Home sweet home

Reyes Adobe a lasting symbol of city’s historical past



KIDS FIRST—Children learn to make fresh tortillas, the old-fashioned way, during Reyes Adobe Days. Acorn file photo

KIDS FIRST—Children learn to make fresh tortillas, the old-fashioned way, during Reyes Adobe Days. Acorn file photo

One can’t give props to the City of Agoura Hills without paying tribute to its historic Reyes Adobe, a landmark homestead that remained occupied by families from the time it was built in 1850 until it caught the attention of a local historical society in 1980. It has been a protected property ever since.

The adobe-style rancho house was built by Jose Paulino Reyes, one of 14 children of Maria Antonia Machado and Jose Jacinto Reyes.

Newbury Park resident Paul Valdez said his great-grandparents owned the land next to the Reyes’ property, and he remembers playing at the adobe site as a child.

“We used to go and pet the horses and stuff like that at their place,” Valdez said. “Our water came from the Reyes Adobe.”

By 1922 the home was occupied by George Graff and his cousin, John Beyer. In 1930 Beyer moved back to the house with his wife, Myrtle.

In 1935 Malcolm McKenzie, an orthodontist, bought the property for $3,500. An expert in adobe architecture with a passion for local history, McKenzie renovated the site and kept its historical integrity, but he sold the adobe and its surrounding 35 acres to Jon and Myrtis Dodson in 1945. The Dodsons were singers: Myrtis sang on Broadway while Jon was a tenor with a performing group.

UNIQUE BACKYARD—The Adobe, Agoura Hills’ first homestead built around 1850, represents more than 170 years of colorful California history. The site hosts events each year to honor the adobe rancho and its Native American and American settler roots. Acorn file photos

UNIQUE BACKYARD—The Adobe, Agoura Hills’ first homestead built around 1850, represents more than 170 years of colorful California history. The site hosts events each year to honor the adobe rancho and its Native American and American settler roots. Acorn file photos

The Dodsons, wrote Susan Pascal in “Images of America, Agoura Hills,” were the first owners in more than a decade to live in the house full time.

Jon Dodson died in 1963. Myrtis Dodson moved out of the adobe and leased the property to tenants well into the 1970s.

Mrs. Michael Windler was the last of three tenants, according to city records. She called the site Hunter Haven Farms and lived there with her daughter.

Myrtis Dodson sold the Reyes Adobe in 1978 to a developer under the condition that the home would remain intact.

By 1980, the Reyes Adobe had caught the attention of the Las Virgenes Historical Society, which started a restoration fund for the structure. In addition to raising money, the group nominated the adobe for the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Within a year of incorporation, the City of Agoura Hills had acquired the Reyes Adobe rancho and parkland from Los Angeles County. Then-Mayor Fran Pavley designated the Reyes Adobe home as a historic landmark in March 1984. In 1988, Mayor Jack Koenig designated the barn a local historical structure.

In 2002, the City of Agoura Hills sought funding for the rehabilitation of the adobe, which the city viewed as a “valuable cultural resource and the source of community pride,” according to the city’s website.

The Reyes Adobe Citizen’s Advisory Committee was formed to help with the design of the home and site, construction plans, furnishings that fit the history of the house, as well as plans for educational programs and community outreach.

With the financial support of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the Getty Grant program and state park propositions, the City of Agoura Hills hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on Nov. 15, 2003, to launch the start of construction and renovation.

In less than a year, the Reyes Adobe Historical Site opened to the public. Programs highlighted California heritage with authentically furnished rooms, hands-on exhibits and artifacts dating from the 1850s.

Since its opening, the Reyes Adobe Historical Site has become a city treasure. Each year, the three-day Reyes Adobe Days festival draws thousands of residents throughout the region who participate in a variety of activities, including parades, races, music, games, dances and petting zoos.

Xochitl Ruwhiu, Agoura Hills recreation manager, called the site a “gem” in the city.

Amy Brink, director of community services, said, “The City of Agoura Hills is fortunate to have a small piece of California history in the Reyes Adobe Historical Site.

“ The culture and stories that it offers the community are priceless. It is a valuable treasure loved by the community, docents and visitors, but recognized as a piece of the rich history that exists in Agoura Hills.”