 Moraga Adobe c.1935 Photo Courtesy Orinda Historical Society | Don
Joaquin Moraga was the grandson of Jose Joaquin Moraga (b. 1745) an
early Spanish explorer in California who founded the city of San Jose.
In 1835, Don Joaquin Moraga and his cousin, Don Juan Bernal,
received a land grant from the Mexican government including portions
of Orinda, Moraga, Lafayette, and Canyon.
In 1841, Moraga
settled on a piece of property overlooking the southern section of
Orinda, near the present-day Orinda-Moraga city line. He built a
three room adobe house, where his family lived for many years. |
In
1941, the adobe was restored and expanded, with the addition of modern
wood-framed bedrooms in the rear, and the adobe walls were covered.
The adobe and the additions were renovated again in the 1960's. |  Moraga Adobe c.1941
Photo Courtesy Orinda Historical Society |
 Calif. Landmark Plaque
Photo by Teresa
Long | The Moraga
Adobe has been recognized as a historical landmark by the State of
California in 1954 (Landmark #509,) the City of Orinda in 1995, and is
listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The California
State plaque near the front door of the adobe reads as follows: “The
Joaquin Moraga Adobe—1841: Jose Joaquin Moraga—member of the Juan
Bautista De Anza 1776 expedition, founder and first commandante
of the Presidio of San Francisco—was the grandfather of Don Joaquin
Moraga who with his cousin Don Juan Bernal was awarded this grant in
1835 which they called Rancho Laguna De Los Palos Colorados. In
August 1941 this property was acquired and restoration made by
Katharine Brown White Irvine of Oakland. Later ownership was
bequeathed to her grandson William Thornton White III— Contra
Costa County Historical Society 1954 California State Registration No.
509”
|
Today,
the Moraga Adobe is privately owned and unoccupied. The overall
condition of the original adobe section and the more modern addition is
neglected, but the building appears sound.
The surrounding
property was recently purchased, and the new owners have boarded up the
windows to prevent vandalism and tresspassing. |  Moraga Adobe, October 2008
Photo by Kent Long |
