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rts551
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Johnson Ranch
In 1961 the hwy ended before Colonet. Dirt/wash board road for 15 miles or so before you reached the old gas station (yes with a glass bowl) below
the church which was the turn off to San Antonio del mar. We used to go Camp at San Antonio Del mar (the Johnson Ranch) in the wash the led to the
ocean.. The bravce ones would cross the wash in their camper/car so they could have a little more privacy..
Before we headed on out we would take clothes (for kids) to Mama Hernandez (at the beginning of Colonet) who had a house with a group of buildings in
the back . The ruins can be seen today, but that is another story for another time.
Anyone else remember the Johnson Ranch at this time?
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fandango
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haven't heard about johnson ranch in a long time! camped there about that time, maybe 62. travelled in a huge old truck with camper.
sbwontoo
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BAJA.DESERT.RAT
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Hola, damn. you guys are really the pioneers that have paved the way for us " young uns " to enjoy and i for one, thank you every so very much. i
really cannot for the life of me even comprehend how gene kira and others traveled throughout baja with " wimps " like me worrying about gas or other
minimal needs. and...that was before paved mex 1, wow, what pioneers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
anyway, a GRANDE ( pardon the caps ) gracias for letting us enjoy what you haved paved for us. it truly is unimagineable !!!! you guys are really
tough MF'S !!!! OOPS, MAYBE I'LL GET BLEEPED !!!!
GRACIAS Y BIEN SALUD, DA RAT !!!!
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rts551
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VW bus/camper
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David K
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We also went to San Antonio del Mar beach, just south of the giant sand dunes to camp and fish... The gas station at Colonet was 'Bradley's Rancho
Grande' originally a Chevron station... I last got gas there in the 1970's with the glass reservoir on top. The old Johnson Ranch was a bit inland
from the coast and an important stop on the really old route south of Ensenada... Thanks for a great post Ralph!
Here's a 1927 AAA map showing the old route:
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wessongroup
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| Quote: | Originally posted by rts551
In 1961 the hwy ended before Colonet. Dirt/wash board road for 15 miles or so before you reached the old gas station (yes with a glass bowl) below
the church which was the turn off to San Antonio del mar. We used to go Camp at San Antonio Del mar (the Johnson Ranch) in the wash the led to the
ocean.. The bravce ones would cross the wash in their camper/car so they could have a little more privacy..
Before we headed on out we would take clothes (for kids) to Mama Hernandez (at the beginning of Colonet) who had a house with a group of buildings in
the back . The ruins can be seen today, but that is another story for another time.
Anyone else remember the Johnson Ranch at this time? |
My Dad started taking us kids down there in the mid 50's called it Johnson Ranch .... we used to make a right turn at what at that time was an old
adobe fence... and follow the wash on down to the beach.. but, would camp a bit to the south of the wash road in behind the sand dunes in the pickle
weed.. the last time I was there was 1970... folks were really starting to use the beach area for campers on pickups and a few were bringing in small
trailers.. maybe 19-20' with pickups at that time... in the early days.. I don't remember anyone really being around.. and it seemed that the road
stopped even before that... seemed like around San Vaciente but, that was a very long time ago..
Really did not know the names of things at all... just where to turn to get over to the beach.. for clamming and surf fishing.. and general messing
around.. we did not have toys like today.. seems there was a green building on the left going south.. and there was a air strip also.. Doctors used to
fly in and give free medical services to the local folks that lived in the area.. one of my Dad's friends... Dr. Bob Swenson, and a Dr. Robert
Johnson used to go down and give free time to folks.. after my Dad had taken them both down for a couple of weeks to the Baja, just to get away...
they fell in love with the place.. no phone's, no pressure, no nothing.... but, quite, peaceful beautiful county, beach and the people, when you
bumped into them were kind to a fault...
Good memories for me..... thanks 
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David K
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In the 1960's the pavement ended 72.8 miles from Ensenada at Rancho Arroyo Seco. This was 3.9 miles north of Bradley's gas pump (San Antonio del Mar
road jcn.) on the north edge of Colonet.
