Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States California San Jose Peralta Adobe

Peralta Adobe

The oldest house in the capital of Silicon Valley.

San Jose, California

Added By
James Ricci
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The Peralta Adobe   James Ricci / Atlas Obscura User
  MARELBU/CC BY 3.0
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  James Ricci / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The center of Silicon Valley and one of the largest cities in California, San José is also one of the oldest cities in in the state, founded in 1777 as the Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe. Yet in the face of the tech boom, many of the physical reminders of the city's early history have faded away, with the exception of the Luis Maria Peralta Adobe, the oldest standing house in San José .

The Peralta Adobe House was built in 1797 by Jose Manuel Gonzalez, an Apache settler who accompanied the Juan Bautista de Anza expedition to the area as they explored what would become California. Gonzalez, who became one of the first mayors of the Pubelo he helped found, built his adobe home near the market square. In 1804, after Gonzalez passed away, Luis Maria Peralta, a wealthy landowner and soldier, purchased and lived in the property.

Son of one of de Anza’s corporals, Luis Maria Peralta held the position of comisionado of San José, the highest military or civilian office in the fledgling city. He held this position until Mexico’s independence from Spain in 1822 and lived in San Jose until his death in 1851.

The Luis Maria Peralta Adobe was purchased by the city of San José in 1966, and was restored with the addition of a surrounding park. Today, the adobe is the center of the San Pedro Square Market, with the surrounding park used as a sitting area for nearby shops and restaurants. 

 

Related Tags

History

Community Contributors

Added By

James Ricci

Edited By

SEANETTA, Anne Ewbank

  • SEANETTA
  • Anne Ewbank

Published

July 15, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/santaclara/per.htm
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peralta_Adobe
  • http://historysanjose.org/wp/plan-your-visit/peralta-fallon-historic-site/luis-maria-peralta-adobe/
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Mar%C3%ADa_Peralta
  • https://www.sanjoseinside.com/news/peralta-adobes-first-resident-an-overlooked-figure-in-sj-history/
Peralta Adobe
175 W St John St.
San Jose, California, 95110
United States
37.336838, -121.895149
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

The San José Semaphore

San Jose, California

miles away

Site of the World's First Radio Broadcasting Station

San Jose, California

miles away

Quetzalcóatl Sculpture

San Jose, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of San Jose

San Jose

California

Places 25
Stories 5

Nearby Places

The San José Semaphore

San Jose, California

miles away

Site of the World's First Radio Broadcasting Station

San Jose, California

miles away

Quetzalcóatl Sculpture

San Jose, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of San Jose

San Jose

California

Places 25
Stories 5

Related Places

  • The ‘Old Secretariat’ government building in New Delhi.

    Panaji, India

    The 'Old Secretariat'

    Panaji’s oldest surviving building, which was once a palace and viceroy residence, now houses the Goa State Museum.

  • Front of the monument from the ground

    Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany

    Niederwald Monument

    Hilltop monument to the victory of a new nation in the Franco-Prussian War.

  • Pune, India

    Shivsrushti

    A historical theme park based on the life and times of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

  • Metz, France

    Statue of the Prophet Daniel on the Metz Cathedral

    A neo-gothic statue modeled on German Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II, which had its distinctive mustache shaved off by Nazis in World War II.

  • Front view of Lincoln’s Cottage.

    Washington, D.C.

    President Lincoln’s Cottage

    The house where Lincoln drafted the Emancipation Proclamation.

  • New Gloucester, Maine

    Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village

    The last remaining Shaker community still practices a uniquely communal and utopian version of Christianity.

  • Leesburg, Virginia

    Glenfiddich House

    The house where Robert E. Lee planned the Battle of Antietam is said to be haunted by the ghost of a Civil War soldier.

  • Peruse hundreds of antique, vintage, and locally made items at one of West Virginia’s oldest stores.

    Alderson, West Virginia

    Alderson’s Store

    You can still shop in one of West Virginia’s oldest stores.

    Sponsored by West Virginia Department of Tourism
Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.