La Casa Alvarado
Why it's listed
Built about 1840 on the San Jose Rancho, this one-story adobe and redwood house at 1459 Old Settlers Lane in Pomona was the ranch home of Ygnacio Alvarado, who agreed to settle there at the invitation of Ygnacio Palomares on condition that he provide space for worship. For 45 years, padres from the San Gabriel Mission came monthly to celebrate mass in the house. In 1870 it served for about a year as Pomona's first public school. After the Pomona Land and Water Company bought the property in 1886, Dr. Benjamin S. Nichols added Victorian redwood wings, a two-story tankhouse, a moved bunkhouse and a wraparound porch. The original adobe walls are about two and a half feet thick, with open-beam ceilings inside. The Nichols family lived there until 1951, when the present owners began a gradual restoration. It is one of three surviving adobes in Pomona and has been a residence throughout its history.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the second oldest known residence and the first public schoolhouse in Pomona. It hosted monthly Catholic mass for about 45 years and has been continuously occupied as a residence since construction. It is one of three remaining adobes in Pomona and one of the few landmarks from before the city's founding.
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 78000698, listed April 19, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1459 Old Settlers Lane, Pomona |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | April 19, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78000698 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1840 |
| Architect / builder | Ygnacio Alvarado (built the adobe); Dr. Benjamin S. Nichols made later additions |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a residence since construction; parts of the structure have been slowly restored since 1951. A redwood tenthouse on the property is used for storage. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 34.07380, -117.75606 (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 78000698.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6461569
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.