MHS Board of Directors take private tour of Joaquin Moraga Adobe

By Vera Kochan Excerpt from Newsletter 2026 Q2

The Moraga Historical Society (MHS) Board of Directors were treated to a private tour of the now open-to-the-public, Joaquin Moraga Adobe. The rainy Feb. 17 morning didn’t dampen the spirits of the small group of history lovers.

On hand to give the tour and answer any questions were Friends of Joaquin Moraga Adobe (FJMA) President Kent Long, Museum Committee Chair Teresa Long, FJMA Secretary Jeff Boero, and Joaquin Moraga descendant Lance Beeson.

The Adobe was built in 1841 by Don Joaquin Moraga as part of two family homesteads on 13,000 acres (the other belonged to his cousin Don Juan Bernal). This land grant from the Mexican government was named “El Rancho Laguna de los Palos Colorados” and the Adobe is now a California State Historic Landmark (#509). The current property is contained within 2.3 acres and is located at 60 Adobe Lane in Orinda.

MHS helped with the fundraising efforts to make the Adobe come back to life by donating $100,000 thanks to generous donations from its members.

Long explained, “We have had docent training for volunteers to give tours. By having tours it’s a way of giving a lot of information, as opposed to having signs posted for your own self-guided tour.”

“Everything is a work in progress,” added Beeson. “We are far from finished.”

Teresa stated, “School kids are a priority for us.”

“We have based everything on the time period of 1855 when we began reconstructing the Adobe and its contents,” said Long, while noting that Moraga lived there during 1841 – 1855. “It’s a rehabilitation as opposed to a restoration.” With that in mind, subsequent owners added windows, wood frames and more bedrooms. Eventually one of the bedrooms was converted into a kitchen.

Each room now contains furniture and items, while not necessarily Moraga’s but as close to the era as possible, in order to “build a picture” of what life was like in rancho days of the period. The last room of the tour exposes visitors to loads of written information that helps to put the Adobe’s history into context.

FJMA notes the many benefits of the years-long project to open the Adobe to the public: the preservation of the oldest building in the East Bay; a permanent history exhibit emphasizing California’s rancho era, the Moraga family, and lifestyles of early settlers; school tours with an emphasis on California history; creating a true connection between the rich regional history and today; the opportunity to create demonstration gardens of native plants; and community service opportunities for Scouts, garden clubs, history clubs, and interpretive volunteers.

Joaquin Moraga Adobe tours are now open to the public. For more information visit: www.MoragaAdobe.org.