It was a wide washboard road all the way to San Quintin with most traffic detouring on either side to avoid the washboard. Pavement on south began in
1968 and reached San Quintin by early 1973... Km. 0 on the south side of San Quintin (Lazaro Card##as) is where the NEW Transpeninsular Highway
construction began, using a narrower road bed... and met the road crews coming north from Santa Rosalia later in 1973 at Rancho San Ignacito (south of
Cataviņa). Pavement was completed in November of 1973.... and the highway was officially opened on Dec. 1.
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rts551
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You have it right. In the late 50's early 60's the road was further away than 3.9 miles. and yes we all called it the Johnson Ranch. It wasn't
until later as more people came in that it lost the name of the ranch. In the beginning very few people ventured that far..It wasn't until later that
the ranch started charging for access and more people came in. By that time we wewee going further south.
| Quote: | Originally posted by wessongroup
| Quote: | Originally posted by rts551
In 1961 the hwy ended before Colonet. Dirt/wash board road for 15 miles or so before you reached the old gas station (yes with a glass bowl) below
the church which was the turn off to San Antonio del mar. We used to go Camp at San Antonio Del mar (the Johnson Ranch) in the wash the led to the
ocean.. The bravce ones would cross the wash in their camper/car so they could have a little more privacy..
Before we headed on out we would take clothes (for kids) to Mama Hernandez (at the beginning of Colonet) who had a house with a group of buildings in
the back . The ruins can be seen today, but that is another story for another time.
Anyone else remember the Johnson Ranch at this time? |
My Dad started taking us kids down there in the mid 50's called it Johnson Ranch .... we used to make a right turn at what at that time was an old
adobe fence... and follow the wash on down to the beach.. but, would camp a bit to the south of the wash road in behind the sand dunes in the pickle
weed.. the last time I was there was 1970... folks were really starting to use the beach area for campers on pickups and a few were bringing in small
trailers.. maybe 19-20' with pickups at that time... in the early days.. I don't remember anyone really being around.. and it seemed that the road
stopped even before that... seemed like around San Vaciente but, that was a very long time ago..
Really did not know the names of things at all... just where to turn to get over to the beach.. for clamming and surf fishing.. and general messing
around.. we did not have toys like today.. seems there was a green building on the left going south.. and there was a air strip also.. Doctors used to
fly in and give free medical services to the local folks that lived in the area.. one of my Dad's friends... Dr. Bob Swenson, and a Dr. Robert
Johnson used to go down and give free time to folks.. after my Dad had taken them both down for a couple of weeks to the Baja, just to get away...
they fell in love with the place.. no phone's, no pressure, no nothing.... but, quite, peaceful beautiful county, beach and the people, when you
bumped into them were kind to a fault...
Good memories for me..... thanks |
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64844
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by rts551
You have it right. In the late 50's early 60's the road was further away than 3.9 miles. and yes we all called it the Johnson Ranch. It wasn't
until later as more people came in that it lost the name of the ranch. In the beginning very few people ventured that far..It wasn't until later that
the ranch started charging for access and more people came in. By that time we wewee going further south.
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The 60's (and 50's) were a long long time ago... (in a galaxy far far away)...
My parents and I first went down the Pacific side past Colonet in 1966, and that year the pavement did end a few miles north of Colonet/ Bradley's
Rancho Grande...
[My dad said "This is where the adventure begins!"... I have always appreciated the END of PAVEMENT since then!!!]
But it seems it was paved to there much earlier, according to guidebooks. Perhaps between 1955 and 1962 the pavement deteriorated and was again
re-surfaced... like the road to Puertecitos had been?
I didn't remember the exact mileage, so I checked my LCG for the figure... To be sure, here are some other books that confirm at 4 different times
between 1955 and 1970 the pavement ended in the same place. My 1970 Auto Club guide still has it ending at Arroyo Seco, north of Colonet... so I guess
the expanding of pavement to San Quintin wasn't until that year (earlier I had thought I read it had started south in '68 or '69). We traveled south
of San Felipe those years and didn't go on Mex. 1 until summer of '73, when pavement ended about 40 miles past El Rosario.
