With Halloween approaching, I wanted something interesting to say about California's most (purportedly) haunted city: San Juan Capistrano. Last night, my investigative team and I wandered the town's most (purportedly) haunted areas, including Los Rios Street, the Mission, and down along the railroad tracks. Unfortunately, we were unable to spot any ghosts, let alone interview one. .
Luckily, we did have an excellent dinner at El Adobe de Capistrano, which brings me (finally) back to local history and the point of the photos posted above.
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El Adobe de Capistrano, (or El Adobe as most call it), is housed in the Miguel Yorba/Vanderleck Adobe which began as two separate structures. The north section, including the cocktail lounge, was built in 1797 as the home of Miguel Yorba. It was used as a hospital for vicitims of the 1812 earthquake that destroyed the Mission's stone church. A sign in the lobby claims that "some of the later parts of the El Adobe were build [out] of salvage from the Mission after its destruction."
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The south section, including the Portola Room (a.k.a. "Fiesta Room"), was built around 1810 and was used variously as a stagecoach stage depot, a trading post, and the Juzgado (justice court and jail). The below-ground jail is now used as a wine cellar and is open to visitors. According to a sign nearby, "Joaquin Murrietta, the famous California outlaw, who was [hanged] not far from here, was said to have once been a prisoner in this dungeon." Naturally, this is the part of the adobe that generates the most ghost stories. (No, we didn't see any here, either.)
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The area between the two buildings - now the lobby - was a passageway for stagecoaches, until the railroad arrived in 1888.
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The two buildings were connected in about 1910 by new owners Harry and Georgia Mott Vander-Leck, who used the building both as their home and as their store. They also added a large wing to the back.
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In 1946, Mrs. Vander-Leck sold the building to local farmer Clarence Brown, who converted it into El Adobe de Capistrano restaurant. According to El Adobe's website, it opened, "July 8, 1948 with the wedding and reception of the First Commandant of Camp Pendleton, General Fagan."
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The site continues, "During his administration, former President Richard Nixon enjoyed the Mexican dishes prepared exclusively for him by El Adobe’s chef. These dishes inspired El Adobe’s change from continental to Mexican Cuisine."
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Nixon's favorite was a combination plate featuring a chile relleno, a chicken enchilada, and a taco. It is still on the menu.
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Today, El Adobe is owned by the Rancho Mission Viejo and is leased and operated by Richard O’Neill, Tony and Melinda Moiso, Gilbert Aguire, and managing partner Steve Nordeck.
