Alvarado Adobe
Theft at the Adobe!
The Alvarado Adobe Museum in San Pablo is asking for help after dozens of artifacts were stolen from them last month. NBC Bay Area Tonight news anchor, Raj Mathai spoke with Janet Pottier, board president of the San Pablo Historical and Museum Society on this. The live interview took place on Thursday evening, September 28. Click below to view online.
The following evening, Roxy Miraválle, director of Historical Research was interviewed for the Spanish community by Libertad Pedraza of NBC's sister station, TELEMUNDO 48 on Friday, September 29. Click below to view online.
My interview with Libertad Pedraza of NBC's TELEMUNDO 48, which took over an hour to complete, ended up as a 2.17 minute news broadcast on Telemundo's Cable Channel 18 this evening. However, hopefully we can get more coverage with this broadcast to help resolve this case.
Transcript:
They steal about $50,000 worth of historical pieces from the Alvarado Adobe Museum in San Pablo.
The place is known for having a record of the history of the Californios who arrived from Mexico and founded the basis of the Bay Area.
The Alvarado Adobe Museum in San Pablo is asking for help from the community to locate dozens of historical and irreplaceable objects that were stolen in early August.
"Someone broke a window and took a lot of things, as there are four rooms, I believe they started in front," explained Roxy Miraválle, director of history of the Alvarado Adobe Museum.
In 2021 we made a history of this museum, which is known for having a record of the history of the Californios who arrived from Mexico and founded the foundations of the Bay Area.
A room containing fabrics and embroidery of the time, mannequins and religious figures were looted by thieves.
"They took all the items and artifacts of the indigenous people, things that they discovered in different excavations in San Pablo, they took 80% of those indigenous things and about a third of them, Hispanic and Portuguese were items," Miraválle said.
San Pablo police responded to the report and are in charge of the investigation. "Unfortunately, a construction site located next to the museum caused a power outage that temporarily disabled the alarms," said Alfredo Rodriguez, a detective with the San Pablo police.
Authorities estimate that the stolen items exceed the value of $50,000, and it could be even more since some artifacts were not cataloged.
"They are things that cannot be replaced, they are of a sentimental value, value of the history of this place, of San Pablo, of the rancho and how it came to be a city and that is more value than money, losing its history," Miraválle said.
On the San Pablo Museum website, they've made a photographic list with part of the stolen objects. We are asking if anyone has or knows anything or sees anything about the items they took to contact the police," Miraválle said.
Currently the Alvarado Adobe has already reactivated and renewed its entire security alarm system and put bars on its windows, they have not reopened their doors since the incident.
"I personally felt like I didn't want to see the mess they caused here because you feel like at any moment they're going to come back and they're going to take everything else, you don't feel safe," Miraválle said.
If you have information about this case or know of anyone who has attempted to sell the historical items, call the San Pablo police at (510) 724-1111. The case number is #23-3322.
💥🕵️ Citizens Alert Kidnapping! 🕵️💥
‼️Please share this‼️
We need your help. Sometime between Saturday, August 5 and Monday, August 8, the Alvarado Adobe was broken into and several items, make that CART LOADS of items, were STOLEN! All the items in a trunk that are tied to our early Portuguese history were taken. The bedspread from the bed in Gabriella’s room, including our mannequin, Delfina was taken! Some of the display cases were also damaged (and the glass broken) in the process of taking the items. Most of these items are only of historical value to us and to the history of Rancho San Pablo. Items that cannot be replaced. However, of all the items taken, our entire Native American display at the Adobe Museum was taken. These are not only priceless artifacts, but it's a part of our early history that can NEVER be replaced.
PLEASE help us find who did this egregious act of theft, not just to the Historical and Museum Society, but to the citizens of San Pablo who have now lost these most valuable and historical artifacts.
If you see or hear of anyone in possession of or trying to sell any historical artifacts, please immediately contact San Pablo PD; Phone: 510-724-1111. The case number is #23-3322.
With your help, we can solve this case. Below, are a few photos of the many items that were taken to help identify them. We appreciate any help in solving this theft to facilitate their return. Items that are a huge part of our cherished history! Please share this post and pass the word along.
