The FBLA chapter of Eisenhower High School won first place for their community service project: Rialto Adobe, at the FBLA state leadership conference in Irvine on April 22-26. They will go on to compete at the national level in July in Denver.
The group's Rialto Adobe project began when the chapter was looking for something different to do for the competition. After deciding on something historical, the Rialto Historical Society was contacted.
The Old Adobe, built in 1853 or 1854, was Rialto's first house. The true origin and builder was not known until the Rialto Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Rialto Historical Society began to do research in 1962. Within the past 36 years much has been learned about Rialto's oldest building still standing. Michael White was an English seamen who owned the Muscupiabe Rancho, in San Gabriel, where he and his family lived. He also owned the Cajon Pass where the adobe was located before it's move to Lilac Park for preservation.
Over the years, the building sat empty and fell victim to vandalism. In 1996, the Church of Latter-day Saints restored it, and the city of Rialto has had the building retrofitted. The building is now owned by the city of Rialto and leased to the Historical Society.
When the FBLA chapter took over maintenance, the building was covered in cobwebs and in bad condition. "We decided to adopt it and open it to help cultivate the history of Rialto for the public," said Michelle Nakaji.