Visit the historic Los Rios District and the downtown to trick or treat to celebrate this family friendly spooky night!
10-31, 2021 — Trick or Treat
10-29 & 10-30, 2021 — Ghosts & Legends Tour
SJC Historical Society Presents Ghosts & Legends Tour, October 29-30, 2021. An annual Halloween tradition on California’s oldest residential street. Join us for a guided historic walk down Los Rios Street visiting 10 ghostly visitors who share their story of their time walking this very same street. Spooky, family friendly tales will be a highlight to your holiday.
The Silvas Adobe
This building dates back to sometime around 1794. In 2009 The Society bagan a restoration project. Jose Maria Silvas rebuilt it in 1868. In 1871, Silvas married Maria Manuela de Jesus Yorba, daughter of Domingo Yorba and Catalina Olivares. Click here for a full article on some of the history, and the restoration work done by the society.
EVENT CANCELLED: 9-11-21 — Historical Society Annual Heritage BBQ
Good morning all,
We regret to inform you that due to lack of RSVP’s we’ll have to cancel the 2021 Heritage BBQ.
Any members who have already paid for this event will be issued a full refund. Chevon will reach out to those members directly.
We appreciate the continued support from all our members, family, and friends. We hope 2022 will be a healthier year where we can all gather again next summer.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact Chevon Vermeulen at 949.493.8444 or info@sjchistory.org
San Juan Capistrano Historical Society
6-19-21 — Vintage Pop Up Market
The SJC Historical Society will be hosting a Vintage Pop Up Market on Saturday, June 19, 2021 from 10am to 3pm, on the museum grounds at 31831 Los Rios St, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675-3115. Call 949-493-8444 for more information
4-17-21 — Vintage Pop Up Market
The SJC Historical Society hosted a Vintage Pop Up Market on Saturday, April 17, 2021 from 10am to 3pm, on the museum grounds at 31831 Los Rios St, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675-3115. Call 949-493-8444 for more information
The City of San Juan Capistrano is 60 this year!
The SJC Historical Society was recently featured in The Capistrano Dispatch with a piece detailing some of the city’s rich history. View the feature here.
Historical Photographs for Sale
The Historical Society has Thousands of photos archived. You can view many of our favorites on this SmugMug site. In addition you can purchase from the site and have the photos printed and delivered to your home or business.
CLICK THE BELOW TO ACCESS PHOTOS:
SJC Historical Society SmugMug
FOR PHOTOS NOT LISTED ON SMUGMUG OR CUSTOM PROJECTS
Many individuals and businesses have been buying copies of the Society’s photo collection since it was established. Family Toyota on Camino Capistrano has the largest collection of these photos which are 24″ x 36″ in size. Mollie’s Famous Café has a large number also. Anyone interested in purchasing copies should contact the Society at (949) 493-8444. Prices vary by size.
The Society also has panorama photos which are 8 inches by 3 feet in size. These are special orders and take a bit longer to process.
New Exhibit at the Leck/Silvas on Historical Society Grounds
Welcome to Spring. On Saturday April 17, 2021 the Historical Society will open an exhibit on vintage hats and accessories. The hats are from Monique Rae’s collection which she has generously donated to the Society. For many years Monique participated in living history at the Mission and at other events in San Juan Capistrano. Her outfits were perfectly presented by not only her dresses, but in the hats, gloves, and parasols. We are fortunate to have been given the opportunity to share this amazing collection with the public.
The exhibit will available through June. It can be viewed in the windows of the Leck House and Silvas Adobe.
Historic Walking Tours
The Historical Society gives tours every Saturday at 1:00 pm starting at the train depot. Tours last about 45 minutes and include the Society’s own collection of historic structures as well as other homes in the Los Rios District. As the oldest, continuously inhabited street in California, Los Rios Street is a charming neighborhood with a colorful history.
Tours travel through back through history and include centuries-old adobes, 19th century board and batten homes, and more. The Society’s collection includes the Garcia/Pryor House (a beautiful Victorian), the Leck House (a lovely Craftsman from the region’s agricultural era), and the recently restored Silvas Adobe. Every building has its story to tell, and our guides are eager to share them.
Tours are also available by appointment for groups of 5 or more. For more information, or to set up a tour, please email us at info@sjchistory.org or call 949-493-8444.
Love San Juan Capistrano’s unique history?
Volunteer as a walking tour guide! Tours are offered on Saturdays at 1 p.m. from the train depot to the Historical Society museum. You’ll share the history of Los Rios Street and share stories about the museum and other buildings on the grounds. Training provided. Tours take about 45 minutes and you would give a tour about once every 5 or 6 weeks. Schedule flexible. Call, text or email Ann Ronan, 949-702-3977, ann@sjctravel.com