Ramona [ruh-moh-nuh]  

Ramona, California
Ramona is an unincorporated community (with plans of incorporation) in San Diego County, California, USA. The United States Census Bureau had divided Ramona into two census-designated places, the Ramona CDP and the San Diego Country Estates CDP. The population of the CDPs, which does not include the fringe areas surrounding the CDPs, was 25,223 at the 2000 census. The Ramona Community Planning Area had a population of 33,404 at the 2000 census. The January 1, 2006, population of the Ramona Community Planning Area is estimated to be 36,405 by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG).

History

Early Times

The current town of Ramona was founded in 1886, when a land speculation syndicate, headed by Milton Santee, "organized the Santa Maria Land & Water Company and acquired for a townsite in the Santa Maria Valley and named it Ramona". Previously the area was known as Nuevo, and was dotted by a few ranches and homesteads. Settlement of the Ramona town site began in 1883 when Amos Verlaque built a store and post office on the wagon road to Julian, California. In 1886, Theophile Verlaque built the town's first house next to Amos' store. The Verlaque house, located at 645 Main Street in Ramona, is now home to the Ramona Pioneer Historical Society and its Guy B. Woodward Museum, and in 1991 was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Santa Maria Land & Water Company called its project "Ramona". When the name of the town changed from Nuevo to Ramona is subject to dispute. In The Glory Years, by Frank F. Pourade (1964, Copley Press, republished by the San Diego Historical Society), the author indicates that the Santa Maria Land & Water Company syndicate changed the name in 1886. However, the San Diego City and County Directory for 1886-87 lists the town as Nuevo. And the Ramona Town Hall website says this concerning the dedication of the building:

It was donated to the towns people of Nuevo, on Washington's Birthday, February 22, 1894, by Augustus and Martha Barnett. Later that year, at the insistence of Milton Santee, the town was renamed Ramona, to capitalize on the popularity of the fictional character from the best seller by Helen Hunt Jackson.

Concerned about the plight of native Americans in southern California (and elsewhere), and inspired by her friend Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin, Helen Hunt Jackson's novel Ramona was published in November, 1884. It was an instant success.

The Ramona Town Hall, now 113 years old, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. It has also been known as Town Hall of Nuevo, and Barnett Hall. The Hall was built on two lot donated by Milton Santee, who as noted above headed up the Santa Maria Land & Water Company syndicate. Augustus and Martha Barnett donated the $17,000 "to the towns people of Nuevo, on Washington's Birthday, February 22, 1894." Ramona Town Hall was designed by architect William S. Hebbard, who later, with his partner, Irving Gill, "produced San Diego's best architecture until its break up in 1907". The building is one of the largest, and oldest, adobe structures in southern California. Photographs of William Hebbard and Ramona Town Hall may be viewed on this San Diego Historical Society page, and on the Ramona Town Hall website

As noted in this Ramona Home Journal article:

In the past, the Town Hall was home to Ramona’s first high school. Classes met upstairs from 1894 to 1898. The town’s first bank and first library also started in the building, and several religious groups met there before their churches were built.

Other organizations that met in the Town Hall included Ramona Grange, Santa Maria Masonic Lodge, Ramona Pioneer Historical Society, Ramona Chamber of Commerce, Ramona Art Guild, Town Hall Players and Ramona Council of Arts, Unlimited.

The Town Hall was used as a theater in the 1940s, with Harry Miles running the movie projector. It also was known as the community dance hall and the site of costume balls.

Recent History

On Mother's Day, May 13, 1973, Ramona entered the America national spotlight. 55 year old former tennis great turned hustler, Bobby Riggs, challenged the then 30 year old women's world number one player, Margaret Court, to a match. The match was staged at Ramona's San Diego Country Estates. Riggs won easily, 6-2, 6-1. He later lost to Billie Jean King in The Battle of the Sexes at the Houston, Texas, Astrodome, on September 20, 1973.

The Cedar Fire began in Ramona approximately east of the San Diego Country Estates area, on October 25, 2003. The fire would eventually consume 280,278 acres (1,134 km²), burn 2,820 buildings (including 2,232 homes), and take 15 lives. The Cedar Fire is the largest fire in California history.

The Witch Fire began near Ramona near the area called Witch Creek on October 21, 2007. As of October 24th, it had burned approximately in San Diego County with over 640 homes destroyed, 250 damaged, and 12 firefighters injured according to the San Diego Union Tribune. Actual damage to the city of Ramona is unknown as of October 24 as the roads into the town are closed. On October 24th the Witch Fire merged with another fire called the Poomacha which had originated in the area of the La Jolla Indian Reservation. Along with more than 10 other fires burning in San Diego County at the same time, the Witch-Poomacha fire helped cause the largest mandatory evacuations in U.S. history, with over 500,000 people displaced as of October 24th.

