JOSÉ SERRANO ADOBE

Don José Serrano built this adobe on his 10,688 acre Rancho Cañada de los Alisos in 1863. It is the second of five adobes built by the Serranos on this Mexican land grant and the only one still remaining. Don José and his family lived on the ranch and raised cattle. A series of droughts, beginning in 1863 and lasting intermittently through 1883, forced the Serrano family to divide the ranch and mortgage several sections. Dwight Whiting, who played a major role in the settling and development of El Toro, purchased the Serrano Adobe and most of the old rancho in 1884. His son, George Whiting, made extensive improvements to the adobe in 1932, adding a dining room, kitchen and master bedroom. Shortly after the renovations were completed the adobe became California State Historical Landmark #199.