Citizens, including the Breen family, protest state parks’ plan
to create interactive displays
Paul Breen likened the idea to the construction of a McDonalds
in San Juan Bautista. His mother, Betty, said their opposition had
to do with aesthetics, not the family name.
Citizens, including the Breen family, protest state parks’ plan to create interactive displays
Paul Breen likened the idea to the construction of a McDonalds in San Juan Bautista. His mother, Betty, said their opposition had to do with aesthetics, not the family name.
When newly elected San Juan Bautista council members joined their colleagues on the board Tuesday night, their first controversy was deciding what to tell the state about a proposed plan to turn the Castro-Breen adobe into an interactive, Disney-esque experience.
“This is not a bad idea, but it’s in the wrong place,” said attorney Paul Breen. “This is not a Tech Museum in San Juan Bautista. It’s why you don’t have a 7-11 when you come into town, it’s why you don’t have a McDonalds.”
“It’s not just because we are Breens,” added his mother, Betty Breen. “It’s because we don’t like the idea.”
The $1.8 million renovation that would create interactive exhibits in the staid museum has been under fire since a Pinnacle story Oct. 24. The state parks service, which oversees San Juan’s Historic Plaza of mid-19th century buildings near the mission, hired a San Francisco firm to come up with an “edutainment” plan for the old adobe, where Breen ancestors landed after surviving the Donner Party ordeal in the Sierras.
For 40 some years the adobe has been a static museum replete with the 19th century artifacts that belonged to the Breen family during the time they lived there. Visitors can view from behind protective barriers the historically accurate way of life the family experienced.
The new plan would turn the adobe into a hands-on, interactive exhibit featuring life-sized cut-outs of the Breens, reproductions of artifacts, barrier-free displays, interpretive “touch-me” graphic panels, 3-D murals and even lifelike robotic animals that emit sounds and move when visitors approach. State officials say it would be more appealing to fourth graders, who visit the town on field trips as part of their history lessons.
Georgana Gularte, head of the SJB Historic Resources Citizens Committee, opened public outcry against the project. She said that the plan does not respect the level of integrity and authenticity of the Castro-Breen Adobe, that it does not respect the Breen family, and that it is flawed because the best way to experience the buildings of the Plaza as they existed during the 1800s is as they are.
“In the last two weeks since this uproar, which we are willing to continue, the park has listened to local people,” said Gularte, but she pointed out that no park officials were present at the meeting.
While the Breen family provided several poignant moments during public comments, it was local resident and Breen relative Steve Hudner who provided more entertainment.
“I’m shocked that the state bureaucracy has the money for this,” Hudner said. “I don’t know where they get the money because they don’t have any to educate fourth graders.
“I was a fourth grader once, I didn’t get to touch everything,” he added as the audience roared. “It’s tacky. At Monticello they don’t have cutout figures of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hansen. They don’t have a robotic raccoon jumping out of a box.”
Hudner also expressed misgivings about how much weight the council’s resolution against the project would carry with the state.
“They could override this and turn the Castro-Breen House into Chucky Cheese,” he said. “It would be much better in a separate facility. I mean, they said they can’t afford humidifiers (for the artifacts), how can they afford mechanical chickens?”
Resident Scott Freels was also dismayed by the idea.
“Let’s leave the building alone,” said Freels. “If they want to put in these cartoon cutouts and interactive stuff, tell them to get a hold of Disney and they can put in their ‘California Experience,’ but it doesn’t belong here.”
During council discussion, Dan Reed said the project was incompatible with the character of San Juan.
“You go to a place like Disneyland, you expect to run around and push buttons,” said Reed. “You come to this community and you don’t get that. You expect a human being to come and talk to you. We don’t need an interactive gentleman standing there and you push a button and he tries to explain to you what the history of San Juan Bautista is from the jaded view of the state. I highly recommend that we let the state keep their hands off the Breen Adobe.”
“Is that your motion?” asked Hill.
Then City Manager Larry Cain interjected that the motion should include objections to altering any historic building in the Plaza. Reed amended the motion as such, and the vote was unanimous.
The council unanimously approved a resolution to “strongly oppose state parks plan to redesign the Castro-Breen Adobe as an interactive center.”
“It’s been moved and seconded that we notify the state that we’re definitely against doing this Disneyland effect,” said Mayor Priscilla Hill, whose term was renewed by colleagues, before taking the vote.
Newly sworn in council members Chuck Geiger and Art Medina, as well as Reed and George Rowe, all voted in favor of the letter.
