November 19, 2017 - An old adobe house in Yucaipa has recently been restored and reopened, so we decided to check it out. The Yucaipa Adobe sits on land that was granted to Antonio Maria Lugo in 1842 by Mexican Governor Alvarado. After changing hands a few times, it is believed that James Waters, a noted hunter, trapper, and mountaineer, built the Yucaipa Adobe in 1858-1859. Mr. Waters stocked his Yucaipa Rancho with sheep, driving herds as far as Arizona and Montana. Waters’ ranch was subsequently purchased by John Dunlap in 1869 and the Dunlap family maintained ties to the ranch until the 1950s.
The adobe was originally only one story and had three rooms. The parlor was in the center with a bedroom on each side. This is the parlor.
Notice the thickness of the adobe walls next to the window.
This is Mr. Waters.
This is the south facing bedroom.
This is the north facing bedroom that was later converted to a kitchen, probably by the Dunlap family. At the time of its original construction, all cooking was done in a separate, detached building due to fire concerns.
When the second story was added, access to it was via a ladder through the opening above the window. There are three bedrooms upstairs.
When originally built, the walls probably weren't plastered and the floors were probably dirt.
It still looks pretty good after 150 years.
