Bedrock mortars for acorn grinding

We have owned Adelaida Springs Ranch just since 2000, but it has been home to humans for thousands of years, from Native American acorn gatherers to mission-era herders and finally to American miners and homesteaders in the 19th century. Our ranch is adjacent to the historic Klau and Buena Vista Mines, which were the commercial hub of the area as early as 1870. Previous owners include Marshall Sawyer, whose father Frank Sawyer was the house physician and general manager of the then-grand Hotel De Paso Robles spa at the turn of the century. One of our long term goals is to publish information about local homesteaders and document the title and occupying family history of each of the parcels here on the ranch. We are aware of at least six homestead sites on Adelaida Springs Ranch that include owner names like Pool, Kuhlman, Botts, Marsh, Downing, Taylor, Wallace, Genter and Andrews.

The Botts' homestead

Pool's Spring stone reservoir