ARCHEOLOGICAL RESEARCH BEGAN in 2004. The findings were captured in a 436-page report called Two Forks in the Road - Test Excavations of the Ranch House at Warner's Ranch and site of Jonathan T. Warner's House and Store by Stephen R. Van Wormer & Susan D. Walter, which would significantly guide the restoration. Excavations and investigation helped identify historic property treatments for the structure, materials, and finishes.

Long before the first Spaniards came to California, the Cupeño band of Native Americans had settled on this mesa. Artifacts from this period are on exhibit in the adobe.

Left Artifacts from the refuse pit: (A) metate fragment, (B) mano fragment, (C) hand painted ewer, (D) Native American pottery shards, (E) molded decorated plate, and (F) butchered beef bone fragments. The metate is approximately 10 inches across at its widest point. Courtesy Van Wormer and Walter. Right Bowl and other vessels on display in the ranch house. Photo by Sandé Lollis

The foundations document a building that expanded over time. Although all footings are cobble or field stone footings typically used for supporting adobe block walls, each is different. On the south wall, smaller water-worn cobbles make up the bottom course of stones with larger water-worn granite cobbles on top. On the center wing in the entry room, a single course of irregular shaped granitic field stones was used. On the north wall, the bottom course of the foundation is made up of large granite field stones that show little wear from water, with smaller water-worn cobbles in the top course. The three distinct ways in which these foundations were assembled strongly suggest that they were built by different individuals, and certainly not at the same time. The foundations confirm what has been suggested by the disconnected seams in the adobe walls between the central, north, and south wings: that the adobe was built in three distinct stages. - Van Wormer and Walter, 2011

The full 436-page in-depth and fascinating excavation report with illustrations and photos can be found HERE.

Photos from the report show examples of the work

Left The stone foundation (A) and the bottom course of the original adobe wall (B) in Unit 04-6 underlying the north wall wooden infill (C) of Room 107. Right Unit 04-6 south sidewall profile sketch of the stone foundation and adobe block under the wooden infill on the north wall of Room 107.

Photograph and profile of north wall foundation of Room 108 exposed in restoration construction trench.