On January 2006, Ramona Valley was designated the country's 162nd American Viticultural Area (AVA) by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, which recognized the area for its distinctive microclimate, elevation, and soil attributes.

Notable Ramonans

  • Ross Martin - actor. Best known for his role as Artemus Gordon on the Wild Wild West TV show. Died at Ramona on July 3, 1981.

  • Evangelist Rayall Rowan (also Roan) - traveling secular evangelist. Often passed through Ramona, cursing its name and kicking its police dogs. 1918-2008.

  • Margaret (Margot) King Rocle - fine art painter. Born: Watkins Glen, New York, March 6, 1893. Died: Poway, California, November 9, 1981. King Rocle was a progressive painter who exhibited extensively between 1928 and 1941. "In addition to her portraits and depictions of everyday life, Rocle could also create a painting of striking social commentary." She met Marius Romain Rocle in Paris, France, and they were married on October 1, 1918. The Rocles moved to Ramona in 1955. Mr. Rocle died in 1967, and Margaret (Margot) King Rocle lived in Ramona until her death. She was an avid collector of antiques. Sadly, after her death it was discovered that all of her artwork was missing. "It is known that sometime before her death, Rocle shipped her antique furniture and other items to relatives in Newark, Ohio, but attempts to locate the paintings there have not been successful."

  • Irene Amy Strong - Dressmaker and visionary adherent to the American Craftsman Movement. Born April 5, 1860, in Peoria, Illinois. Died March 9, 1950. Resided in Ramona between 1909 and 1940. Strong, together with architect, close friend and traveling companion, Emmor Brooke Weaver, and architect John Terrell Vawter, constructed her home at the foot of Mt. Woodson between 1916 and 1921, at a cost of US$50,000. The home, known as The Castle, or the Amy Strong Castle, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places The eclectic home, now part of the Mt. Woodson Golf Club, is described by Linda Roth in her Journal of San Diego History article as follows:
    ...a multi-level, twenty-seven room (five bedroom, four bath), home complete with four to eight foot thick walls, a 72'x16' living room, a sixteen foot ceiling, a sitting room, swing porch, pantry, four fireplaces, a Dutch oven, dumb waiter, complete intercom system and a gasoline-engine-assisted windmill...
    Building materials of the main house included eucalyptus, oak and redwood, rocks and flagstone, adobe, bricks and tiles, plaster, concrete and stucco. Eucalyptus was cut from stands that dotted the property. Rocks were individually hand picked by Mrs. Strong for their shapes and colors from the slopes of Mt. Woodson and were carried to the building site by a horse drawn sled designed especially for the job...

  • Casey Tibbs - rodeo cowboy and actor. Held the World All-Around Rodeo Champion title in 1951 and 1955. Died in his Ramona home on January 28, 1990, while watching the Super Bowl.

  • Dai Vernon - magician. Born June 11, 1894, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Died August 22, 1992, at Ramona, California, at the home of his son. Due to his extraordinary skill, he was nicknamed The Professor. Vernon was a master of card tricks. His colleague's esteem rose when he "...performed a card trick for the legendary Harry Houdini - vaunted for his ability to decipher any other magician's work - and Houdini could not figure it out." He helped found Hollywood, California's landmark Magic Castle, and continued to entertain there until 1990, when he moved in with his son in Ramona due to failing health.

  • Tommy Ryan - political philosophy scholar. Raised on Mussey Grade Rd, throughout the late 1990s. After leaving Ramona, Tommy moved to Rome where he studied the classics of Western Civilization. He returned to the United States where he obtained a degree in Political Philosophy from the University of Dallas. Tommy became world renowned in 2008 for his excellent treatise comparing the political framework contained within Politics (Aristotle) to the United States Constitution system. He is currently a Senior Fellow with the Barrington Political Institute.

Political

Local

As an unincorporated town, Ramona's plenary local governing body is the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. However, many governmental functions operate at the local level in Ramona.

The Ramona Municipal Water District (RMWD) is Ramona's local agency (within its boundaries) for water and sewer service, fire protection, paramedic services, and parks. The RMWD contracts with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to operate the Ramona Fire Department The RMWD is governed by a five member elected Board of Directors.

