South Pasadena Preservation Foundation Celebrates
El Adobe Flores’ History, Architecture, Art, and Owners

The public is invited to celebrate South Pasadena’s 184 year-old El Adobe Flores “The House that was in México” and owners who preserved it over the years at the South Pasadena Preservation Foundation’s Annual Meeting, Sunday, June 25, at 5:30 p.m. at Republic of Lucha, 1020 Mission St., South Pasadena.

Food and beverages will be served and admission is free.  Following a brief meet-ing to elect officers for 2023-24 and a report on SPPF by President Jim Tavares, the evening will showcase El Adobe Flores’ history, art, architecture and owners with re-marks, pictures, memorabilia, and Mexican refreshments.

Adobe Flores owner Jane Burzell will be honored.  In the 1960s her grandpar-ents, Wallace R. and Jane McCloskey, bought the adobe to save it from developers.  She visited often as a child and bought it as an adult.  Her family continues the legacy of owners who have the adobe since the 1800s.

“South Pasadena’s oldest building, El Adobe Flores was added to the National Register of Historic Places 50 years ago this June,” said Tavares.  ”It’s where California history was made in 1847, has been painted and photographed since the 1800s and ar-chitecturally restored more than a 100 years ago.”

The adobe was built as a ranch house on Rancho Rincón de San Pascual in Alta California, México in 1839.  Later it was used as a tea house, golf clubhouse, real estate office and private residence.  The Republic of Lucha represents the continuing presence of Latina/os in what became South Pasadena.

Also featured are presentations by Cal State LA art history faculty member Lori Rusch, who has researched the adobe’s art and architecture, and USC Emeritus Profes-sor Félix F. Gutierrez, who has published articles on El Adobe Flores history.   Both are SPPF members and long-time South Pasadena residents.

The adobe was a key place in California history in 1847 when Californios meet-ing there under Comandante General José María Flores decided to negotiate a peaceful end to bloody battles with invading U.S. forces during the Mexican-American War.  Two days later Californio leader Andrés Pico and Lt. Col. John C. Frémont signed a treaty ending California warfare and promising Californios rights equal to U.S. citizens.

The adobe building, patio and gardens were preserved by owners over the years and restored in 1919 by architect Carleton Winslow.  In the 1920s artist Norman Cham-berlain produced four paintings of the adobe, which has been painted or photographed by others since the late 1800s.