History
The Yorba-Slaughter Adobe stands on Pomona Rincon Road south of Chino, in San Bernardino County, on lands once part of the broader Yorba family holdings that defined the eastern Los Angeles basin during the Mexican period. The building was constructed in the early 1850s by Raimundo Yorba, a member of the prominent rancho family, as a residence on his portion of the family lands.
The adobe is a long single-story residence built in the vernacular tradition of the late Mexican and early American periods. Walls were laid up in sun-dried adobe brick on stone footings, with timber roof framing originally covered in fired clay tile and later in metal sheeting. A wide covered veranda along the principal facade, supported on simple wooden posts, sheltered the row of openings and shaped the building's strongly horizontal profile. Interior finishes were of whitewashed lime plaster, with plank floors organizing the linear plan typical of rancho residences.
In the late 1860s the property was acquired by Fenton Mercer Slaughter, an American settler and later prominent San Bernardino County rancher, whose family occupied the adobe for generations and gave the building its hyphenated name. The Slaughters operated a substantial cattle and dairy enterprise across the surrounding lands through the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and the adobe served as the family residence and ranch headquarters.
The building was eventually transferred to the County of San Bernardino and now operates as a museum administered by the San Bernardino County Museum, with interpretive exhibits documenting both the Yorba rancho and the Slaughter family eras. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 under reference number 75000460.
Within California's adobe tradition, the Yorba-Slaughter Adobe is a well-preserved example of the inland rancho residences of the early American period, documenting the continuity of adobe construction practices across the transition from Mexican to American rule in the Chino Valley.
Common questions
What is the Yorba-Slaughter Adobe?
The Yorba-Slaughter Adobe is a historic adobe property near Chino, California, listed on the National Register of Historic Places under reference number 75000460. It is a vernacular adobe building associated with the Yorba and Slaughter families of early California.
When was the Yorba-Slaughter Adobe built?
The Yorba-Slaughter Adobe exact date of construction is unknown. The property was determined historically significant when added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
Where is the Yorba-Slaughter Adobe located?
The Yorba-Slaughter Adobe is located about 5.5 miles south of Chino at 17127 Pomona Rincon Road, in San Bernardino County, California.
Is the Yorba-Slaughter Adobe open to the public?
No, the Yorba-Slaughter Adobe is a private residence and is not open for tours. Visitors should respect the privacy of the occupants and view the property only from public roads.
Why is the Yorba-Slaughter Adobe historically significant?
The Yorba-Slaughter Adobe was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 under reference number 75000460, recognizing its historical and architectural value as a surviving Californio-era adobe property associated with the Yorba and Slaughter families.