Camp Pendleton Ranch House now open

Because the Camp Pendleton Ranch House is no longer being used as a residence, it is now open for tours for groups of 20 or more. On December 15 they hosted their first “Open House” where the public could get a glimpse of the facility.

Decorated with juniper and other evergreen branches tied with big red bows, the house looked ready for Christmas. The decorations were done by the docents who were also on hand to explain various interesting facts about the house.

The house, officially called the Rancho Santa Margarita Las Flores Ranch House, also includes an adobe chapel.

Camp Pendleton was “discovered” in 1769 by Capt. Gaspar de Portola, a Spaniard, who led an expedition to seek out land suitable for Franciscan missions. It then became a part of the Mission San Luis Rey, and in 1841, Pio and Andres Pico purchased the property.

The ranch changed hands several times until, in the early 1940s, it was purchased by the United States Government to be used as a Marine Corps training base. It was then named after Major General Joseph H. Pendleton.

The Ranch House museum is run by docents, led by Camp Pendleton Museum Officer Faye Jonason. Jonason was doing the job of a docent on Saturday explaining the history of the house along with the docent team. The men and women were dressed in costumes reminiscent of Spanish-style garb.

The Chapel is the oldest structure on the base and was originally a stable. The long, narrow building with white sun-dried adobe walls was almost destroyed in 1993 by a flash flood.

The airfield adjacent to the building was under seven feet of water at the time and a wall of mud buried several items in the chapel, including a stained glass window of St. George. The window was never recovered.

In the interior of the chapel a gold cross stands in a niche above the altar and the sun sifts through a Canterbury stained glass window of an angel at the rear of the building.

The Chapel has been the site of many weddings over the years and the history department is looking for wedding photographs taken in the chapel that can be used with a new display that they are putting together.

In the Ranch House the visitors viewed a guestroom that originally posed a problem for the historians. Historians wanted to preserve the integrity of the room and yet make it comfortable for guests.

The problem was solved by building three large closets to enclose the shower, sink area and a toilet. When the doors to these modern conveniences are closed the modern conveniences can’t been seen and the integrity of the room is preserved.

The Ranch House also boasts a room called “The President’s Room” where several presidents have stayed the night. Photographs of US presidents including Franklin D. Roosevelt, Richard Nixon, George Bush and George W. Bush line the walls. The focal point of the room is a carved poster bed covered with an antique crocheted bedspread.

Tour requests for groups of 20 or more must be by appointment only. For more information please call (760) 725-5758.