OLDEST -- Indian Agency Buildings in California - Torrez-Martinez Historical District - Thermal, CA
N 33° 33.759 W 116° 09.225
11S E 578548 N 3713985
An official County of Riverside Historical Marker resides in front of three historic buildings located at the Torres-Martinez Indian Agency headquarters just south of Thermal, CA.
Waymark Code: WMKN1X
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 05/04/2014
Views: 1
Located at the Torres-Martinez Indian Agency headquarters is an official Riverside County Historical Marker that is located in a fenced in area and off limits to visitors unless accompanied by a security guard. The marker stands in front of three very historic buildings that make up the Torres-Martinez Historical District. The marker itself reads:
COUNTY OF
RIVERSIDE
HISTORICAL MARKER
RIV-042MARTINEZ INDIAN AGENCY
THREE STRUCTURES HERE - A SCHOOL, AGENCY BUILDING AND RESIDENCE, ARE BELIEVED TO BE THE OLDEST STANDING U.S. INDIAN AGENCY BUILDINGS IN CALIFORNIA. THEY WERE BUILT ABOUT 1907 BY THE MARTINEZ AGENCY, ESTABLISHED IN 1876. THE FIRST WRITTEN RECORD OF THE VILLAGE WAS MADE BY THE ROMERO - ESTUDILLO EXPEDITION OF 1823, TELLING OF WELL DEVELOPED AGRICULTURE. THE BRADSHAW ROAD WAS BUILT THROUGH HERE IN 1862.
One of these historic structures, the one-room schoolhouse, was totally remodeled a couple of years ago and looks like a brand new building. The hopeful goal for the Historical District is to obtain additional grants and private funding to renovate the other two buildings to their former glory.