Timeline


1845	The Missions, including San Miguel, were ordered to be sold at public auction.
1846	William Reed, Petronillo Rios and Miguel Garcia bought the San Miguel Mission and its property from Governor Pio Pico. After the American flag was raised at Monterey, Miguel Garcia fled south from San Luis Obispo, knowing that the transaction was illegal.
1846	According to local records, the Rios Hacienda was built by Petronillo Rios and Italian friends as a home for his family.
1862	Warren C. Rickard purchased the Rios property containing the adobe from the State of California on a possessory claim.
1868	Mr. Butchart opened the Rios Adobe as an inn, hotel, stagecoach stop and tavern. He named it the Caledonia Inn, a Scottish word meaning welcome.
1868	Notorious outlaws such as the Dalton Brothers, Joaquin Murrieta, Three Fingered Jack, Tiburcio Vasquez, Jesse and Frank James were said to have visited the Caledonia Inn.
1886	Southern Pacific Railroad arrived in San Miguel, drawing a close to the Caledonia Inn as a tavern, stage stop and hotel. Since then, the Rios Caledonia was used as a residence, dressmaking and tailor shop, mattress making and upholstery shop, post office and school house.
1895	The Fred Telford family lived in the Rios-Caledonia Adobe, operating a dairy farm.
1903	Mr. Alfred Nygren and family bought the Rios Caledonia Adobe property. Two children were born to the Nygrens in the Adobe, Lillian in 1904 and Anna in 1907.
1923	The Rios Caledonia was sold to Charles Dorries with a total of six acres. Plans were made to restore the building and open it to the public.
1964	The Rios-Caledonia Adobe was purchased by the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors for the purpose of restoration as a museum and information center.
1968	The Friends of the Adobes, Inc. was formed to promote the restoration and maintenance of the adobe and other landmarks of historical interest in the area.
1978	Rios Caledonia Adobe museum and gift shop opens to the public from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Thursday through Sunday.