On this page we have put together a collection of information to capture some local history on adobe block production, local houses built, and building code references at the time. We continue to add to it whenever we find appropriate articles, including old phone book references.
An advertisement from the L R Green brick factory, date unknown
Another advertisement from 1951:
Below are some vintage articles about local Adobe construction, with some history of the block factory in Escondido, and planned housing tracts of Adobe homes:
1949 article on subdivision in south escondido l r greens ranch
Paxton Green Adobe SDU 05 01 1949
An article on the Paxton adobe home in South Escondido, now Hacienda de Vega Mexican Restaurant (closed in October 2017).
Paxton Adobe 1948 to present Hacienda de Vega
Shown above; the unfortunate end of the Paxton Green Adobe, AKA Hacienda de Vega, in 2021, soon to be razed for affordable housing. Adobe homes in some parts of California share this fate; as the dirt underneath them is worth much more than the home. This area of Escondido is slated to be developed into a corridor of much needed affordable housing.
This article contains information quoted by the L R Green Adobe Block Factory employees about the soil used, block making process, and strength testing requirements and actual strength:
Green Wood Hollingsworth Adobe Block Co process information and strength testing SDU 10 29 1961
Adobe Abodes f1 SDU 05 01 1955
Adobe Abodes f2 SDU 05 01 1955
A 2016 “archaeological dig” on the L. R. Green Adobe Block Yard revealed lots of historical information and pictures of old process equipment. If using this article for more than personal information, please note that there are some name misspells and inconsistencies with the stated ownership of the Adobe Block Factory in later years. Additionally, based on a conversation with Steve Goodbody in 2021, the Block Factory was forced to close due to bitumul shortages and cost increases during the OPEC oil embargo, and regulatory issues (dust/air quality concerns) as South Escondido developed, and falling demand. The report sites lack of leadership, which is contested.
A researched chronology and ownership of the Escondido Adobe Block yard:
Escondido Adobe Block Yard chronology
A great picture and article of the Adobe Block yard from the San Diego Union, 1964:
block factory great pic and article SDU 1964
Two articles from 1953 to 1955, mentioning local adobe building codes at the time
The_San_Bern_County_08 23 1953_adobe blockstandards
The_Tustin_News_09_22_1955_ Caladobe
This 1965 article also mentions uniform building codes at the time, the two fully qualified adobe block makers, Standard Oil’s involvement, and the Weir Bros. offices and adjacent Adobe Villas.
Independent_Press_Telegram 05 16 1965 Adobe comeback
Cost (compared to conventional construction) and some code requirements for earthquake reinforcing (at the time) are mentioned in the 1968 article.
Adobe homes revive SDU F 04 21 1968
Adobe homes revive SDU F8 04 21 1968
Adobe homes revive SDU F9 04 21 1968
Additional articles of Adobe vacation home building in Baja, and of a huge Adobe home in Rancho Santa Fe:
RSF Friedkin SDU f1 May 14 1967
RSF Friedkin SDU f9 May 14 1967
La Mision adobes SDU f1 May 14 1967
La Mission SDU f10 May 14 1967
Articles about Pauma Valley Country Club, where several Adobe homes were built:
PV Country Club SDU f1 Mar 12 1967
PV Country Club SDU f3 Mar 12 1967
Article about a Larry Weir design adobe spec. house built in Poway, built as a two family project:
Chieftain Newspaper article March 1974 page 1 of 2 rotated
Chieftain article page 2 rotated
Article about how new energy codes caused some disruption to Adobe building. Includes great pictures of the brickyard, re-located (to the current golf course location) in San Pasqual Valley:
Mike Goodbody on thermal adobe Times_Advocate_May_25__1975_
Mike Goodbody thermal adobe Times_Advocate_pg 2 May_25__1975_
Steve Goodbody states in 2021: the Escondido Adobe Brickyard was abandoned in 1979 due to environmental and adobe engineering reasons.
Article about an owner built (with design help from Larry Weir) Adobe home in Vista:
Vista Kelly Adobe home Perkins TA 11- 02 -1980
Articles about Forrest Holly, a blind adobe brick-maker and builder from Ramona:
Holly Blind Man adobe SDU 03 21 1951
Holly Adobe Mt Helix area SDU 08 24 1952
Q and A with Forrest Holly, do Termites eat Adobe?
Holly re Adobe content CSM 1981
A 1989 L A Times article, an abstract about adobe building, (and how modern code requirements have cooled it), with Jack Weir:
Built to Last Adobe Weir LAT 12 June 89
Another L A Times article from 1975, about a showcase Larry Weir Adobe in San Clemente:
Adobe Larry Weir San Clement LAT 12-7-1975
In Memory of L R Green, a pillar of the local community, passed away in January, 1971:
Short story of the Weir Bros. in UT article July 4th 2020
