Jensen Alvarado Ranch
Encyclopedia
The Jensen Alvarado Ranch is a historic park and museum in Riverside County, California
, USA, and is operated by the Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District (RivCo Parks)
. It can be accessed from 4350 Riverview Drive, Rubidoux
or 4307 Briggs Street, Riverside
. It was the first kiln
-fired brick building built in Riverside County
, and is the oldest non-adobe
structure in the Inland Empire
.
settled in Agua Mansa
around 1854 where he ran a store, and he married Californio
Mercedes Alvarado soon thereafter. After the Great Flood of 1862
, most of the town was destroyed with the exception of the cemetery, the chapel, and Jensen's store. Some years later, Jensen bought a part of the Rubidoux
ranch. Jensen and Alvarado bought land in Agua Mansa in 1865.
They built their Danish vernacular style home between 1868 and 1870 on a ranch of 300–400 acre (121.4–161.9 ). Jensen built his home on this land using traditional bricks, having learned from the 1862 flood that adobe
bricks dissolve in water. Their home, which served as the area's general store, post office, and stage stop, was built next to the town's chapel. The ranch, valued at one time at approximately $30,000, was the second-most valuable in Riverside County
.
birthplace, while also incorporating a front porch
, which reflected Mercedes' influence as a Californio
. The house was the first kiln-fired brick building in the county. It was also one of California's first clay
brick buildings, and it used clay found on the ranch itself. The rock foundation and the lime used in the mortar were from a Jensen's quarry north of the house. The wood for the house beams came from the San Bernardino Mountains
. The house has high ceilings, but only one closet
.
There are several other brick buildings on the ranch, including a winery, which now serves as a museum.
. While Riverside
was a temperance city, the Jensen's Agua Mansa ranch, on the other side of the Santa Ana River
, had a vineyard; 2000 gal of wine were produced and sold each year.
The property is a registered California Historical Landmark
(Cornelius and Mercedes Jensen Ranch, No. 943) and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
on September 6, 1979. It is notable for the architecture, and agricultural development of the time, as well as Jensen's settlement here, and his career in government.
Riverside County, California
Riverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
, USA, and is operated by the Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District (RivCo Parks)
Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District (RivCo Parks)
The Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District is a special district operating in Riverside County, California. The District’s focus encompasses providing high-quality recreational opportunities and preserving important features of the County’s Natural, Cultural and Historical...
. It can be accessed from 4350 Riverview Drive, Rubidoux
Rubidoux, California
Rubidoux was a census-designated place and an unincorporated community in Riverside County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 34,280, up from 29,180 at the 2000 census. Like much of the fast-growing Inland Empire Metropolitan Area, Rubidoux is rapidly changing...
or 4307 Briggs Street, Riverside
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
. It was the first kiln
Kiln
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, or oven, in which a controlled temperature regime is produced. Uses include the hardening, burning or drying of materials...
-fired brick building built in Riverside County
Riverside County, California
Riverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
, and is the oldest non-adobe
Adobe
Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for...
structure in the Inland Empire
Inland Empire (California)
The Inland Empire is a region in Southern California. The region sits directly east of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Inland Empire most commonly is used in reference to the U.S. Census Bureau's federally-defined Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area, which covers more than...
.
History
The Danish sea captain Cornelius JensenCornelius Jensen
Cornelius Boy Jensen was a Danish sea captain and California politician. Of the nine one-year terms that he served as county supervisor between 1856 and 1877, Jensen was the Chairman of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors four times. His Agua Mansa home, the Jensen Alvarado Ranch, is...
settled in Agua Mansa
Agua Mansa, California
Agua Mansa is a former settlement in an unincorpated area of San Bernardino County, California, United States. Now a ghost town, only the cemetery remains, it once was the largest settlement in San Bernardino County. The town was established in 1845 on the Santa Ana River, across from the town of...
around 1854 where he ran a store, and he married Californio
Californio
Californio is a term used to identify a Spanish-speaking Catholic people, regardless of race, born in California before 1848...
Mercedes Alvarado soon thereafter. After the Great Flood of 1862
Great Flood of 1862
The Great Flood of 1862 or Noachian Deluge was the largest flood in the recorded history of Oregon, Nevada and California, occurring from December 1861 to January 1862. It was preceded by weeks of continuous rains that began in Oregon in November 1861 and continued into January 1862...
