Los Coches Rancho
Why it's listed
Los Coches Rancho, also called the Richardson Adobe, is a two-story adobe and wood building about a mile south of Soledad along Highway 101. Its date is given as 1841, with William Brenner Richardson named as builder. A redwood barn is attached at the northeastern end, and a pumphouse stands behind. Beginning in 1848 the building served as a stage stop and wayside inn on the El Camino Real route, first for the San Juan Bautista-Soledad stage and from 1854 for the Bixby Overland Stage, with Wells Fargo agents there in later decades. The nomination describes it as a unique intact stage stop and hostelry in Monterey County and an example of adobe construction showing post-Larkin influence. Excavations also found prehistoric and historic deposits, including evidence of a possible military encampment in 1846. The City of Soledad began rehabilitation in December 1977 to stabilize the deteriorated structure and protect the archeological resources.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the adobe is a rare intact stage stop and hostelry in Monterey County, serving the San Juan Bautista-Soledad stage, the Bixby Overland Stage and others along El Camino Real. It is also an example of post-Larkin adobe construction. Subsurface deposits hold both prehistoric and historic archeological resources.
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 79000502, listed January 31, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1 mi, (1.6 km) S of Soledad on U.S. 101, Soledad |
|---|---|
| County | Monterey County |
| Listed | January 31, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000502 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1841 |
| Architect / builder | William Brenner Richardson |
| Architectural style | Adobe construction showing post-Larkin influence |
| Areas of significance | Prehistoric, Historic - Aboriginal, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Deteriorated before December 1977; rehabilitation by the City of Soledad was under way when nominated, with plans for a historical interpretive center, rest stop and community park. |
| Acreage | 9.6 |
| Coordinates | 36.40393, -121.31801 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
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 79000502.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.