The Carrillo Adobe : Aspects of American Perspectives on Hispanic Culture and Their Impact on Considerations of a Historic Structure

Purpose of Study: The Carrillo Adobe is a site of historic significance for the community of Santa Rosa that has been the subject of sporadic, unsuccessful attempts at restoration. It is occasionally the object of local controversy and is still considered for restoration. This study analyzes the evolution of community attitudes toward the Carrillo Adobe and explains some of the reasons for the adobe's current state, and why particular restoration efforts emerged when they did. Scope: This thesis is focused on the evolving attitudes toward Hispanic people and how those attitudes have shaped the adobe's history. There are other aspects to the adobe's story, many of which are at least briefly addressed in this study. However, this thesis is not intended as a comprehensive explanation for all facets of the adobe's history. Procedure: Numerous public documents, newspapers, travel journals, diaries, letters and manuscripts, photographs and personal interviews with Carrillo descendants and a Santa Rosa city official were used to analyze the history of the adobe, the evolution of American perspectives on Hispanic People and Santa Rosa's attitudes toward the Carrillo site. Archives, libraries and museums were explored for primary sources. In addition, a wide array of published historical literature was examined to provide a context by which to understand the adobe's history. Findings: Research has revealed that after 1846 Americans rapidly marginalized Hispanic culture in Sonoma County, including the Carrillo Adobe. In the late 1800's a process began by which American society recognized and absorbed the Hispanic roots of California. This process proved complex and uneven. Romanticization, desire for tourist dollars, and financial recession all played roles in the recognition of the Spanish and Mexican era in Sonoma County. Recognition was capricious and sometimes fleeting, especially in Santa Rosa where the Carrillo Adobe would sporadically attract the community's attention. The legacy of this process, combined with issues of private property, historic preservation, and city government, has left the Carrillo Adobe unrestored and in an uncertain state.