In the area of Ramona outside and east of the Ramona Municipal Water District, fire protection and paramedic service is provided by the InterMountain Fire - Rescue Department It operates as a California 501c(3) non-profit corporation, and up to 9 people sit on its Board of Directors. Portions of Ramona, notably the Barona Mesa area adjacent to San Diego Country Estates, are under the jurisdiction of the San Diego Rural Fire Protection District (View its District map).

With one exception, public schools in Ramona are operated by the Ramona Unified School District, which is governed by an elected five person Board of Trustees. The exception is Sun Valley Charter High School Although its charter was approved by the RUSD, it is governed by its own board.

The Nuevo Gardens Memorial Cemetery is a public cemetery located at 532 Ash Street, Ramona, CA 92065, and governed by a three person Board of Trustees. Its trustees are appointed by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.

State and Federal

In the state legislature Ramona is located in the 36th Senate District, represented by Republican Dennis Hollingsworth, and in the 77th Assembly District, represented by Republican Joel Anderson. Federally, Ramona is located in California's 52nd congressional district, which has a Cook PVI of R +9 and is represented by Republican Duncan Hunter.

Physical geography

According to the United States Geological Survey Ramona is located at . This is near the intersection of State Route 67 and State Route 78 and near the economic center of Ramona. The elevation is . above sea level (at Ramona Airport).

Because Ramona is not an incorporated city, there are no city limits by which to measure its area. There are primarily three geographic areas by which the land area of Ramona is measured: 1. The boundaries of the Ramona Municipal Water District (approximately ); 2. The boundaries of the Ramona Unified School District (approximately ), and; 3. The boundaries of the Ramona Community Planning Area. The last is the primary area utilized by San Diego County's regional planning agency, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG).

The Ramona Community Planning Area encompasses more than (over ) in central San Diego County. The RCPA includes the unincorporated town of Ramona, California, and is located in the foothills of the Laguna Mountains. It is located east northeast of the City of Poway (with which it shares a boundary), east southeast of the City of Escondido, north of Lakeside, California and west southwest of Santa Ysabel, California.

The RCPA consists primarily of the Santa Maria Valley and the San Vicente Valley, and the steep or mountainous terrain surrounding them. It also includes the Ballena Valley east of town, and Bandy Canyon and a small portion of the southern edge of the San Pasqual Valley. In the San Pasqual Valley, the RCPA abuts the City of San Diego.

The historical town center of Ramona, California is located in the Santa Maria Valley. This valley was the Rancho Santa Maria, a Mexican land grant. The San Vicente Valley was formerly part of the Rancho San Vicente y Padre Barona Mexican land grant. The San Diego County Estates subdivision in Ramona, California, is located in the San Vicente Valley. The Barona Indian Reservation, not part of the RCPA, is also within part of the Rancho San Vicente y Padre Barona Mexican land grant.

Map of the Ramona Community Planning Area

Demographics

The United States census of 2000 included two Census-Designated Places (CDP) - Ramona CDP and San Diego Country Estate CDP. Some areas of Ramona were not included in any CDP.

The U.S. Census Bureau created a new statistical entity for tabulating summary statistics from Census 2000 by Zip Code, the Zip Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA). Ramona has a single United States Postal Service Zip Code - 92065. (Map of 92065 ZCTA)

The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), San Diego County's regional planning agency, has compiled census data for all census tracts in the Ramona Community Planning Area (RCPA). These statistics are slightly different than the 92065 ZCTA, as the RCPA includes some land area outside the 92065 Zip Code. (Map of RCPA)

2000 census information for the Ramona CDP, the San Diego Country Estate CDP, 92065 ZCTA, and the RCPA (as prepared by SANDAG), is set forth below.

92065 ZCTA

As of the census of 2000, there were 33,087 people residing in the 92065 Zip Code Tabulation Area.

RCPA

As of the census of 2000, there were 33,404 people, 10,803 households, and 8,814 families residing in the RCPA. The population density was 158.3/km² (254.5/mi²). There were 11,190 housing units at an average density of 53.0/km² (85.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the RCPA was 78.35% White, 0.67% African American, 0.81% Native American, 0.97% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 0.16% from other races, and 1.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.03% of the population.

There were 10,803 households out of which 45.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.5% were married couples living together, 8.67% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.41% were non-families. 13.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 3.09 and the average family size was 3.79.

In the RCPA the population was spread out with 30.03% under the age of 18, 8.08% from 18 to 24, 29.01% from 25 to 44, 23.53% from 45 to 64, and 9.34% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.7 years. For every 100 females there were 101.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males.

