Since 2008 the Friends of the Joaquin Moraga Adobe have worked hard to save the historic site, and now they have succeeded gloriously. Over almost 20 years, the group sought to negotiate with the City of Orinda and the purchaser of the land, J & J Ranch, Inc. Now at last members of the public can tour the Adobe, the oldest surviving home in Contra Costa County.

    Beginning in February, the Friends began offering docent-led tours designed to let visitors experience over 180 years of East Bay history.  Visitors on the tours will be able to learn about the Adobe’s restoration, the Moraga family legacy, and the early California rancho era.

    The Friends of the Joaquin Moraga Adobe (FJMA) was founded as a volunteer group by Bobbie Landers in 2008 when J & J Ranch purchased the surrounding land, including the land on which the Adobe is located, in order to build homes.  Longtime Orinda resident Kent Long became the president of the Friends and remains so today.  In a recent interview with the Lamorinda Weekly, Long explained how he suffered trepidations when the effort to save the Juana Briones Adobe failed and the building was demolished in 2011 after 13 years of lawsuits reaching as far as the California Supreme Court.

    Negotiations to save the Joaquin Moraga Adobe proceeded with admirable decorum, according to J & J, and in 2013 an agreement was reached under which the Friends would be allowed to purchase the Adobe for $500,000. As part of the $500,000 purchase price, FJMA would "pay up to one-half of the cost of restoration of the adobe to its original 1840's configuration and preparation of the site for public access as a museum and history learning center," and would also establish "a fund for ongoing maintenance and operation," said FJMA representatives. J & J would cover the remaining half of the restoration costs, according to the firm's president, Matt Branagh.

    The Friends then embarked upon a massive fundraising effort, including holding many fandangos over the years evocative of those held in the historic Adobe in the past.  They also sold personalized pavers that could be inscribed with the donor’s information.  Today, the pavers are set in a lovely patio that flanks the Adobe, providing a place for tour groups to pause and listen to tour guides before entering the building.  There will be future opportunities for new donors to purchase additional pavers.

    The first payment of $10,000 happened upon the signing of the agreement.  The Friends made a second payment of $25,000 in 2018.  Then, in 2021 they announced that they had succeeded in raising more than the $500,000 required, assuring that the restoration of the Adobe would proceed. Their efforts were helped by a $250,000 state grant obtained on behalf of the Adobe by then State Sen. Steve Glazer and more than $100,000 contributed by the Moraga Historical Society. 

    The Moraga Adobe has been recognized as a historical landmark by the State of California in 1954 (Landmark #509), the City of Orinda in 1995, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

    The traditional “period” rooms in the Adobe will be outfitted largely based on author Joseph Lamson’s description of his visit to the Moraga Adobe in 1855, which include a New Year's Eve party. Lamson describes in great detail in his eight-page reminiscence of the party which was held in the large room known as the parlor. Reproductions have been made including two rawhide beds with straw mattresses for the bedroom. Artist David Rickman is working on a large painting, which will hang in the parlor. 

    Volunteers have been doing research and gathering photos and copies of original documents. One important example is a high-resolution digital image, purchased from the Bancroft Library, of the map (called a diseño) used in the 1835 petition by Joaquin Moraga and Juan Bernal for the 13,000-acre Laguna de los Palos Colorados land grant.

    Part of the agreement with J&J Ranch limits the Friends to opening the Adobe only 30 days per year. Neither the building nor the grounds are open to the public outside of the 30 open days.  Those wishing to tour the Adobe must make reservations on the Friends website.
 
    Each public tour lasts about 60–90 minutes and is limited to 15 guests. Tours include a guided walk through the restored Adobe interior and grounds, stories of the people who built and preserved this historic landmark and updates on the site’s continuing preservation and educational programs. Tours are given rain or shine.

    The tours are free. As limited parking is available on site, those booking tours are encouraged to carpool. Tour guests are also advised to wear comfortable shoes as some surfaces are uneven. 

    Each person participating in the tour must have a ticket. Reservations should be made at least 24 hours in advance. Reservations may be made on the website, https://moragaadobe.org/ which also includes copious information about this historic site. For more information, contact info@moragaadobe.org