Historic California church becomes community hub
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John and Rebecca Prewett donated Nipomo, California’s oldest church, built in 1898, to the Dana Adobe and Cultural Center after owning it since 2015.
The Dana Adobe and Cultural Center, which also manages the historic Dana Adobe dating to 1839, intends to transform the church into a multi-use community space. The organisation plans to create a museum, event venue, and visitor center to connect people with local history and provide a gathering place for Nipomo residents.
The building originally served as Saint Joseph’s Church, the town’s first, until the 1970s when a new church was constructed. Since then, it has housed various groups, most recently the Cavalry Church, which will continue to hold Sunday services. The Dana Adobe and Cultural Center also intends to establish a “Visit Nipomo” centre within the building, offering information to tourists about the area’s attractions, dining, lodging, and shopping.
Alongside these new uses, the organisation will undertake repairs and improvements to the 128-year-old structure, dependent on donations. Plans include repainting the church and installing stained glass or a film to mimic the original windows, with the goal of illuminating them from within so they are visible from the nearby intersection of Tefft Street and Thompson Road. Jim Corridan, president of the Dana Adobe and Cultural Center, hopes the renovations will be completed by next year.
