Moraga Adobe
Also known as: Moraga,Joaquin Adobe
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Why it's listed
Built around 1841, this adobe house in Orinda was the home of Joaquin Moraga, grandson of Jose Moraga, a lieutenant on the Anza expedition to California and an early settler of the San Francisco area. In 1841 Joaquin Moraga and his cousin Juan Bernal received the roughly 13,000-acre Laguna de Los Palos Colorados grant from Governor Alvarado. The original building had two-foot-thick adobe brick walls, redwood beams and roof timbers cut locally, and redwood plank floors and ceilings. A 1941 restoration kept the original floor plan and roof line, added a fireplace, tile flooring, a shake roof, an extra bedroom of adobe brick, and plaster over the walls. Further changes in the 1960s included a lowered ceiling and a new bathroom. The house remains a private residence in good condition. The Contra Costa Historical Society marked it with a plaque in 1954 as California Historical Landmark No. 509.
Significance in brief: The adobe is tied to the Moraga family, prominent in early California, and to Joaquin Moraga, who with Juan Bernal received the Laguna de Los Palos Colorados grant in 1841. It was marked as California Historical Landmark No. 509 in 1954. The nomination stresses its historical association rather than its architecture.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 72000223, listed March 16, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 24 Adobe Lane, Orinda |
|---|---|
| County | Contra Costa County |
| Listed | March 16, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000223 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century; specific date 1841 |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence in good condition; restored in 1941 and further altered in 1965. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 37.84321, -122.15356 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 72000223.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6909004
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.