Orella Adobes
Encyclopedia
The Orella Adobes at Canada del Corral on the Gaviota
coast about 20 miles west of Santa Barbara
are Santa Barbara County
landmarks. The adobes may trace back to the late 18th century, as a tile was found during a remodel in the 1930s with the year "1798" on it.
The property was originally part of Rancho Cañada del Corral
. While owned by Ortega descendants, it was a frequent center of social events and played host to numerous travelers, including John C. Frémont
in 1847. Ownership passed to Bruno Orella and his wife Mercedes Gonzalez y Guevara in 1866.
Bruno Orella, was born in the Basque country in Spain
in 1830, and came to California at the time of the Gold Rush
. He married Mercedes Gonzalez y Ladron de Guevara. The couple established a prosperous farming/mercantile family with extensive holdings throughout the Santa Barbara/Ventura region. The site of Orella's town-home (known as the "Janssens-Orella-Birk Building") on the main street of Santa Barbara is on the National Register of Historic Places
. The Orellas were patrons of the local Catholic churches and religious orders. All sons of the family attended Santa Clara College
and to this day there is an Orella Prize given at that university to the student with highest grades in the sciences.
When the Orellas purchased the adobes, they became their country residence. One of the buildings served as schoolhouse to their children, and a tutor was hired to live on the ranch. Bruno's daughter, Elena Orella Covarrubias, inherited the adobes and remodeled them in the 1930s in Spanish Revival style
. Oil was found on her land in October, 1929, with the drilling of the "Erburu No. 1" well by General Petroleum Corporation. The El Capitan oil field became one of the richest in the state; production at the field peaked in 1946. It was part of Bruno's large landholdings in the region and remained in the hands of his descendants until the property was sold to Exxon Mobil Corporation
in 1971. On August 17, 1993 the Santa Barbara
Board of Supervisors declared County Landmark status for the Orella Adobes.
Gaviota, California
Gaviota is an unincorporated town in Santa Barbara County, California located about west of Santa Barbara and south of Buellton. Approximately 35 people live in and near Gaviota. The ZIP Code is 93117, and the community is inside area code 805....
coast about 20 miles west of Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
are Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, on the Pacific coast. As of 2010 the county had a population of 423,895. The county seat is Santa Barbara and the largest city is Santa Maria.-History:...
landmarks. The adobes may trace back to the late 18th century, as a tile was found during a remodel in the 1930s with the year "1798" on it.
The property was originally part of Rancho Cañada del Corral
Rancho Cañada del Corral
Rancho Cañada del Corral was a Mexican land grant in present day Santa Barbara County, California given in 1841 by Governor Protem Manuel Jimeno to José Dolores Ortega. The name means "valley corral"...
. While owned by Ortega descendants, it was a frequent center of social events and played host to numerous travelers, including John C. Frémont
John C. Frémont
John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
in 1847. Ownership passed to Bruno Orella and his wife Mercedes Gonzalez y Guevara in 1866.
Bruno Orella, was born in the Basque country in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in 1830, and came to California at the time of the Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
. He married Mercedes Gonzalez y Ladron de Guevara. The couple established a prosperous farming/mercantile family with extensive holdings throughout the Santa Barbara/Ventura region. The site of Orella's town-home (known as the "Janssens-Orella-Birk Building") on the main street of Santa Barbara is on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places listings in Santa Barbara County, California
This list includes properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Santa Barbara County, California. Click the "Map of all coordinates" link to the right to view a Google map of all properties and districts with latitude and longitude coordinates in the table...
. The Orellas were patrons of the local Catholic churches and religious orders. All sons of the family attended Santa Clara College
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University is a private, not-for-profit, Jesuit-affiliated university located in Santa Clara, California, United States. Chartered by the state of California and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, it operates in collaboration with the Society of Jesus , whose...
and to this day there is an Orella Prize given at that university to the student with highest grades in the sciences.
When the Orellas purchased the adobes, they became their country residence. One of the buildings served as schoolhouse to their children, and a tutor was hired to live on the ranch. Bruno's daughter, Elena Orella Covarrubias, inherited the adobes and remodeled them in the 1930s in Spanish Revival style
Spanish Colonial Revival Style architecture
The Spanish Colonial Revival Style was a United States architectural stylistic movement that came about in the early 20th century, starting in California and Florida as a regional expression related to history, environment, and nostalgia...
. Oil was found on her land in October, 1929, with the drilling of the "Erburu No. 1" well by General Petroleum Corporation. The El Capitan oil field became one of the richest in the state; production at the field peaked in 1946. It was part of Bruno's large landholdings in the region and remained in the hands of his descendants until the property was sold to Exxon Mobil Corporation
ExxonMobil
Exxon Mobil Corporation or ExxonMobil, is an American multinational oil and gas corporation. It is a direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil company, and was formed on November 30, 1999, by the merger of Exxon and Mobil. Its headquarters are in Irving, Texas...
in 1971. On August 17, 1993 the Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, on the Pacific coast. As of 2010 the county had a population of 423,895. The county seat is Santa Barbara and the largest city is Santa Maria.-History:...
Board of Supervisors declared County Landmark status for the Orella Adobes.