Carlsbad is not just a beach. It is a city with a link to the glory days of Old Hollywood, thanks to 1920s-1960s actor Leo Carrillo. Whether you’re a fan of the Golden Era or not, it was at the sprawling 27-acre Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park, once owned by former co-star of TV’s The Cisco Kid, that we were swept back in time.
The Cisco Kid was a half-hour American Western series starring Duncan Renaldo in the title role, The Cisco Kid, and Carrillo as his jovial sidekick, Pancho.This was our opportunity to learn more about the man vs the actor. Did you know that Leo was proclaimed Mr. California for the 18 years he served on the State Beaches and Parks Commission and for touring the world as the state’s Goodwill Ambassador? We had no idea. What a cool guy!Leo said he wanted an old ranch that he could restore into a working ranch that was close enough to the ocean to get a breeze. When Carrillo owned it, it was a working ranch of more than 1,700 acres with cattle and other animals. It was not unusual for him to entertain many of his Hollywood friends at the ranch. Clark Gable and Carole Lombard were frequent visitors as were other Hollywood stars who wanted to get away from L.A. He wanted to create the glory days of old California – he liked to be the Don, and be on the land, ride horses, and barbecue. Sounds like my kind of place!The hacienda was originally built in 1882 by Matthew Kelly and remodeled by Leo in 1937 in the Californio ranch style.The park is home to the descendants of six peafowl that Leo brought to his ranch in 1937. While commonly called peacocks, the family, or pride of peafowl, includes the iridescent male peacock, the female peahen and the baby peachicks.I delighted in the hunt to find Leo's brand, adorning doors, sconces and other architectural elements.Within the home were museum displays, explaining more about who this man was.Various photographs illustrated the love affair between Leo and his wife, Deedie."Beauty spots, historic sites and notable buildings
should be preserved for future generations...
never used for any purpose except
the benefit of the citizens and the education of children."
—Leo Carrillo
The pool, originally 10 feet deep, is now a reflecting pool still bordered by its white sand beach where the Hollywood elite lounged about.In 1940, Leo built this space for Deedie to support her artistic endeavors and to give her introverted self a place to just be.Steve is sitting in front of the Cantina. This ranch was an active working rancho. At the end of the day, the vaqueros gathered here at day's end to relax and refresh.Today, the Carrillo Ranch remains one of California’s and Carlsbad’s glittering gems for all who want to see and enjoy a bit of Old Hollywood and return to simpler days. We plan to return in the Spring and take the botanical garden tour. There is always something new to discover. We're so excited.
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