Roberto Adobe & Suñol House, History museum on Lincoln Avenue, San Jose, United States.
The Roberto Adobe & Suñol House Museum consists of two joined buildings on Rancho Los Coches land: Roberto Balermino's one-story adobe of 1836 and the brick Suñol House added in 1847 by Antonio Suñol. The adobe is the older, earthen-walled section; the brick house beside it was the first brick house completed in Alta California.
Roberto Balermino, a member of the Tamien Ohlone people, built the adobe dwelling in 1836, fourteen years before California became a state. Merchant Antonio Suñol acquired the property in 1847 and constructed a brick house that symbolized rising wealth and power in the region.
The house carries the names of two families who lived and worked there in succession. The rooms show how daily life shifted across different cultures, from Ohlone through Spanish and Mexican to American influences, all visible in this single location.
The California Pioneers of Santa Clara County foundation offers guided tours on Saturdays, allowing visitors to explore both historical buildings. It helps to check ahead for exact times, as opening hours vary seasonally.
The Suñol House was the first brick house completed in Alta California, built in 1847. In 1853 Dalmatian sea captain Stefano Splivalo bought the property and added a second story, a balcony and wooden siding over the brick walls. In 1973 John Bruzzone Sr. found the buildings and funded a restoration that lifted the second story off, reinforced the structure with concrete and steel, and set it back; the buildings reopened in 1977.
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