Few adobe houses from California's Mexican period survive, and the Rafael González House above you on Laguna Street is one of them. Built in 1825 by Rafael González, this single-story adobe sits on a hill north of the central business district, on the south side of Laguna Street between East Canon Perdido and East De La Guerra. Imagine the original packed-earth floors and the U-shaped plan with seven rooms, the longest wing running parallel to Laguna Street.
Its thick adobe walls—up to 2 feet thick—are covered in lime plaster, and long sides are sheltered by wooden verandas. Historically its roof was terra cotta tile; today it is shingled, and the floors were tiled during a restoration in the 1920s. The house was recognized as a National Historic Landmark on April 15, 1970, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
As of 2025 it has been sold and is now a private residence, so we admire it from outside: the U-shaped form, the verandas, the low garden walls that separate it from Laguna and Canon Perdido, and the way the house sits above the street. Notice the verandas and garden walls tracing Laguna Street toward the cross streets beyond.