Work Begins!

Work has begun on the Castro Adobe! The long awaited seismic stabilization is underway.

On Feb 21st work started with a group of California Conservation Corps (CCC) members and Direct Construction Unit (DCU) crew setting up scaffolding for the project. What a difference a week makes! The DCU foreman, Chris Barrazza and his crew are moving quickly. (Photo 1 shows interior of cocina wall with gable end dismantled. Photo 2 shows CCC member carefully removing historic corner shelves from cocina.)

The cocina (historic kitchen) wall is about to be dismantled, the fireplace is being dismantled as well as the other non-historic interior features of the building. Part of the south gable wall is exposed and is being assessed for the best way possible to maintain the original adobe bricks and integrate them with the new adobe bricks made in summer 2007.

Today, the State archaeologist, Karen Hildebrand was rapidly finishing her documentation of the cocina wall before the DCU crew dismantled the damaged wall. Volunteers from the Santa Cruz Archaeological Society assisted Karen by removing the plaster from the interior north wall. Karen was excited to locate the original vent holes, view smoke stains, and holes for cooking tools in the cocina wall. Locating these will ensure the correct placement of the bracero (masonry range) in the interpretive plan in the future. (I apologize for the video orientation...but it was such good information I felt I had to post it!) We hope to update the blog more frequently now that work is proceeding ...so check back often! -JK