Lecture – Uncovering the Stories of the Aliso Adobe: Archaeology, Archives, and a Forgotten Community

From 2023 to 2025, the Palomar College archaeology excavation class uncovered a long-forgotten nineteenth-century adobe in San Diego County’s Elfin Forest/Harmony Grove area. These excavations provide the first comprehensive archaeological documentation of this historic adobe, revealing new insights into its residence, the community, and its place in the region’s past. Conducted in cooperation with property owner Greg White and regional historian Alexa Clausen, the project investigated the adobe’s architecture, history, and changing use. Across four field seasons and 47 excavation units, students and researchers documented distinctive stone foundations, interior walls, a collapsed brick chimney, and other architectural features that offer new insights into historic building practices and domestic life. Drawing on archaeological evidence, archival research, and comparisons with the nearby Robert Israel Adobe, this presentation explores the intertwined Californio and Anglo-American histories of the Aliso District. Despite extensive disturbance from erosion, salvage, recreational use, and other post-abandonment processes, the excavations revealed important details about the adobe’s construction and history, contributing to a deeper understanding of San Diego County’s historic adobe architecture and regional past. Cost: $15; SDAC Members $5 About the Presenter Betsy Pain is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Palomar College, where she serves as the Archaeology Program Coordinator. She earned her B.A. in Anthropology from UCLA and her M.A. in Anthropology from California State University, Northridge. Her specialty is historical archaeology, with a focus on bringing to light the stories of underrepresented communities through archaeological research. Above all, Betsy is passionate about working with students, sharing her love of archaeology, and providing hands-on learning experiences in both the field and the laboratory.