by Richard Senate
Built as early as 1846 the Rodriguez Adobe served as the main house of the Rancho San Miguelito. It could have housed Don Ramon “Nacho” Rodriguez and his family while a larger adobe was built near the mouth of the Ventura River. That adobe sadly fell victim to floods that occasionally plague our county.
It may have been built by Chumash “adobero” ( adobe builder), musician and vaquero Juan de Jesus Tumamait. He is believed to be the last Chumash Elder to live in that structure.
In the 1930’s the land was purchased by Shell Oil Company and they restored the old house to be used as an office for the oil fields. They added a tile roof (original may have been reeds or wooden shingles) and installed cement floors.
The Rodriguez Adobe stands today on Shell Road and is being used as rental property. No plaque or monument marks the location of the adobe.
A study of the site seems to confirm its early age—the doors and windows line up with the measurements of a Spanish Vara Stick and not a Yankee yard stick. It is Ventura’s forth still-standing adobe. The others are The Mission San Buenaventura Church (1809), The Olivas Adobe (1847) and the Ortega Adobe (1857).
The Rodriguez Adobe isn’t open to the public, but perhaps it will be in the future when this unknown landmark will be recognized for its historic value.
