Estrella Adobe Church once-a-year service May 29
The Estrella Adobe Church in rural Paso Robles.
Historic church in rural Paso Robles will hold its yearly service on Memorial Day weekend
–The beautiful, historic Estrella Adobe Church in rural Paso Robles, will hold its once-a-year opportunity for people to view inside the church on Memorial Day weekend. This year’s annual service will take place on Sunday, May 29 at 2 p.m. A guest pastor will lead the non-denominational service, and an antique pump organ will provide the music. After the service, visitors can wander the grounds of the historic church and explore its cemetery. Refreshments will be provided.
The Estrella Adobe Church (California Historical Landmark No. 542) is located on Airport Road in Paso Robles, 2 1/2 miles north of Highway 46 East. It was the first protestant church in northern San Luis Obispo County, built in 1878-1885 by early pioneers. The church prospered for a few years but then fell into disuse and began crumbling into ruins. The church was restored through the efforts of the Paso Robles Women’s Club and was rededicated in 1952. Since the 1960s it has been under the care of the non-profit, Friends of the Adobes, Inc.
There are approximately 48 people buried in the cemetery but it is no longer used. The earliest burials appear to be from 1882, and many of the graves reflect the devastation of the diphtheria epidemic of 1884-85. The last burials were in 1938 and 1959.
In 2005, the San Luis Obispo County Genealogical Society indexed the burials and photographed the headstones and monuments there as part of their “Rural Cemeteries Project.” According to SLOCGS, the surnames of those known to be buried in the cemetery include; Allen, Baker, Bardin, Brooks, Bucher, Coulter, Durham, Erdman, Exline, Fortney, Jones, McKinley, McNeeley, Mills, Morris, Parsons, Reynolds, Rude, Sinclair, Skinner, Sproul, Stovall, Teachout, Tuley, Weir, and Wolf.
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