Custom House

Custom House Review

This adobe structure, built by the Mexican government in 1827—now California's oldest standing public building—was the first stop for sea traders whose goods were subject to duties. At the beginning of the Mexican-American War, in 1846, Commodore John Sloat raised the American flag over the building and claimed California for the United States. The house's lower floor displays cargo from a 19th-century trading ship. While the house is currently closed, you can still visit the cactus gardens and stroll around the plaza.