#42. San Bernardino AsistenciaIt is a branch of the San Gabriel Mission that was built in 1830. It was attacked and looted several times after being built, and sold to Jose del Carmen Lugo as part of a ranch grant. A plaque in the museum explains that he and his family were in constant fear of hostile Indian attacks. The ranch was sole to the Mormons in 1840. The plaque reads:
This branch of San Gabriel Mission was constructed about 1830 on the San Bernardino Rancho. During the 1840s, its buildings were used by José del Carmen Lugo as part of his rancho grant. Later, after its sale to the Mormons, it was occupied by Bishop Tenney in the 1850s, and by Dr. Benjamin Barton in the 1860s. Its restoration was completed in 1937 by the Works Progress Administration, assisted by the San Bernardino County Historical Society.
California Registered Landmark No. 42
Plaque placed by the California State Park Commission in cooperation with the San Bernardino County Museum Association, April 24, 1960.
It was absoultely beautiful. When I dream of the perfect place to live, my "La Fortuna" this is what I picture. It is off a major road, yet when you walk into the actual grounds of the Asistencia, it is peaceful and calm. The plaster on the walls has been time yellowed. The adobe bricks in the old barn have multiple hues of oranges, browns, and reds that are rarely seen in newer, machine manufactured bricks of today. There are furnishings in the main building that originally belonged to the del Carmen Lugo family. (Can you say back a truck up and swipe them- they are BEAUTIFUL!).
There is a care-taker that lives on the grounds full time. I also believe that they still hold services in the chapel. One can also rent the grounds for weddings and special occasions.
My peanut also enjoyed running around the grounds.
I have lived near this site for 10+ years now, and had never taken the time to stop. If you love architecture or history, this is a definite quick stop!
#44. The Mormon Stockade.
The sad thing about my historical scavenger hunt is that sometimes the only thing I get to see is a sign or a plaque letting me know that this is a place that history was stood. The downtown area of San Bernardino is a prime example of this. According to the CA Historical Website "On this site in 1839 was built the first house in San Bernardino, the home of José del Carmen Lugo, one of the grantees of the San Bernardino Rancho. In 1851 a stockade of logs was built here as a protection against the Indians, in it more than a hundred families lived for over a year." There are no logs. It is now the site of the San Bernardino County Courthouse. However, there are some plaques! This one reads:
Daughters of Utah Pioneers
No. 302 Erected 1964
SETTLEMENT OF SAN BERNARDINO
In March 1851 Charles C. Rich and Amasa M. Lyman, apostles of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, left Utah with 437 people "To establish a stronghold for the gathering saints in California." Jefferson Hunt, David Seeley and Andrew Lytle were captains of organized companies. They purchased the Rancho 'De San Bernardino,' selected a site for settlement, built a fort enclosing 100 homes and erected an adobe building for church and school. 1300 acres of grain were planted, crist and saw mills erected and roads were made into nearby canyons. Local government was established, city incorporated and the population doubled before the call back to Utah by president Brigham Young in 1857. Pioneers from Yerba Buena, England, and the Pacific had joined the settlement.
San Bernardino County, Calif.
In terms of beautiful buildings, the San Bernardino County Court House is one a prime example of the Romanesque/Art Deco architecture of the 1920s. This building was built in 1926. When you enter it (yes, I have had the "privilege" on more than one occasion- speeding ticket, jury duty), the floors, the wood paneling, and many other features of the original building still exist. You are not, however allowed to take photos.
# 528 and 620 The Yucaipa Adobe and the Yucaipa Ranchera
Unfortunately, I don't have much to report about this site. It is about 1/2 an acre in the middle of, well, not the best neighborhood, that has been fenced off. I was not able to tour the grounds because it closes at 3pm, and I got there at 3:10. If you enlarge the picture, to the left of the Adobe you can see the historic plaque.
It was one more piece of the large puzzle of land that belonged to the Lugo's land grant. It is also supposed to be the oldest house in San Bernardino County. It was acquired by SBCo. in 1955. You can tell around the back that some additions were made to the original adobe, I would guess in the 30s or 40s judging by how the structure looks.
The land surrounding the adobe, the Ranchera was were large populations of Serrano Indians lived. It was a valley that was supported by springs and creeks. The indians called this valley "Yucaipat" which means "wet-lands". Native American's lived here year round.
San Bernardino is a great place for a history scavenger hunt. As I said, though, sadly, much of the history has been replaced by new construction, and a little sign sticking out of the ground.
I used to work at a local newspaper across from the courthouse. In the building I worked in was the first hotel in San Bernardino, the Bella Union built in 1857. It also was the site of two of the first adobe schools built by the Mormons in 1854. It also was the site of the Opera House, which operated until 1927. Then it became a Fox Theater. I don't know at what point the newspaper took over the building, but the theater was reduced to a storage building. I do have photos somewhere of all of this that I need to dig out. Now, the building belongs to a sports medicine university. Around the area is also the Mormon Flour Mill and the Allen Iron Works.
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