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The Adobe Lodge History
Santa Clara University, the oldest college in California founded
in 1851, is the only college in the state to be the successor of
a Spanish mission. The history of both institutions are intimately
bound with the history of the state of California. The mission,
dating back to 1777, was the first outpost of Spanish civilization
in the Santa Clara Valley. Diarists of early expeditions described
the Santa Clara Valley as an oak studded grassy plain with creeks
and rivers whose courses were traced from a distance by the trees
growing along their banks. All explorers agreed that the Santa Clara
Valley (known at this time as the Llano de Los Robles, or Plain of
the Oaks) was an excellent place for a mission. The structures that
now make up the Adobe Lodge, including the old Adobe Wall were built
in 1822 under the watchful eye of Fray José Viader and Fray Magín
Catalá. While the updated building that so many enjoy today bears
virtually no resemblance to the remains of the original structures,
it remains the oldest building, on any college or university campus
west of the Mississippi River. Rich with the history of the Santa Clara
Valley, The Adobe Lodge is a unique, peaceful location for any event.
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