northern California. Lady Face Mountain, a 2,036-foot peak south of Agoura Road and Reyes Adobe Road, was used by early Native Americans as a lookout point.

During the Spanish colonial period, El Camino Real (The Royal Highway) was established to connect the chain of Franciscan missions in California. El Camino Real, although not an actual highway or even a road, was an ambiguous route used by travelers traversing Northern and Southern California. The Royal Highway, which roughly followed the course of present-day US 101, cuts through the heart this area. The Reyes adobe, located along this route, was likely a stop for road weary travelers. Today replicated mission bells hanging from staff-like poles mark this historic highway and may be seen throughout the area.

Reyes Adobe 8/5/2002 Photos: LAOkay.com

The Reyes Adobe may have been built as early as 1797, or as late as 1820. It was constructed as a ranch house for the Spanish land grant of Rancho Nuestra Senora la Reina of las Virgenes (Ranch of Our Lady the Queen of the Virgins), or simply referred to as Rancho Las Virgenes. Nearby Las Virgenes Canyon is named for this early land grant, however it was not within the boundaries of the rancho. Miguel Ortiz received a provisional grant to the rancho in 1800 from Governor Jose Joaquin de Arrillaga.

Reyes Adobe 10/16/2004 Photos: LAOkay.com

This 17,000-acre grant was bordered by two larger ranchos, Conejo to the west and Simi to the north. When the rancho boundaries were first created, crude markings such as a cross carved into a trunk of an oak tree were used. Today, the city of Agoura Hills is entirely within Rancho Las Virgenes. The boundary lines are described as follows:

Starting from the Los Angeles-Ventura County line at Chesebro Canyon, the boundary went due west along the county line to Lindero Canyon at the Agoura Hills city limit. There, the line headed south along the western city limit and continued along the eastern city limit of Westlake Village to Triunfo Canyon. The boundary followed the southwesterly course of Triunfo Canyon to the eastern shore of Malibu Lake in the Santa Monica Mountains. From here, the line changed direction northward on the east side of Vista Drive and Cornell Road to a point just beyond Lynn Lane. At this point the line branched northwesterly to Highway 101 and Liberty Canyon. From this junction, the boundary headed north into Chesebro Canyon and back to the county line.

After Miguel Ortega, Juan Dominguez became the owner of Rancho Las Virgenes. He kept an adobe where Lindero Canyon and Triunfo Canyon converge, which was actually on Rancho Conejo land. The site of his home was near today's Westlake Dam in Westlake Village. In 1837, Dominguez applied for the area known as Triunfo because he thought it was uninhabited. In 1840, Maria Antonia Machado de Reyes also applied for the place called Triunfo. At the time Dona Reyes was living at the Reyes adobe. The Reyes family farmed in the area for many years. Since there were many other claimants for the Triunfo portion of Rancho Conejo (Rabbit Ranch) it took more than thirty years of litigation to settle the dispute over the coveted land. In 1874, a partition was ordered and Dona Reyes received an entitlement of only 250 acres, however she died years before. Several of her heirs received this land, which is now under the waters of Westlake.

Maria Altgracia (Grace) Reyes, a daughter of Dona Reyes, married John Christopher Vejar. In 1820, the Vejars built a two story Monterey style adobe near a place called Strawberry Hill on land given to them by Dona Reyes. It was near a spring, which flowed continuously, even during dry spells. The area was a haven for bandits who would hide out and plan robberies along El Camino Real. In the 1860s, the house became a well-known stage stop and inn named Vejar Station. This building stood until the early 1900s when it was razed. Today, the Whizin's shopping complex occupies the site.

Eventually, the Las Virgenes grant and the Reyes land holdings were subdivided and sold. Jacinta Reyes was the last of the family to live at the Reyes Adobe. Presently, the adobe still stands, although it has seen better days. It has been altered on several occasions over the years. The story and a half adobe has a roof covered by wood shake which was likely a later improvement. On the south side, the front corredor (porch) of the house is paved with broken white rockwork. An old adobe barn also remains, standing a few yards north of the house. The west wall of the barn is completely devoid of plaster exposing the decaying adobe bricks. Several tall eucalyptus trees share the grassy unadorned lot with the two structures.

The Barn

8/5/2002		10/16/2004		10/16/2004
Photos: LAOkay.com

The Reyes Adobe has been recognized by the Historic American Building Survey and documented in the Library of Congress. Currently, it is owned by the Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation Department. The City of Agoura Hills is planning to restore the adobe structures and turning the site into a museum featuring the history of the vicinity.

Reyes Adobe
31400 Rainbow Crest Drive, Augora Hills, CA 91301 Map

Open the the public
2nd Tuesday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. & 2nd Saturday 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

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