This collection consists of a Family Bible (1850) and wallpaper samples from the Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead (1872). The farmstead is part of the San Dieguito River Park maintained by the San Dieguito River Valley Regional Open Space Park Joint Powers Authority (1989). The farmstead is located at 18372 Sycamore Creek Road, Escondido, CA 92025.

Zenas Sikes and his wife Eliza arrived to California in the 1850’s. Zenas traveled with his brothers and Eliza with her stepmother. In 1853 they married and several years later, in 1868, they purchased 2,400 acres of farm land that was part of Rancho San Bernardo for $2,500. During this time, farm land was crucial as it sustained local developing cities such as San Diego and Rincon Del Diablo, which would later become the City of Escondido. The Sikes farm began producing wheat, but after Zenas death in 1881, Eliza converted the farm to produce dairy as the wheat profits diminished due to the large amounts of competition in the area. Bernardo was a small community that was founded and consisted mainly of farmers. Its official founding was on December 3, 1872 when it received a post office with Zenas Sikes as the first postmaster. Bernardo consisted of about half a dozen buildings including a general store, blacksmith shop, and grange hall, that served a community of about 400 people. As Escondido grew the town of Bernardo began a decline in population and interest. Its demise finally came when the Lake Hodges Dam was built in 1918. The surrounding property, which included Bernardo, was part of the land that was purchased to build the dam. The Sikes house was built using adobe bricks with a wood frame. It measured 12 by 20 feet. Some of the features includes a gabled roof and three windows on the north side, and a porch on the east side. In 1883 the house was leased out to G.E. Gabrielson, and in 1911 the Sikes home was sold to Col. Ed Fletcher. It finally became city property in the 1950’s, and remains city property to this day. During the 2007 wildfires, the wooden frame was burnt down leaving only areas created using adobe. The Sikes adobe house was restored, with its reopening coming in 2010.

The Sikes collection is comprised of a family bible, and autograph book, and samples of wallpaper from the original adobe. The Bible and the autograph book date from 1850 to 1918. The samples of wallpaper date to 1872, which was the original construction date of the Sikes Family home.

“History of the Sikes Adobe and the Sikes Family.” San Dieguito River Park, www.sdrp.org/wordpress/sikes-adobe/history/ Zenas Sikes Adobe. City of San Diego Historical Site Board Register, Planning Department.

The Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead & the San Dieguito River Park Joint Power Authority retain full use for research and occasional display.