Estancia Diego Sepulveda began on the banks of the Santa Ana River. as a former Rancho of Mission San Juan Capistrano. Before that time, Native American had settled on this mesa, a part of the village they called Lukup. The site was only occasionally visited by the Padres. In the early 1800s Capistrano Mission cattle grazed in what is now Costa Mesa and some form of shelter was required for the herdsmen. The Estancia is six Spanish leagues northwest of Mission San Juan Capistrano which was founded in 1776.
The exact date of the founding is not yet known, but some time between 1817 and 1823 but more likely between 1820 and 1823, a small adobe was built to house the majordomo and his men. The Majordomo was the ranch manager. The adobe bricks used in the missions were larger than those used later. These larger bricks still make up the east and south walls.
After the Mission Period, the Estancia became the property of Don Diego Sepulveda, a former alcalde of the Pueblo de Los Angeles. It was Sepulveda wh oexpanded the house to it's current design and used the smaller bricks found in the rest of the building. After Sepulveda, ownership passed through Gabe Allen, his brother, Jesse Allen, the Allens, the Adams family, and the Estancia appears as the "Derby Ranch" on a 1939 map. After the first World War, Costa Mesa Post 455, American Legion, held its first meetings at the Estancia.
The Segerstrom family purchased the property in 1940 and in 1963 gave the Estancia and the surrounding 5-acre site to the City of Costa Mesa. Until recently, a frame structure, built to the west, and a high peaked roof over the entire combined building sheltered the structure. The frame structure concealing the Adobe was removed and the adobe Estancia restored. A special committee of the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce, which later became the Costa Mesa Historical Society, established a museum inside the building.
The adobe is open 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm.
Location: In Estancia Park in Costa Mesa. At the corner of Adams Avenue and Mesa Verde Dr. W. Enter on Boa Vista Dr.
1900 Adams Ave.
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
|
