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~ R$.ANCHO CAMULOS ~

A Day at Rancho Camulos

A Narrative Vision ...

Imagine you are traveling down Highway 126
to visit the Rancho Camulos Museum. As you
tum your car off the highway, a rustic sign
mounted atop a wood gateway directs you to
a narrow driveway running along the eastern
edge of the site. This is the original approach
that led visitors of the late 1800's to the Del Valle
adobe home nestled amongst vineyards and or-
chard, well back from the road. The drive is lined
by a white picket fence and flanked by rows of
orange trees. Straight ahead is a magnificent view
of the mountains ascending above the tree tops.
You reach a gravel turn-out that provides places
for cars interspersed among the shade of orange
trees. You park the car,. get out and realize that The entry to the Main Adobe - Ramona's ''front porch, " it was carefully described in the story, and today
remains much the same as it did during Helen Hunt Jackson's visit.
you are surrounded by a demonstration orchard
with different citrus, fruit and nut trees. A group said to be inspired by this ranch. Through the As you tum the comer of the adobe house,
of young children is picking fruit and sampling windows and doorways you can see the central you find yourself standing under the branches
their goods with the help of a museum docent. courtyard, carefully restored as a focus of the of an enormous walnut tree - one of the larg-
Another rustic sign directs visitors to walk the home. est in the world. Almost a hundred tables are set
rest of the way down the drive whichleads to the up under the tree's giant limbs for a wedding that
main entry of the 1850' s del Valle adobe home. As you step out of the main house, you notice will occur later in the day.
As you leave your car behind, you are trans- blooming herbs and fruit trees and a sign that
ported back to the late 1800's - a guest of the indicates this i.s the family kitchen garden. Now the path leads to the Del Valle Chapel. A
Del Valle Rancho. You enter the adobe from an Nearby is an aviary full of singing birds and a peek through the open doors reveals a beauti-
expansive porch that overlooks a large green lawn large arbor covered with grape vines. A local club ful altar, lined with original Del Valle religious ar-
surrounding an early fountain. A tour of the inte- is having a picnic in a shady tea garden next to tifacts.
rior reveals restored rooms that depict family life the aviary.
and the literacy significance of the Ramona story, Just a short walk beyond the Chapel is the Rubel

OVERVIEW AND VISION