Tucked away in a quiet corner of San Luis Obispo is the Dallidet Adobe & Gardens. Designated California Historical Landmark #720, the 1850’s adobe was home to Pierre Hypolite Dallidet, his wife Maria Ascension Salazar and their seven children. Pierre was the first commercial vintner in the area.

The Dallidet Adobe was acquired by the San Luis Obispo County Historical Society in 1953 from Paul Dallidet, youngest son of Pierre and Ascención. Feeling that he wanted to preserve what his parents had founded, Paul deeded the property to the then newly formed Historical Society exactly 100 years after his father arrived in San Luis Obispo. Paul resided there until he passed away on February 23, 1958, just months before his 87th birthday.

Currently, the Dallidet Adobe & Gardens, owned and operated by the History Center of SLO County, is open to the public for educational tours, events, and weddings. The unique history of the Dallidet Collection and site provides an opportunity to study the transnational nature of the California from the beginning of the gold rush to the late 1800s.

The original property had more than sixteen arces extending south to, what is today, Santa Rosa Street, and from the creek east to Buchon Street, located outside San Luis Obispo city limits. The adobe is of unique form for it is the only one known in California to have a wine cellar. By 1870, Pierre was producing wine and by the mid-1880s, he had about 7,200 vines in a dozen different varieties producing 3,300 gallons of wine per year. Much of the original furniture acquired by the Dallidets remains at the adobe, including artwork by the oldest daughter and an extensive library.

Also located on the property is the Ramona Hotel Depot, originally located behind the Ramona Hotel in 1889 in anticipation of the Southern Pacific Railroad. When the Hotel was destroyed in a fire in 1905, the depot was later donated to the History Center of San Luis Obispo County. Located under the depot shelter is an original horse-drawn street car that was used to carry passengers through downtown San Luis Obispo.

Website: http://dallidet.org/