LOOKING BACK

Young Chang

The Estancia Adobe -- a subtle little house on 1600 Adams Avenue in

Costa Mesa -- is the perfect example of the bits of history scattered,

but preserved, throughout the city.

Built in 1820, the Estancia (or waystation) served as shelter for

Indian herdsmen from San Juan Capistrano who took care of cattle. The

house was a small adobe structure then, with a tar and tule flat roof,

said Mary Allen Goddard, a volunteer for the Costa Mesa Historical

Society.

Today the house has one large room, a kitchen and a bedroom. It

probably contained several smaller rooms during the time of the herdsmen,

but was transformed as it passed through the hands of different owners,

Goddard said.

After the period of the missions, the property was owned by Don Diego

Sepulveda, a former official of the pueblo of Los Angeles. This was

before Los Angeles was an official city, Goddard said. Large bricks used

to build the original structure were replaced with smaller ranch-type

bricks during renovation projects of this time.

By about the 1880s, a Los Angeles man named Dave Allen, who had fought

in the Mexican War, acquired the property. His brother Jesse Allen owned

it for 17 years, Goddard said. The Estancia was then owned by the Adams

family, after whom the local street was named.

In 1940, the Segerstrom family took over the house. They gave it over

to the city to be used as a museum in 1963. The total size of the donated

land reaches about 5 acres.

“I like showing people around and telling them about it,” said Gladys

Refakes, also a volunteer at the historical society. “I think it’s

important we know some of the background of our local history.”

With six-candle chandeliers, Spanish shawls in showcases, stone and

iron artifacts and an old fireplace, Refakes said the small, but very

authentic, museum especially benefits third- and fourth-grade children

who are required to learn some state history in schools.

“It’s always interesting to show children through and hear their

questions,” Refakes said.

* Do you know of a person, place or event that deserves a historical

Look Back? Let us know. Contact Young Chang by fax at (949) 646-4170;

e-mail at young.chang@latimes.com; or mail her at c/o Daily Pilot, 330 W.

Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627.

FYI

WHAT: Estancia Adobe

WHEN: From noon to 4 p.m. the first and third Saturday of every month.

WHERE: 1900 Adams Ave., Costa Mesa

COST: Free, but donations accepted

CALL: (949) 631-5918