Pico, Pio, Casa
Also known as: Pio Pico State Historic Park
Why it's listed
This adobe ranch house in Whittier, California, was the home of Pio Pico, the last Mexican governor of California. Pico built a first adobe house on his Rancho Paso de Bartolo in 1852, but winter rains and floods destroyed it in 1883-84. He rebuilt at once on a larger scale, reusing some of the original foundations. The second house is a 1½-story adobe about 98 feet long, laid out in a U around a patio, with 15 rooms, wood floors, a shingled gabled roof, dormer windows and a front porch with an upper balcony. The nomination calls it a compromise between American and Mexican building traditions. Two rooms were removed in 1946, when some reinforced concrete faced with adobe brick was added. The nomination links the site to Pico's later career in education, banking, town development and early oil ventures, to the last California battle of the Mexican War, to the 1771 settlement of the Los Angeles area, and to Picoville. It is now a state historic park.
Significance in brief: The nomination ties the house to Pio Pico, the last Mexican-era governor of California, who lived at his ranch (El Ranchito) for forty years of the American period. It also notes the ranch as the site of the last California battle of the Mexican War, the area of the first settlement of the Los Angeles region in 1771, and Picoville, described as California's first planned town. The house is presented as a blend of American and Mexican 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 73000408, listed June 19, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 6003 Pioneer Blvd., Whittier |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | June 19, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73000408 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architect / builder | Pio Pico (built) |
| Architectural style | Adobe, a compromise of American and Mexican architecture |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as fair, with the building described as unaltered and on its original site apart from two rooms removed in 1946; it is operated as a state historic park and museum with preservation work in progress. |
| Acreage | 5.5 |
| Coordinates | 33.99363, -118.08179 (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 73000408.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7196600
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.