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| Relying on ancient techniques, early
Santa Ynez Valley residents fashioned building blocks from nothing more
than native soil, sand, straw and a little water. These humble adobe bricks
engendered a local architecture reflective of place, while providing thick-walled
shelter and ideal insulation against blazing heat and winter frost. To protect outer walls, builders smeared them with a layer of moist mud, followed by a coat of white lime plaster made from fire-baked seashells. Every few years, they applied a fresh coat of plaster to cover the cracks, giving their modest dwellings a bright, clean glow. Traveling through Santa Barbara County in 1849, William Lewis Manly noted the distinctive style of area dwellings when he wrote, “the material of the houses was sun-dried bricks…There was no lime in the mortar of this mason work, and the openings in the walls had iron bars across them instead of sash and glass. The roofs were as flat as the floors and were covered with a sort of tar which made them water-proof. Dried hides were spread upon the floors.” Of these simple structures, a number dating from the 19th century still survive, attesting to the durability of the medium. Withstanding floods, fires, earthquakes and suburban sprawl, they remind us of roots, resilience and a time when self-reliance ruled the west. Step inside Rancho el Alamo Pintado adobe, an unusual two-story structure built in 1884, and feel the history of the 18-inch thick adobe walls, the wrap-around veranda and the bullet holes left in the ceiling by revelers marking Queen Victoria’s birthday. Now serving as Rideau Winery’s tasting room, this famous adobe once reigned as a community center, drawing neighbors and travelers alike to join in conversation and lively sing-alongs around the piano. Built in 1853 by the first physician to settle in the Valley and once the home of Vincent and Margery Evans who did extensive remodeling and held many grand parties during the years they lived there, the Rancho de la Cuesta adobe, is now the home of Bill and Jeri Mosby. The adobe boasted 13 rooms around an open court. At one time or another, the gracious adobe sheltered just about every traveler  ambling along El Camino Real, including shady characters, such as Solomon Pico and Joaquin Murietta, who counted on the good doctor for medical help, a meal and a change of horses in exchange for immunity from future depredations. Derived from an Arabic word modified in Moorish Spain, adobe describes a material that still figures in sound, sustainable construction. Recently concluding work on phase I of La Rinconada Winery, west of Buellton, builders unveiled a stunning facility featuring adobe bricks made right on site. When completed, the compound will qualify as the largest adobe structure to be constructed in California since the advent of the missions 200 years ago. Brooklyn has its brownstones and Cape Cod its shingled homes, both architectural styles that reflect a comforting sense of place. Here in the Santa Ynez Valley, the spirit of the southwest lives on, thanks to early builders who fashioned an architectural legacy from natural, durable adobe. |
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Copyright 2006, Inside Santa Ynez Valley Magazine, All Rights Reserved |
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