A Handful of Adobe
An Update From
The Juana Briones Heritage Foundation
July, 2005
We have been busy over these last few months! This update provides a quick look at some of the many activities the Foundation has been involved in. We hope that you’ll endorse the cause online and donate generously. Your support enables the Foundation to launch the campaign to buy the house that Juana built. Broad-based support will help convince the owners of the importance of this house to California’s history.
Spotlight On History
- Professor Al Camarillo, Stanford historian and JBHF Board Member, wrote a position paper regarding the structure of Juana’s house.
- Don Nielson, retired SRI International Vice President, started a Map Team with geographer Clark Akatiff. A 19th century surveyor’s map indicates the location of Casa de Juana Briones. When the map’s scale is aligned with a 2004 aerial photo, you can clearly see that the Casa de Juana Briones is at 4155 Old Adobe Road, Palo Alto.
- Jeanne McDonnell, who is at work writing a biography of Juana Briones, presented a paper on Juana at the Berkshire Conference of Women Historians at Scripps College in June.
Focus on Juana - Regional and National Honors
- Cinco de Mayo: Juana was featured in the May 5th Festival & honored by a Proclamation from the East Palo Alto City Council. The East Palo Alto Latinos group & Stanford La Raza have given their group endorsement of the JBHF.
- Juana Run!: We talked to many families at Juana Briones Elementary School at the 9th annual Juana Run event. We were pleased to hand out Luna Bars to the runners at the event, thanks to generous product support from the Clif Bar Company.
- Palo Alto Weekly: Read the Op Ed piece by Stanford Historian Al Camarillo, from June of 2005, about why this house is so important to all of us.
- Palo Alto Weekly: Read an interview with JBHF Board President Halimah Van Tuyl, from March of 2005, featured in The Neighborhood.
- Other Group Endorsements: The Palo Alto AAUW and the Barron Park Neighborhood Association have given their formal endorsements to the cause. Many people attending the May Fete event in Barron Park came to the JBHF table to find out how they could join in and help.
- National Park Service Website: Featuring Juana Briones and containing information about saving her Palo Alto house, as well as the archaeological dig at the site of her childhood home in San Francisco’s Presidio. The Stanford University archaeological team held an Open Lab to share some of the 200,000 artifacts found at the dig.
Events - Upcoming and A Peek Backwards
- California Museum of History, Women, and the Arts: JBHF is excited to learn that Juana Briones will be featured in the upcoming exhibit Latinas: The Spirit of California. The exhibit is planned to open in September 2005 in Sacramento.
- Juana Briones Park: JBHF is working with City of Palo Alto Parks Department on plans for renovation of the park to include Juana’s herb garden, native plants, and information about her ranch.
- SF Presidio Pasados: A family event took place June 24th put on by the National Park Service to share the music, food, and history of SF Presidio, with character interpreters bringing to life the Briones sisters who grew up there--- Juana, Guadalupe, and Maria Luz.
Join In The Action
The progress we have made is due in large part to a number of volunteers, for which the JBHF is tremendously grateful. It is exciting to see how each person has found a certain aspect of the JBHF’s work that intrigues them. There is so much still to learn & explore; we welcome additional ideas & contributors on the areas that interest you the most!
Send inquiries to: chair@brioneshouse.org
Our Public Relations Team brings together an enthusiastic group with experience in community leadership, education, fund raising, law, and business.
Do you have experience with marketing, PR, organizing community events? We would love additional people to bring their ideas on how to shine a spotlight on Juana! We are optimistic that when the owners understand the importance of the house to women’s history and our state’s Latino roots, a mutually agreeable deal can be worked out.
Email the Foundation to receive twice-yearly updates.
Please Visit Our All New Web Site! It's a great way to stay up to date on the many projects the JBHF is working on.
Thanks to web designer, Sally Wiatrolik.
Thank you for your continued interest in the Juana Briones Heritage Foundation and our progress in saving her historic house from demolition and our plans for a living history program. Tax -exempt donations may be made out and mailed to: JBHF, 1685 Mariposa Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306
A Handful of Adobe, A Houseful of History...One Woman Built it, All of us can save it.
Click here to print this page.