HISTORIC SAN JUAN
BY JAN SIEGEL, SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Capistrano, has been a part of our heritage from the very begin- ning—showcasing how history, intrigue, curiosity and economics all come together under one roof. It’s the Blas Aguilar Adobe. Native American apprentice
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workers, the Juaneños, built the adobe in 1794 to house Spanish soldiers and Natives working at the Mission. Isidro Aguilar, the master mason for the Mission’s Great Stone Church resided there between 1797 and 1803. In 1845, the last Mexican mayor and the first Justice of the Peace of the United States in San Juan Capistrano, Don Blas Aguilar, pur- chased two adobes and named them “La Hacienda Aguilar.” Don Blas Aguilar was born on February 3, 1811. Blas followed his father in the position of Al- calde, for which he served as the last regional mayor under Mexi- can rule. According to historic public records, an Alcalde “enact- ed, adjudicated, and executed local laws. He was the judge of the first instance, justice of the peace, notary public, recorder escrow agent, boss of the Coun- cil and probably the town’s most useful citizen.” His position was of significant importance in both the Mexican and American com- munities of historic San Juan. Blas Aguilar purchased the adobes from Zeferno Taroge, a Native American who worked at the Mission. At the time, the ado- bes consisted of two wings—one called “Casa de Esperanza” or House of Hope remains today as the Blas Aguilar Adobe. The other was torn down in the 1930s. The 1850 census shows Po- lonia Gutierrez, the first recorded deed holder of Los Rios Street’s Montañez Adobe, resided at the adobe for a time. Don Blas Agui-
Blas Aguilar Adobe
lar was her brother-in-law. Blas died in 1885. His wife continued to live in the adobe. Blas’ Grand- son, Don Juan Aguilar, worked at the Mission under Monsignor St. John O’Sullivan—a Catholic priest born in Louisville, Kentucky who undertook the restoration of Mission San Juan Capistrano upon his arrival in 1910. Don Juan worked as a Mission tour guide, assistant manager and restorer—eventually turning his family’s adobe into a museum with his collection of local and family artifacts on display. In a front-page newspaper article from 1931, recalling the 82nd birthday of Aguilar descen- dent Lorenza Aguilar Mantiquez, who was born and raised in the adobe, she related how in 1857—during the looting of the town by the Juan Flores gang— her family hid in the rear of the adobe. During that time, the front of the adobe housed a storeroom where the gang pillaged a lot of the goods. The family, a pivotal force in
the history of San Juan for more than 200 years, maintained own- ership of the property until 1940 when the Catholic Diocese of Orange bought the property. Texaco purchased the property in 1963 with plans to tear it and surrounding adobes down for a gas station. City Council members tried to stop the company, but
had little right to make conditions. To save the adobes they needed to purchase them. The first adobe scheduled for demolition was the Canedo Adobe at the corner of El Camino Real and Ortega Highway. Ultimately, the city did not buy and the Candeo Adobe became a casualty of economics. By 1975, many in town had become frustrated with his- toric landmarks being torn down. Texaco, was now moving forward with plans to build a hotel on the Blas Aguilar Adobe and Historic Town Center Park sites. Before too much headway was made, Chap- man College professor Nicholas Magalousis found the area to be of archaeological importance. City leaders followed advice from his findings the area should not be disturbed and protected the sites. San Juan Capistrano eventually purchased the adobe in 1987. The city had plans to turn the adobe into a museum, but did not have the money to embark on the creation. Then David Belardes, whose family roots are a part of this adobe, entered the fray. Domingo Belardes, current chair of the Blas Aguilar Foun- dation, is the great-great-great grandson of Don Blas Aguilar. In 1996, Domingo said, “I just want people to understand that there was a culture here. His father, David, added, “Our story is the story of San Juan.”
In 1990, Ilse Byrnes worked
to get the adobe placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Blas Aguilar Adobe Museum and Juaneño Acjache- men Culture Center—displaying artifacts depicting the lives of San Juan’s native people along with those of its Spanish, Mexican and European settlers—opened to the public in 1996. Three years ago, the foundation discovered an old well, oven and adobe wall just outside the Blas Aguilar building. This year will see the Blas
Aguilar Adobe’s preservation work completed—work made possible by a state grant aimed to help nonprofit organizations and public institutions with an emphasis on California’s natural science and Native American cultures. Unfor- tunately, David Belardes won’t see the improvements. He passed away in January 2015. But, his son and the Blas Aguilar Foundation continue the work he envisioned for the adobe 20 years ago. The history of San Juan Cap- istrano, and its diverse cultures, is exhibited behind the walls of this adobe. Be sure to visit our heri- tage at the Blas Aguilar Adobe, at 31806 El Camino Real, next to Historic Town Center Park. Also, stop by the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society’s O’Neill Mu- seum, located at 31831 Los Rios Street, to learn more about this town’s rich history.
VISITSJC.COM SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUSINESS DIRECTORY & VISITOR GUIDE 15
ach plot of land in San Juan Capistrano has history. One particu- lar piece, aside from Mission San Juan
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