History is my hobby, so I don't mind confirming data...
Here is the 1956 edition of the Lower California Guidebook:
(3.9 miles from end of pavement...)
Here is the 1962 edition of the Auto Club Baja Road Log:
(pavement to 19 miles from San Vicente, Johnson's Ranch turnoff 4 miles later)
Here is the 1967 Lower California Guidebook:
(3.9 miles...)
Here is the 1970 Cliff Cross Baja Guide:
("4 miles past the end of pavement...")
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chuckmccullough
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One more time
This is a painting my Dad had done from a B&W photo of the Johnson Ranch. The Ranch was in our family until the mid 1970's.
For more history on this ranch and the Johnson family you should read the book Where The West Never Died".
[img]http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/chuckmccullough/?action=view¤t=JohnsonRanch1920.jpg[/img]
I don't think that my pic is displaying, so here's a new one.
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/chuckmccullough/John...
[Edited on 3-21-2010 by chuckmccullough]
[Edited on 3-21-2010 by chuckmccullough]
[Edited on 3-21-2010 by chuckmccullough]
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rts551
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Very nice Chuck. Our family would stop and talk to whomever was at the ranch in the lat 50's and very early 1960's
when they put in a booth to charge for access in the mid 1960's we helped with the concrete floor work
[Edited on 3-21-2010 by rts551]
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by chuckmccullough
For more history on this ranch and the Johnson family you should read the book Where The West Never Died".
[ |
Wasn't this book about the Meling Ranch? I used to have it, but lost track of it.
http://www.amazon.com/Where-Old-West-Never-Died/dp/B0022X4A4...
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DENNIS
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I think I answered my own question:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B0022X4A40/ref=dp_im...
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chuckmccullough
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Where The Old West Nerver Died
Most of the book is about the Melings, but the first part of the book contains infomation on Harry Johnson and Ella Prather Johnson.
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Oggie
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I think Earl Stanley Gardner talked about staying at both the Johnson and Hamilton ranches in is baja books.
A man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child.
Knights of Pythagoras
Funny how falling feels like flying
for a little while - Bad Blake
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rts551
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But David. The beauty was staying there. Fishing, claming, camping.. You are so caught up in the details of mileage you lost the whole point of
the post. The beauty is in the visit. Not the mileage!
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
We also went to San Antonio del Mar beach, just south of the giant sand dunes to camp and fish... The gas station at Colonet was 'Bradley's Rancho
Grande' originally a Chevron station... I last got gas there in the 1970's with the glass reservoir on top. The old Johnson Ranch was a bit inland
from the coast and an important stop on the really old route south of Ensenada... Thanks for a great post Ralph!
Here's a 1927 AAA map showing the old route:
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David K
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No, just giving some details on the history of Hwy. 1... I did mention that we camped south of the giant sand dune... fished a bunch... played on the
dune. I last went there in 1980 with my ATC 110... rode down the beach towards Cape Colonet and found a bottle with a message in it.
Here's the book mentioned above...
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Vince
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My parents were great explorers. Many times they would bring my brother and me to Baja starting in the late '40's into the early '50's. We stayed at
both the Johnson Ranch and Hamilton Ranch on the way to and from San Quentin. We traveled in a WWII Jeep and then an army Recon car. Surf fishing was
high on the list as was meeting and talking with the old timers.
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David K
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Would like to see you write a book Vince!
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rts551
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surf perch I imagine
| Quote: | Originally posted by Vince
My parents were great explorers. Many times they would bring my brother and me to Baja starting in the late '40's into the early '50's. We stayed at
both the Johnson Ranch and Hamilton Ranch on the way to and from San Quentin. We traveled in a WWII Jeep and then an army Recon car. Surf fishing was
high on the list as was meeting and talking with the old timers. |
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