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SOHO's Dedication to San Diego’s Adobe Legacy
St. Francis Chapel
Warner Springs
November/December 2024
St. Francis Chapel on Warner’s Ranch is a symbol to the enduring legacy of our region's adobe architecture, originally serving the indigenous and settler communities. The chapel had fallen into disrepair when major rains severely damaged the adobe walls and bell tower.
SOHO spearheaded the chapel's rescue and restoration with a dedicated team of architects, preservationists, and volunteers. Beginning in 1994, the rescue work involved rebuilding large portions of the structure, including the bell tower and southeast wall, which had suffered major damage. Notably, the team relied heavily on traditional adobe-making techniques, with volunteers producing over 220 adobe bricks from the historic soil on-site.
The hard work of a core group who traveled to the backcountry site weekend after weekend was led by Vonn Marie May, former SOHO president, and made possible by the expert support of three member architects: Wayne Donaldson, FAIA; Janice Fahey, AIA; and Jim Watts, AIA; and Bruce Coons. The restoration effort became a community-driven project aided by many other volunteers, including Ron and Dale May, and ensured the chapel’s structural integrity and historical authenticity.
The restoration culminated in a rededication ceremony with the Pala Band of Mission Indians, the chapel's current users, symbolizing the cultural reinvestment in this historic site. A historic resource survey is underway in 2024 to determine the chapel’s ongoing preservation needs, two decades after its original rescue.
Further Reading
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