In 1937, actor Leo Carrillo purchased 1,700 acres of land in Carlsbad, land which was once part of a land grant. Leo has starred in over 90 Hollywood films (and so had the money to purchase the property) but is most famous for his 1950s role as Pancho in the Cisco Kid, which he filmed while he was in his 70s.
He wasn't just an actor. He was also a conservationist who served on the California Beach and Parks commission for almost 20 years. He helped to acquire Hearst Castle as well as Anza Borrego Desert State Park, which is why Leo Carrillo State Park is named in his honor.
Leo turned the property into a ranch, which he used to entertain his Hollywood friends like Clark Gable and Carole Lombard.
The property is now owned and operated by the city of Carlsbad with just 27 acres of land remaining.
I have been talking about visiting this landmark ever since I saw it on Huell Howser.
Lisa, who has lived in Vista since the 1970's, has never been either. Today is the day!
He built his wife a separate adobe, so she could escape the Hollywood parties if she wanted.
Check out the view in Carlsbad 70 years ago!
Leo Carrillo was 5'10".
He may have thought that smaller animals made him look taller, but he would be wrong.
The free guided tour is only offered twice a day on both Saturday and Sunday. I highly recommend it since the buildings are otherwise closed to the public.
Two historical landmarks in two days, not bad!
This is beyond awesome. Thank you for sharing this. We are so going to go. I love the back history and the current one. Wow. That photo of Leo on the small donkey is hysterical. Thank you for calling attention to this unique spot in history. Wow.
ReplyDeleteI want to find his book, The California I Love, and learn more. "Leo Carrillo's informal autobiography is a refreshing change from the usual theatrical memoir. Descendant of an old Spanish Californian family, he fills his book with brief, often charming episodes of life in the twilight of California's pastoral age. Great fiestas on the vast ranchos, tong wars in Chinatown, romances between Yankee sea captains and high-born senoritas, bandits, priests, buried treasure--they are all here. Mr. Carrillo also tells of his own career from vaudevillian to Broadway and Hollywood star. The whole is uneven in interest and pace, but thoroughly pleasant reading."