, most of the town was destroyed with the exception of the cemetery, the chapel, and Jensen's store. Some years later, Jensen bought a part of the Rubidoux
Louis Rubidoux
Louis Rubidoux was an early European settler in the area of modern-day Riverside, California, United States. He arrived in California in 1844. He bought Rancho San Jacinto y San Gorgonio from James Johnson in 1845, and a portion of the Rancho Jurupa from Benjamin Wilson in 1849. Rubidoux...
ranch. Jensen and Alvarado bought land in Agua Mansa in 1865.
They built their Danish vernacular style home between 1868 and 1870 on a ranch of 300–400 acre (121.4–161.9 ). Jensen built his home on this land using traditional bricks, having learned from the 1862 flood that adobe
Adobe
Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for...
bricks dissolve in water. Their home, which served as the area's general store, post office, and stage stop, was built next to the town's chapel. The ranch, valued at one time at approximately $30,000, was the second-most valuable in Riverside County
Riverside County, California
Riverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
.
Architecture
The home's architectural style, Danish vernacular, reflected Jensen's SyltSylt
Sylt is an island in northern Germany, part of Nordfriesland district, Schleswig-Holstein, and well known for the distinctive shape of its shoreline. It belongs to the North Frisian Islands and is the largest island in North Frisia...
birthplace, while also incorporating a front porch
Porch
A porch is external to the walls of the main building proper, but may be enclosed by screen, latticework, broad windows, or other light frame walls extending from the main structure.There are various styles of porches, all of which depend on the architectural tradition of its location...
, which reflected Mercedes' influence as a Californio
Californio
Californio is a term used to identify a Spanish-speaking Catholic people, regardless of race, born in California before 1848...
. The house was the first kiln-fired brick building in the county. It was also one of California's first clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
brick buildings, and it used clay found on the ranch itself. The rock foundation and the lime used in the mortar were from a Jensen's quarry north of the house. The wood for the house beams came from the San Bernardino Mountains
San Bernardino Mountains
The San Bernardino Mountains are a short transverse mountain range north and east of San Bernardino in Southern California in the United States. The mountains run for approximately 60 miles east-west on the southern edge of the Mojave Desert in southwestern San Bernardino County, north of the...
. The house has high ceilings, but only one closet
Closet
A closet is a small and enclosed space, a cabinet, or a cupboard in a house or building used for general storage or hanging clothes. A closet for food storage is usually referred to as a pantry...
.
There are several other brick buildings on the ranch, including a winery, which now serves as a museum.
Agriculture
In addition to apricot and orange orchards, growing wheat, and raising sheep on the Agua Mansa ranch, the Jensens had another 400 acres (161.9 ha) in TemeculaTemecula, California
Temecula is a city in southwestern Riverside County, California, United States with a population of 100,097 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it the lowest populated American city over 100,000 population. It was incorporated on December 1, 1989...
. While Riverside
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
was a temperance city, the Jensen's Agua Mansa ranch, on the other side of the Santa Ana River
Santa Ana River
The Santa Ana River is the largest river of Southern California in the United States. Its drainage basin spans four counties. It rises in the San Bernardino Mountains and flows past the cities of San Bernardino and Riverside, before cutting through the northern tip of the Santa Ana Mountains and...
, had a vineyard; 2000 gal of wine were produced and sold each year.
Landmark
The ranch and home are part of the 32 acres (12.9 ha) Jensen Alvarado Ranch Historic Park and Museum, an 1880s living history interpretive museum administered by Riverside County Parks. Tourists are led by interpreters, dressed in period clothing, who demonstrate butter churning and cooking tortillas.The property is a registered California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmarks are buildings, structures, sites, or places in the state of California that have been determined to have statewide historical significance by meeting at least one of the criteria listed below:...
(Cornelius and Mercedes Jensen Ranch, No. 943) and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on September 6, 1979. It is notable for the architecture, and agricultural development of the time, as well as Jensen's settlement here, and his career in government.
External links
- Jensen Alvarado Ranch - official site