The oldest known photo of the Dana Adobe, circa 1880s
the gracious old home that had once been the center of the world for miles around, was in terrible disrepair. The foundation was melting into the ground and the walls were threatening to crumble into dust. Enter Lisa Van Der Stad who founded the nonprofit organization Marina now leads. Van Der Stad saw the urgent need to preserve and protect this important landmark and brought together the people who could do it. Since then, the restoration of the adobe itself has been completed (a monumental effort that took 14 years to finish), 30 acres of surrounding land has been purchased, a 99-year lease agreement with SLO County Parks has been signed to manage 100 acres east of the Adobe, and phase one of the park development is now being implemented with funding from a State Grant. Very recently, the Dana Adobe earned its designation as a California State Historic Landmark and a place on the Federal Registry of Historic Places. In 2015, the Adobe received the Governor’s Historic Preservation Award, the highest award the state can give to such projects. In addition, a site visit from the American Alliance of Museums proclaimed D.A.N.A. “a model organization.” “These recent achievements are an indicator of the value of our group,” said Marina. “We have always been fiscally responsible, and operated at the highest level of integrity. Most people are surprised at how much we have been able to accomplish.” The original home, a 13-room adobe built in 1839 by Captain William Dana on one of the largest Mexican lands grants in the state, was the center of agriculture, politics, and commerce along a 100-mile stretch of highway between San Luis Obispo and Santa Ynez. It was an important exchange point in the first regular mail route in California, it served as a polling location, a stagecoach stop, and later a Pacific Railway junction. The Dana family (the Captain, his wife Maria Josefa Carrillo, and their 13 surviving children)
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were known for their generous hospitality to travelers, friends, and neighbors alike.
bring deeper connections to each other and to our sense of place.
Today, the home they built is fast becoming the center of the community once again. The Adobe hosts more than 1400 school children each year for cultural and nature education programs. Trained docents lead students in hands-on activities that replicate life during the California Rancho Era such as making tortillas, crafting adobe bricks, and lessons in cattle branding. A speaker series offers residents and visitors lively presentations on the history, natural habitat, and famous founding families of the area. Field trips, docent courses, internships, and special events including weddings—all conspire to bring the lessons of the past into the vibrant present. And as Marina would say, “Our museum and immersive site will encourage the community to build connections between culture, nature, and each other.”
Perhaps, despite Thomas Wolfe’s cautionary tale, we can go home again. Marina Washburn’s long search for belonging has found its end in her own home town of Nipomo, and in the work she does at The Dana Adobe. She invites you to join her there.
Toward that end, D.A.N.A. is working on the construction of a 4,500-square-foot educational facility, a Chumash Indian interpretive area, an outdoor amphitheater, and over a mile of walking trails on the property. In 2011, D.A.N.A. was awarded a 2.98 million dollar grant to help fund these efforts, yet another tribute to the value and importance of this small nonprofit. Key to this success have been many dedicated people—from carpenters to archaeologists, visionaries to volunteers, developers to docents. The sidebar at the close of this article mentions but a few of these. There are many ways to support this organization and the important role it has in the community: You can become a member, attend one of the many fundraisers held yearround, become a sponsor, or make a private one time donation to a specific project. Visit www.DanaAdobe.org or call 805-929-5679. For inspiration, visit the Adobe and see for yourself the majestic old Sycamore tree that offers a natural canopied backdrop for life then, and now. See for yourself how the lessons of the past inform the present, and
A Special Thanks To: • In 1999, a carpenter named Mike Fairbrother was asked to construct a door for the Adobe. Thousands of hours later, and as a member of the restoration committee, Mike has been working there ever since. • In the early 2000s, Herb Kandel joined the board. A visionary and community mover and shaker, Herb “puts the right people together like no one else,” says Marina. • Alan & Helen Daurio have served a combined 24 years on the board. Helen piloted the Adobe’s nature education program and Alan has served on the master planning committee. Together, they are steadfast contributors with a “roll up your sleeves and get it done” attitude. • Volunteering her time and expertise for five years, Dr. Donna Gillette has fostered the relationship between the Chumash tribe and the organization and has curated much of the archeological collection. • Board President Rudy Stowell is a member of one of the first families of Santa Maria. He is credited, among many other gifts, with providing the leadership the board needed to be its most effective. • Aaron Regez has worked on the Adobe for more than 10 years, tearing down walls and building them back up with authentic adobe bricks he made himself. He continues to serve as the sole caretaker, project and facility manager.
J A N U A R Y
2016
Journal PLUS