Horace Monroe Frink had learned the masonry trade, and when he built his house on Mission Road, on land he bought in 1866, he laid the adobe bricks himself. The Redlands Community News reported that it is the only home left of the 10 or 12 that pioneers built along "Cottonwood Row" in Old San Bernardino.
More than 150 years later, the house is the oldest structure in Loma Linda, and it is still closed to the public. On Saturday, November 7, from 1 to 4 PM, the gate at 26248 Mission Road opens for Citrus & Clay. The city's announcement asks visitors to help support preservation of the house, which needs a new roof, among other repairs, before it can open on a regular basis.
A Citrus Story That Started on This Lot
The adobe sits inside what Loma Linda calls the Mission District. That is the historic area west of California Street and Mountain View Avenue, between Redlands Boulevard and Barton Road. The district's history goes back to the San Bernardino Asistencia, founded in 1819. It also includes the Mill Creek Zanja, an irrigation channel believed to have been dug with Native American labor and now recognized as a National Register and California Landmark resource.
The zanja is what made Frink's farm work. His 100 acres came with a water right to the zanja's full flow for 24 hours every 10 days. In 1868 he planted one of the valley's first orange groves. Two Canyons Conservancy calls that grove the start of what became the San Bernardino Valley's main economic driver for the next hundred years. It describes the property as the home of the Inland Empire's citrus industry.
Sources give slightly different dates for the house. The Conservancy says the family began building in 1870 and finished in 1874, the year Frink died. The city's 2018 Historical Commission report and the Redlands Community News both date it to 1871.
Some of that first grove is still growing. In the same Redlands Community News story, Frink's great-great-grandson Joe Frink said 23 original Valencia trees were still alive and bearing fruit, about 150 years after they were planted.
Why the Door Has Stayed Shut
Frink's descendants owned the adobe for five generations. After that it went to a private owner and then to the Loma Linda Redevelopment Agency. The Press-Enterprise reported that someone lived in the house until 2010. The state dissolved the redevelopment agency in 2012. According to the Conservancy, the house then went 13 years without the repairs it needed, until it was donated to Two Canyons Conservancy in January 2025.
The Conservancy lists three repairs that must be done before the public can come inside:
- A new roof.
- A bond beam to brace the adobe walls against earthquakes.
- Repair of the east wall, which has pulled away from the rest of the house.
The Conservancy puts the cost of that full package at $350,000. It says it has some of the money and is applying for grants, but it is asking the public to help close the gap. The $350,000 covers all three repairs together.
Once the house is stable, the plans are much bigger. The Conservancy wants the property to become an archival center, a stop for school field trips and history tours, and a place for cultural events. Jim Shipp of Two Canyons Conservancy described the goal to the Press-Enterprise:
"Our goal is to bring the Fink Adobe Historic Park to life so that it will be a destination for school field trips, historic tours and cultural events."
That means November 7 is a preview of a park that doesn't fully exist yet.
Saturday, November 7, on Mission Road
The city is calling Citrus & Clay "a celebration of new beginnings at the Frink Adobe." Here is how its announcement lists the afternoon:
- When: Saturday, November 7, 2026, 1 to 4 PM
- Where: 26248 Mission Road, Loma Linda, CA 92354
- Cost: Free
- On the grounds: Live music, pony rides, adobe brickmaking, leathercraft, antique cars and motorcycles, and tacos
- Purpose: To support a roof replacement for "the oldest home in Loma Linda"
The brickmaking station has a direct link to the house. Frink built his walls one adobe brick at a time, and those walls are now what the Conservancy is working to keep standing. For families with kids who were at the Founders Day ice cream social at City Hall in September, this is a good follow-up in the same spirit. Founders Day was where Mayor Amy Jones signed the city's proclamation, and Jim Shipp was among the people the city thanked afterward.
If you can't come but want to contribute, the Conservancy accepts gifts through its Campaign for Frink Adobe page. Donors can earmark their gift for "The Frink Adobe." The Conservancy describes donations as tax deductible. This post is general information rather than tax advice, so confirm how a gift applies to your own return with your tax professional.
The Rest of the Season Moves to Citrus Trails Park
Citrus & Clay falls between two city events. Both now take place at Citrus Trails Park, 26351 Park Avenue. At the September 8 City Council meeting, staff previewed the fall schedule. They announced the Trunk or Treat and said the Christmas tree lighting would move to the park to make room for more people.
| Date | Event | Location | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., Oct. 29, 5 to 7 PM | Loma Linda's first-ever Trunk or Treat | Citrus Trails Park | Free; costumes, candy, kids' activities, local vendors |
| Sat., Nov. 7, 1 to 4 PM | Citrus & Clay | Frink Adobe, 26248 Mission Road | Free; supports adobe preservation |
| Thu., Dec. 3, until 8 PM | Christmas in the Park and the annual tree lighting | Citrus Trails Park | Free; hot chocolate, cookies, local vendors, Santa |
The Trunk or Treat runs Thursday, October 29, and the city is billing it as its first. City Hall is collecting candy donations and answering questions at (909) 799-2830. For Christmas in the Park, the city's announcement gives an 8 PM end time but cuts off the start time, so check with that same number before you plan dinner around it.
The park can handle a crowd. The city's Citrus Trails North page lists 6.8 acres with a tot playground, pickleball courts, two half basketball courts, two large gazebos with picnic tables, charcoal barbecue pits, restrooms, and a walking trail with exercise stations. The city requires a park use permit for group activities.
After the Gate Closes on November 7
You can keep going to the Frink Adobe after Citrus & Clay. The Conservancy regularly needs volunteers to weed and care for the historic citrus grove and to start cleaning inside the house. Work days are posted on the "Friends of the Frink Adobe" Facebook page. A morning of weeding there means working among trees planted in the valley's first orange-growing years.
For something closer to home on a Sunday, the Sunday Market Loma Linda is a state-certified farmers' market at 11235 Mountain View Ave. It is now on its October-through-June schedule, open Sundays from 11 AM to 3 PM, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture's certified market list as of October 1, 2026. The market is on Mountain View Avenue, one of the streets the city's 2018 historical report uses to mark out the Mission District.
Perrie Mundy has worked with historic Redlands-area homes since 1973. She knows how much work it takes to keep an old house standing, and she welcomes conversations with neighbors who care about places like the Frink Adobe. If you own a historic property in Loma Linda or the Mission District and have questions about its story, its upkeep, or what comes next, Perrie Mundy Group is glad to talk. Contact Us.
