By 1898 the City of Whittier began buying up parts of the property to construct a water pumping facility . In 1907 , local Whittier citizens , led by Harriet Williams Russell Strong , were able to have the site made a historic monument . Strong , who had known Pico since 1867 , purchased the property and had it restored in 1909 . The property was conveyed to the State of California in 1917 and designated one of its first State Historic Parks in 1927 . The State of California did further renovations in 1944 . The Adobe was seriously damaged in the 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake , forcing closure . While funds were being raised for restoration , the additional damage was caused by the 1994 Northridge earthquake . Finally , in 1996 a Los Angeles County proposition earmarked US$ 2.5 million for the park 's restoration . Restoration of the structure began in 2000 and the historic landscape in 2002 , with the park re-opened on 20 September 2003
1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake
1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake
Pio Pico State Historic Park