The Kottinger Barn is all that remains of the property once owned by John W. Kottinger, one of the founders of Pleasanton. It is one of few adobe barns in California and one of only three adobe structures in the Pleasanton area.

Kottinger was a native of Austria, born in 1820. In 1846 he came to the United States, arriving finally in California in 1849. In 1852 he built an adobe and frame residence on the south bank of Arroyo Valle near the home of his wife's family. Shortly afterwards he built the adobe barn. The house was torn down in 1930. The barn was in a deteriorated condition until restored to its historic appearance in 1984.

Not long after Alameda County was formed in 1853, the first elections for the township were held in Kottinger's house. Kottinger was elected Constable, and used the house and barn in the performance of his judicial duties as courthouse and jail respectively. To transfer prisoners from the court to the jail, Kottinger constructed a tunnel between the two buildings, thus avoiding hostile crowds.

Source: Adapted from the NRHP nomination.