The median income for a household in the RCPA was $60,534. The per capita income for the RCPA was $19,576. About 5.3% of families and 9% of the population were below the poverty line. Only 3.57% of families including a married couple were below the poverty line, while 13.98% of male headed households with no wife present and 14.62% of female headed households with no husband present fell below the poverty line.

Of the population 15 years of age or older, 63% were married (excluding separated), 23% had never been married, 8% were divorced, 4% were widowed, and 1% were separated. Of those 25 or older 86.34% had graduated high school (including GEDs), and 31.1% had attended college, but had not earned a degree. 8% of this group had earned an associate degree, 15% a bachelor's degree and 6% a masters. 2% had gone on to earn a professional school degree, and 1% had earned a doctorate.

72.2% of housing units were owner occupied, with the median value of these set at $240,137. Off all housing units in the RCPA, 82.71% were built in 1970 or later, and 55.1% were built in 1980 or later.

96.03% of occupied households had at least one motor vehicle, and 75.49% had two or more vehicles. For those employed, the average travel time to work was 36 minutes. 14.76% had travel times to work of 60 minutes or more.

Ramona CDP

According to the United States Census Bureau the Ramona CDP is located at Ramona is located at (33.035868, -116.870633).

As of the census of 2000, there were 15,691 people, 5,021 households, and 3,886 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 396.5/km² (1,026.9/mi²). There were 5,131 housing units at an average density of 129.7/km² (335.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 80.60% White, 0.78% African American, 1.33% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.27% Pacific Islander, 12.56% from other races, and 3.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 24.99% of the population. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 39.6 km² (15.3 mi²), all land.

There were 5,021 households out of which 43.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.1% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.6% were non-families. 16.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10 and the average family size was 3.45.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 31.2% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 101.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $48,625, and the median income for a family was $53,372. Males had a median income of $40,376 versus $26,105 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $18,898. About 9.1% of families and 12.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.

San Diego Country Estates CDP

According to the United States Census Bureau the San Diego Country Estates CDP is located at (33.002636, -116.799005). The CDP has a total area of 44.0 km² (17.0 mi²), all land.

As of the census of 2000, there were 9,262 people, 2,992 households, and 2,650 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 210.7/km² (545.9/mi²). There were 3,102 housing units at an average density of 70.6/km² (182.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 92.92% White, 0.72% African American, 0.49% Native American, 1.12% Asian, 0.27% Pacific Islander, 1.72% from other races, and 2.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.70% of the population.

There were 2,992 households out of which 47.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 80.0% were married couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 11.4% were non-families. 8.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10 and the average family size was 3.27.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 31.6% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $77,547, and the median income for a family was $79,409. Males had a median income of $55,825 versus $34,472 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $27,685. About 2.6% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 1.0% of those age 65 or over.

Agriculture

At one time Ramona was known as the "Turkey Capital of the World." Turkey production flourished during the 1930s, and the industry was featured with popular annual Turkey Days celebrations. Turkey production went into sharp decline following World War II, and ended completely by 1959.

The decline of the Turkey industry was followed by rapid growth in the chicken egg business. Egg production, which began in the 1920s, thrived into the 1970s. In 1970, there were about 50 egg ranches in Ramona. Today, most of the chicken ranches are gone. By 2003, only four remained. A notable exception to the decline is the Pine Hills Egg Ranch, which at 1,100,000 birds is the 58th largest nationally, and the 5th largest in the state of California. The demise of the egg industry was, in part, due to population growth and increased land values. It was also caused by an outbreak of deadly exotic Newcastle's Disease in 1971, which took three years to stem, and another outbreak in late 2002. Learn more about Newcastle's Disease at this USDA website

Dairies used to be common in Ramona, particularly along contiguous Dye Road, Ramona Street and Warnock Road. Today, one dairy remains on Dye Road, and one on Warnock.

Notable among current agricultural pursuits in Ramona is rapidly growing wine grape production. The Ramona Valley American Viticultural Area surrounds the town. An aerial photograph depicting the Ramona Valley Viticultural Area may be viewed at the Ramona Valley Vineyard Association's website

Although the cost of imported water has been a negative issue in recent years, Avocado and Citrus orchards are also prominent.

Perhaps Ramona's greatest recent claim to fame comes from Thoroughbred horse breeding. The Golden Eagle Farm in eastern Ramona's Ballena Valley was the home of Best Pal, the second-place finisher of the 1991 Kentucky Derby. No California bred race horse has earned more than the US$5.6 million in purses he won. Best Pal is buried on the Golden Eagle Farm.

See also

References

External links

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Last updated on Saturday October 11, 2008 at 19:06:02 PDT (GMT -0700)
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