Mostly Pictures

From the Mission we tried walking to Vallejo's house, but turned back for better directions when the first set turned out to be wrong. By the time we pulled into the parking lot it was growing close to closing.

By today's standards the house seems modest though it's larger than it first appears. There's not much room for privacy, which is probably why there are several other smaller detached living quarters nearby.

By the time Vallejo erected this house, he had parlayed his military career into that of large estate owner. Note there is nothing "Spanish" about this house's appearance, though adobe bricks were used inside the walls, unseen, for insulation.

Keeping this place clean and running smoothly would have been a full time job for several people.

Below is the tiny "Delirio," used as a retreat, for privacy lacking in the bigger house.

Below is a view of both the cook's house and the main house, from the back.

There is a spring somewhere nearby, though it wasn't clear to us whether it was close to the pond or house.

The cabin on the hill was built for Vallejo's teenage son.

The so-called Swiss Chalet is the most imposing and extravagant building on the site, dwarfing the main house in size. According the the State Historic Park site, "The original timbers were cut and numbered in Europe and shipped to California during the Gold Rush. The bricks came around the Horn as ballast in sailing ships."

I had to put this picture in for K. I'd never seen such a perfect grapefruit tree - tiny in size but loaded with grapefruit.