Part 374: Ramona’s House
During his free time in San Diego, Thomas G. Moses enjoyed going on sketching trips. “I went to the ruins of ‘Ramona’s’ in Old Town, many times and sat among the ruins and dreamed of the scenes that had been enacted there in the sun-lit patio around the fountain and under the giant grapevines.”
Moses was likely referring to Rancho Camulos, also recognized as the “Home of Ramona.” In 1884, Helen Hunt Jackson published her best-selling novel “Ramona” that presented the Native American’s plight in California, illustrated by the fictional heroine Ramona.
Jackson’s previous book, “A Century of Dishonor,” also recited past injustices to Native American’s in California, but had received very little notice. Set after the Mexican-American War, the plot depicted the life of a mixed-race Scots-Native American orphan girl. Ramona is raised by Señora Gonzaga Moreno, the sister of her deceased foster mother. Ramona is only raised by Moreno due to Ramona’s foster mother’s dying wish. Because of Ramona’s bi-racial heritage, Moreno does not love her at all; she only cares for her only child, Felipe Moreno. Furthermore, Señora Moreno remains loyal to her own Spanish Heritage and resents the Americans who have cut up her huge “rancho.”
Señora Moreno delays a major event – the sheep shearing. She waits for the arrival of the sheep sheerers, a group of Native Americans led by Alessandro, the son of Pablo Assís, the chief of the tribe. Alessandro is the story’s hero who falls in love with Ramona and agrees to stay on at the ranch. Señora Moreno is outraged because of Alessandro’s Native American heritage. Ramona also realizes that Señora Moreno has never loved her, so she and Alessandro elope.
The remainder of the story follows the lives of the young couple over the course of two years: the birth of their daughter and their travels around Southern California. During this time, Alessandro’s tribe is driven off their land to make way for a new wave of European-American settlers who demand their houses and farming tools. They finally move into the San Bernardino Mountains where Alessandro slowly loses his mind after constant abuse. He deeply loves Ramona, but regrets not being able to provide a stable home for Ramona and their daughter, “Eyes of the Sky.” Their daughter dies because a white doctor refused to go to their homestead to treat her. They have another child, named Ramona, but the couple continue to struggle. One day Alessandro rides off with the horse of an American, who follows him and shoots him, even though he knew that Alessandro was mentally unstable.
Felipe Moreno, who always loved Ramona, finds the young widow and returns both her and her daughter to the Moreno estate. Although Ramona still loves the late Alessandro, she marries Felipe and they have several children together.
“Ramona” inspired five motion pictures. In addition, an annual play was performed outdoors, beginning in 1923 in Hemet, California.
Ramona’s home on the “Moreno Ranch” was located “midway in the valley [between lands] to the east and west, which had once belonged to the Missions of San Fernando and San Bonaventura [sic].” This geographical location accurately matched Rancho Camulos.”
Rancho Camulos was selected as the setting for a portion of her novel, as advised by her close friends, Antonio and Mariana Coronel; it was one of the few remaining ranches still that reflected colonial origins. Camulos was also well known among Californians for the accomplishments of the Del Valle family; three generations were incredibly active in both the political and agricultural history of the state. In 1888, Charles Lummis, a close friend of the Del Valle family, published a promotional booklet proclaiming Rancho Camulos as the home of Ramona.
“Ramona” became so popular that even schools, streets and towns were named in honor of this fictional character. This popularity prompted many communities to claim Ramona as their own, profiting from the increased tourism throughout the state. Many visitors frequented places such as Rancho Guajome and the Estudillo house (Ramona’s Marriage Place) in San Diego to photograph the novel’s setting.
Of Moses’ trips to visit Old Town, he wrote:
“The stone flagging must have been bordered with all the flowers that California could furnish. Not far from here were the old Palms, supposed to be over one hundred years old. Trees as old as palms. They were planted by Father Serra or his followers, who planted and built these missions to assist in their work of giving the nobel redskins an uplift. During the summer months, the thick layer of dust that covers everything emphasized the fact that we had a very dry season ahead of us. Through all this thick dust, the repulsive lizard crawled and wriggled, leaving a deep trench behind him. In the tall, dry grass numerous wicked spiders were busy making their webs. The awful silence was oppressive. I was thankful to hear the distant braying of a “Burro.” The slight cooling breeze through the pepper trees was very welcome. It was always cool in the shade. The air is filled with bees and butterflies that float about with the same careless ease of the native Spaniard. My sketchbook was idle on my lap, as with closed eyes, I drifted back many years when this old adobe house held wedding guests of the charming “Ramona.” I was widely awakened by the sound of the approaching horse, ridden by a picturesque Mexican who was anxious to know why I was asleep in the old adobe house. He was very polite and spoke very good English. A few days later he brought me a tile from the roof of his house. It is now in my studio. It was made in Spain. I offered to pay him, but he wouldn’t accept it.”
To be continued…
