Description
A disbound album of primarily amateur snapshots of 19th century California adobes taken during the 1930s and 1940s by Lucius
Panfelo “Paul” Soberanes (1882-1959),
a descendant of early Spanish landholders in California. The photographs primarily document the exteriors of the historic
adobes and include typewritten captions added by Soberanes in the 1950s.
A strong emphasis is given to adobes in Monterey County, especially in downtown Monterey. The album’s strength is
in the documentation of lesser-known adobes, which include not only houses, but also commercial and military buildings such
as hotels, soldiers’ barracks in Sonoma, and the Bale Grist Mill in Napa.
Background
Lucius Panfelo "Paul" Soberanes (1882-1959) was born in California on December 30, 1882, and was a descendant of Spanish soldier
Jose Maria Soberanes, who arrived in California in the 1700s, and Feliciano Soberanes, who purchased the
Soledad Mission Rancho in 1846.
Extent
278 photographs in 2 boxes; prints 26 x 32 cm (10.25 x 12.5 in.) and smaller, album pages 37 x 29 cm (14 1/2 x 11 1/4 in.)
Restrictions
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material,
nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and
obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Availability
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader
Services.