Boronda Adobe History Center

09/28/2026

Yesterday was a wonderous day of acknowledgements and the kindling of new friendships and alliances at the Boronda Adobe History Center of the Monterey County Historical Society. Our annual Rancho Days at the Adobe began with a Salinan Tribal Council acknowledgement of the ancestors and a circle of sage and to***co offerings there before the Casa Boronda. In this photo that appeared in my collection from one of any three different photographers who shared scores of photos, I donned my circa 1830s Monterey Mexican militia uniform in the company of my Californio, Cowboy, and Salinan brothers and sisters…who transformed the day into a first ever such acknowledgement of our collective ancestors. PS: As I am back to completing an archaeological monitoring report (three such reports over the course of the past three weeks, among others), and now returning to the write up of my symposium paper for the 19th annual archaeological conference in Halle, Germany, further posts regarding Rancho Days will be forthcoming.

08/31/2026

Just submitted the latest didactic, or interpretive, panel to the imprinter for the Boronda Adobe History Center. The latest interpretive panel provides an overview of the history of the Salinas Wax Paper Company Superintendent's Residence, which was moved to the Boronda Adobe History Center in 1979. To date, the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in California, Monterey Peninsula Committee, which we hosted this past weekend, has generously funded some five such bilingual interpretive panels. Said panels have permitted guests to walk or drive the grounds while learning about the history of Salinas and the County of Monterey more broadly.

08/30/2026

Yesterday, while conducting tours of the Casa Boronda for the Colonial Dames of Monterey, I took time to explain the origins of the royal red dye of Mesoamerican origen that took the world by storm in the 16th Century. Known as Cochineal, the Spanish Empire saw the potentials of this bright red dye produced by the Zapotec peoples of Oaxaca... and negotiated with the Zapotec for an ongoing production process that guaranteed Zapotec autonomy throughout the Colonial era. The parasite that produces the dye peers as a white cotton like substance on the prickly pear cactus or nopal. While on a 2014 National Endowment for Humanities Summer Institute in Oaxaca, my colleagues, and I were toured through the botanical gardens at the Oaxacan cultural center, and a demonstration of the harvesting of Cochineal dye was afforded our group. As it happens, the nopales that I donated and my students planted several years ago originated with the heirloom nopal of the Pala Asistencia and traced to the year 1816.

08/30/2026

Yesterday, Saturday, August 28, 2026, we had another extraordinary day there at the Boronda Adobe History Center of the  Monterey County Historical Society, Salinas, California. Our guests were the Monterey chapter of the Colonial Dames of America. The Dames have a long and distinguished track record of supporting the preservation, restoration, and conservation of Americas, historic homes and buildings. Our recent inclusion in a beautifully illustrated book titled “Great American treasures: Women Preserving History Since 1891” (the artist book foundation, North Adams, Massachusetts) constitutes the visual feast of American. Having provided images of the Casa Boronda, the Dames saw fit to gift me a personal copy of this beautifully appointed volume. Moreover, their years of support have resulted, and the production of some five bilingual Didactic panels, which they thoroughly enjoyed upon their visit yesterday. Our guided tours of yesterday included consideration of the William weeks House (1898) which we are presently in the throws of restoring. To that end, we are presently seeking the support of the Monterey chapter of the Colonial Dames of America for the Weeks House restoration. Their support in the 1970s and 80s resulted in the restoration and furnishing of our very own Casa Boronda. In effect, yesterdays visit was a celebration of the Colonial Dames, and their many efforts to elevate our mission to promote museum based public education, and uplift philanthropy on behalf of the Monterey County Historical Society .

08/24/2026

A flash from 13 years ago at the Boronda Adobe History Center courtesy Monterey County Historical Society Advisory Council member TimJesse Apodaca.

Walkifornia: http://www.walkifornia.com Music by: www.morganmanifa...

08/23/2026

In the event you have no plans for the 16th of September, your’s truly is scheduled to present on the topic of “The Archaeology of the Spanish Royal Presidio of Monterey and Monterey Area Missions” at 6:00 pm at California’s First Theater. See you there!!!

Wed Sep 16 6:00pm - To commemorate Mexican Independence Day and California Latino Heritage Month, Monterey State Historic Park presents a free talk by archeologist Dr.

08/23/2026

Just completed an Earthly Bonds Podcast interview out of Houston with Ryn del Papa LLC and Alegria, Christopher, and Yolanda Garcia of Flower Songs Music...whose incredible spectrum of Mesoamerican music, song, and instrumentation is absolutely awesome. Their music, previously featured here at the Boronda Adobe History Center of Salinas at special summer concerts, has strengthened the bond between the Garcia family and us through our shared interest in uplifting our communities through the Flower Songs of the ancestors. By the way, this is our first use of the developing Podcast/Oral History room here at the Boronda Adobe History Center. Jesus Morales, of the MCHS Advisory Board (and our light and sound technician), has generously offered to help develop our Podcast/Oral History room.

08/23/2026

AI Proposed photo identification and caption: “Boronda family members in an Oakland Model 37 Speedster, ca. 1921, José Eusebio Boronda Adobe, Salinas, California.

Automobile: probably 1915 Oakland Model 37 Speedster
Photographic date: ca. 1921
Location: José Eusebio Boronda Adobe, Salinas
Persons: four unidentified Boronda-family-associated individuals”

Lester D. Boronda, a grandson of José Eusebio Boronda and an artist, made an extended family automobile journey in 1921, traveling with his wife, their two children and both sets of grandparents. A later family history specifically records that the family traveled throughout the United States that year by train, boat and automobile.

There is an interesting possibility that the photograph is connected with Lester D. Boronda’s 1921 family journey, since the photograph contains two adults and two children and the documented journey involved Lester, his wife and their two children. Beonne Boronda, Lester’s daughter, was ten years old in 1921, and contemporary records confirm that she was already exhibiting her artwork that year. Photo Donation to MCHS: Tom Spencer

08/20/2026

For those looking to have their "vintage" portraits taken at no obligation, and with nothing more than an appeal for donations to the Monterey County Historical Society, swing by the Boronda Adobe History Center on Fridays and Saturdays between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm...and your portrait and matted 3.5" x 5" print will be available within minutes of your sitting. Here, James Starkewolf (alias Wolf) entertained a portrait while on site to grace us with his presence.