Rancho Camulos Museum

Rancho Camulos is the 40 acre National Historic Landmark portion of the 1800 acre ranch in Piru, California. It is a true Spanish-Mexican working ranch and was featured in the Helen Hunt Jackson novel "Ramona." Today, the ranch shares its history with the public through collections, research, preservation and interpretations of the cultural heritage of Southern California. Many of the buildings on the ranch have been restored in an effort to educate and enrich the visits of the public. The museum offers tours Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays in the afternoon. The tours are docent led and take visitors to the adobe built in 1853, the school house, the rose garden, the winery and the chapel. Docents share information about early California, the current owners of the ranch and Helen Hunt Jackson. Tours typically last about an hour. The ranch is the only land grant rancho in the state open to the public and preserved in its original environment. There are 15 total historic buildings on the site and it is the county's only National Historic Landmark. The rancho is a popular site for weddings and reservations fill up fast. Couples love planning the nuptials in the sprawling, scenic land of the rancho. Most weddings are held either in the chapel or the maple tree, both providing picturesque backdrops for wedding ceremonies.