1. Born in 1809 in Los Angeles, Raymundo Olivas (no photo exists) was the seventh child of a poor family. He joined the Mexican Army in California at the age of 16 and was assigned to the Presidio (fort) of Santa Barbara as a Lancer (cavalryman).
2. Raymundo met his future wife, Teodora Lopez (pictured at age 80) in Santa Barbara. They were married on November 6, 1832, and together they had 21 children – eight girls and 13 boys. Nicholas Olivas Raymundo’s oldest son.
3. In return for their service to the State, Raymundo and his friend, Felipe Lorenzana, were granted 4,670 acres by Mexican Governor Juan B. Alvarado. Raymundo began ranching his land in 1847. Jose de los Santos Olivas, one of Raymundo’s sons.
4. The main house for the Rancho San Miguel was one of the few two-story haciendas in Southern California and one of the most impressive homes in the Santa Clara River Valley.
5. In 1848, gold was discovered in the American River and California changed forever. People came from all over the world to mine for gold. Knowing that the miners needed food, Raymundo’s cattle herd became his gold mine.
6. These were the golden days of the don – with his new income, Raymundo finished the second story of his home and became known for his elaborate parties. For many years the Rancho prospered.
7. Droughts came in the 1860s destroying the cattle empires. Don Raymundo survived by raising sheep. In 1864, his partner Felipe Lorenzana sold his half of the Rancho. Rebecca Olivas, youngest daughter of Don Raymundo was the last member of the family to live at the adobe .
8. The death of Don Raymundo in 1879 was the beginning of the end for the Olivas’ fortune. Though some family members retained pieces of the land grant until as late as 1968, the house was sold in 1899.
9. After passing through many hands, the adobe was purchased by yeast king Max Fleischmann who restored the building in 1927. Upon Fleischmann’s death, the adobe was given to the City of Ventura and it opened as a museum in July 1972
1. Born in 1809 in Los Angeles, Raymundo Olivas (no photo exists) was the seventh child of a poor family. He joined the Mexican Army in California at the age of 16 and was assigned to the Presidio (fort) of Santa Barbara as a Lancer (cavalryman).
2. Raymundo met his future wife, Teodora Lopez (pictured at age 80) in Santa Barbara. They were married on November 6, 1832, and together they had 21 children – eight girls and 13 boys. Nicholas Olivas Raymundo’s oldest son.
3. In return for their service to the State, Raymundo and his friend, Felipe Lorenzana, were granted 4,670 acres by Mexican Governor Juan B. Alvarado. Raymundo began ranching his land in 1847. Jose de los Santos Olivas, one of Raymundo’s sons.
4. The main house for the Rancho San Miguel was one of the few two-story haciendas in Southern California and one of the most impressive homes in the Santa Clara River Valley.
5. In 1848, gold was discovered in the American River and California changed forever. People came from all over the world to mine for gold. Knowing that the miners needed food, Raymundo’s cattle herd became his gold mine.
6. These were the golden days of the don – with his new income, Raymundo finished the second story of his home and became known for his elaborate parties. For many years the Rancho prospered.
7. Droughts came in the 1860s destroying the cattle empires. Don Raymundo survived by raising sheep. In 1864, his partner Felipe Lorenzana sold his half of the Rancho. Rebecca Olivas, youngest daughter of Don Raymundo was the last member of the family to live at the adobe .
8. The death of Don Raymundo in 1879 was the beginning of the end for the Olivas’ fortune. Though some family members retained pieces of the land grant until as late as 1968, the house was sold in 1899.
9. After passing through many hands, the adobe was purchased by yeast king Max Fleischmann who restored the building in 1927. Upon Fleischmann’s death, the adobe was given to the City of Ventura and it opened as a museum in July 1972
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