💥🕵️UPDATE - BOLO🕵️💥
Below are some photos from our cataloged archive of items that were taken from the Adobe. Of course, this is just a partial inventory of everything that was taken since some items had not yet been catalogued. This will give you a visual of what to look out for. You may come across something online, at a flea market, a yard sale, an antique shop or just about any place or in possession of someone trying to get rid of it for a few dollars.
If you see or hear of anyone in possession of or trying to sell any these historical artifacts, please do not interact, instead, immediately contact San Pablo PD; Phone: 510-724-1111. The case number is #23-3322.
With your help, we can solve this case. Attached are a few photos of the many items that were taken to help identify them. We appreciate any help in solving this theft to facilitate their return. Items that are a huge part of our cherished history! Please share this post and pass the word along.
Stolen Items from the Alvarado Adobe can be seen at the following link.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/e9j1its2csn1nkr/AACh-psEeXwbq6mJfdm2GOtza?dl=0
Read Mike Kinney's article on the historical items stolen in the Alvarado Adobe Museum burglary. https://richmondstandard.com/crime/2023/08/14/numerous-historical-items-stolen-in-alvarado-adobe-museum-burglary/
Below is a slideshow of stolen artifacts.
Below is a slideshow of more of the missing/stolen items listed in our Catalog Archives.
Remember, if you see or hear of anyone in possession of or trying to sell any historical artifacts, please immediately contact San Pablo PD; Phone: 510-724-1111. The case number is #23-3322.
With your help, we can solve this case!! Thank you.
Alvarado Adobe | Built 1842
California Historical Landmark 512
Alvarado Square in San Pablo Civic Center
Northwest Corner of San Pablo Avenue and Church Lane, San Pablo
Site of adobe house, grape arbor, and gardens built in 1842 by Jesús María Castro for his mother, Doña Gabriéla Berryessa de Castro, widow of Francisco María Castro who had been granted Rancho (Cuchiyunes) San Pablo in 1823. When Doña Gabriéla died in 1851, the adobe became the property of her daughter, Martina Castro de Alvarado, wife of Juan Bautista Alvarado, who was Governor of California from 1836 to 1842.
Citation from California Office of Historic Preservation: http://ohp.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=21415
This site was evaluated by the National Park Service Western Office, Division of Design and Construction and is listed in the Historic American Buildings Survey, Engineering Records.
http://www.bahhm.org/east-bay/east-bay-bayside/alvarado-adobe-and-blume-house/
November 24, 2020
Future development plans for the 4.64-acre former San Pablo City Hall property at San Pablo Avenue and Church Lane have drawn concern from the San Pablo Historical and Museum Society, which manages the Alvarado Adobe Museum that is included within the property.
This past summer, City Hall relocated from its former home at San Pablo Avenue and Church Lane, to a brand new building at 1000 Gateway Avenue. For several years, the city has pursued the idea of turning the “old City Hall” location into a mixed-use development, without removing historic buildings such as Alvarado Adobe Museum or the Blume House or public access to them.
In October, the city entered into an exclusive negotiations agreement for the property with Danco Communities and the Muholland Drive Company. The current redevelopment proposal is for 100 affordable multi-family units, 17,500 square feet of commercial space and continued use of existing historic cultural properties, according to city documents. Read Mike Kinney's full article here.
Restaurant or Café?
City Manager Matt Rodriguez insisted the Alvarado Adobe would not be turned into a drinking establishment, saying such a proposal is prohibited under the city’s zoning ordinances. However, the vision was and remains to turn the historic structure into a commercial space such as a restaurant or café, he said.
Alvarado Square - San Pablo History.pdfSan Pablo City Hall .pdfHistory repeats itself. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
Oakland Tribune Jul 1954
Oakland Tribune Aug 1954
Old Alvarado Adobe
Oakland Tribune Sep 1954
Dismantling Alvarado Adobe 1954
Dismantling Alvarado Adobe 1954
Oakland Tribune Sep 1954
Oakland Tribune Sep 1954
“You can't go back in time and start over again, but you can still aim for a new ending starting from now.”
The Future of Alvarado Adobe
Access to the Adobe has been fenced off and is now on Danco property and its construction site. It will soon be transformed into a "Commercial Space."
The former site where the Alvarado Adobe is located will also be transformed into a low-cost housing project by its new owner, Danco.
SOON TO BE A COMMERCIAL SPOT - BUT NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN!
