
There is a ghost ranch adjacent to The Holler.

It’s in a nature preserve and is named Rancho Lilac.

Rancho Lilac has a interesting history.

It was originally settled as a 2300 acre homestead in 1865.

It passed through several owners over time who turned it into a working cattle ranch.

In 1945 it was purchased by Col. Irving Salomon, an undersecretary to The United Nations who built an extensive rancho home where he hosted rural retreats for world leaders like Dwight Eisenhower, Eleanor Roosevelt, Mahatma Ghandhi, and Golda Meir.

This is the Salomon home ranch complex . There is an abandoned pool and tennis court and a caretaker living on the property. The rancho is currently preserved as an historical landmark.

There is a year round creek running through the property making the habitat critical for wildlife sustenance.

1600 acres of the ranch property have been set aside as a permanent nature preserve.

This is the old road that connects The Holler to the Rancho.

The Rancho is like a time capsule, unique, pristine, and full of precious and vulnerable wild life. We hope it stays protected into the future.
Cheers to you & be careful and safe~
Were you affected by the Lilac fire in 2017?
I mixed up the dates, so I am correcting this. We were not affected by the 2017 fire. We evacuated during the 2007 fire in Poway when something like 1000 homes burned, and we saw the devastating effects of another fire that year near The Holler while we were looking at property. We moved into The Holler in June of 2008, after multiple devastating fires in the region the year before.
Spectacular colours – love seeing the world through your lens, Cindy. So much history in this location. If the walls could only speak, what stories they would tell.
I have peeked inside some of it and been inside the Salomon buildings. It is fascinating because it is undisturbed. There are Tiffany fireplaces in some of the houses!
Oh my goodness! Tiffany – that is a story.
I wonder if they will ever restore the Salomon ranch home. It is special but rapidly aging. დ
Wouldn’t that be wonderful!!!!
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What an incredible place you live in Cindy!
Thank you my friend. At first I was intimidated by The Holler and all the wild creatures. Now it is home. დ
A lot of history there. Beautiful photos. I love those farmy places.
They always make me wish I could time travel and go back and visit in their heyday დ
And for me they raise the questions of who lived there and who abandoned the buildings and why. Novels in waiting!
There is another preserve not open to the public in California named Cleary Preserve. It had furniture in the houses and a painting of the family’s daughter still hanging on the wall. I researched and found out the story of the family. Fascinating stuff….. I hope it didn’t burn. It was full of black bears and rattlers.
Fascinating stuff!
So happy you think so! დ
This reminds me of living in Utah 🙂 Thanks for sharing 🙂
Yes, these old ghost towns and ranches dot The American West and they are such a precious part of our collective history. Utah is pure gorgeousness დ
I was a coyboy in Utah 40yrs ago 😉
How wonderful! I was a wannabe cowgirl in Wyoming around the same time! 😉
Such an interesting spot, Cindy!
Thank you. We have grown quite fond of it დ
It’s interesting how places like Rancho Lilac are abandoned. We have Ghost Ranch in New Mexico that was the home and studio of Georgia O’Keeffe. It’s on 21,000 acres in north-central New Mexico and is a retreat and education center.
That seems like a perfect use of her home! დ
Nice to see it has become a preserve. Is that a wildlife path just to the left of Jim?
Oh yes! You are a perceptive spotter. The preserve is riddled with wildlife trails, scat and tracks. We pay attention to all of it, and often take the trails as they tend to help us avoid rattlers and poison oak. დ
Cool
Place and when you see the photo of Jim – it shows you the scale of the trees – beautiful place!
Thank you! I tend to forget to include perspective shots which is a mistake. Thank you for noticing დ
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What a great story, Cindy! And the perfect place for a pandemic.
It is, as long as the coyotes, rattlesnakes, black widows and poison ivy, mind their manners, which they tend not to do! 😉
I always find such places fascinating. Who lived there, why did they leave, etc. I would love to have a ramble there. Thanks for sharing your great photos.
Thank you Cindy, you too.
I do too. I love exploring them and guessing about the history and residents. They are several I have seen in California, like Rancho Lilac, that are closed to the public and left exactly “as is.” These are especially interesting to me because they are authentic დ
Hi Cindy, thank you for these great photographs.
Ahhh, you are most welcome Charles. I hope all is going well with you! დ
Excellent, Cindy! Thanks for sharing! You and yours stay safe! 🙂
Thank you Fabio, and you too my friend დ
Thanks so much, Cindy! 🙂
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What a fascinating spot. If those old buildings could talk…the stories they could tell!
Yes! I always wish I had magic powers and could go back in time, and just hang out for a bit….. დ
The Holler looks a gorgeous place to live
Thank you Sheree. It is a really different sort of place to live, and it took a few years to understand and get comfortable with. I think we all, in my family, are grateful we landed here. დ
Absolutely
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What an interesting peek at times gone by! This is right up my alley, as it were.
We frequent the same allies 😉
Wow! Beautiful! I hope there are no ghost 👻 though 😉
There must be many!! 😉
How fascinating, Cindy, thank you so much for showing us. 🧡
Thank you for visiting with me Liz დ
Et oui c’est ça aussi l’ Amérique , merci Cindy …!!!
Merci beaucoup. Heureusement, il existe de nombreuses Amériques et Américains différents.. დ
Rassurez vous chère Cindy , en France aussi nous avons notre part d’ombres …!!!
Je vous remercie. Nos ombres sont maintenant très sombres, mais j’espère que le soleil se lèvera bientôt.
The Stranglers – Always The Sun (Official Video) – YouTube
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Beautiful place. Thanks for sharing, cindy.
Thank you more for appreciating Isabel დ
That is a beautiful ghost ranch! You sure have a gorgeous area to walk and explore
Thank you. It is not without hazards though and needs experience to navigate safely. დ
Is there a tour guide or go at your own risk
It is not open to the public and is not safe. It abuts our property so we monitor it.
Ok that is kewl! I love your photos of it
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Oh it looks so dry there! This is in California? I am happy that the ranch is given over to wildlife.
We are such a different ecosystem than the gorgeous emerald green UK. It is semi-desert here, and the drought is at it’s peak this time of year. Dry as a bone, and worrisome until the November rains come, when everything turns green for Christmas დ
Oh its all very green in the British Isles, when we have any sort of drought (a couple of years ago it was very drey for a couple of months) the grass goes yellow and it all looked very strange.
Yes. I always am amazed by the green especially from the air. It goes on forever and is so beautiful. I was there one summer in a heat wave. It was interesting to see how everyone reacted. დ
If I were a rich girl I immediately would buy this ghost ranch!
Stay safe and healthy! <3
You are very smart. I would too. Thankfully it is not for sale and is protected. Salomon’s relatives were going to sell it to developers, but the state bought it from them and set it up as a permanent nature preserve. I am immensely grateful the state did this დ
What an interesting history! At first glance, the first photo reminded me of Spahn Ranch.
Someone else mentioned it would make a good movie set. Interestingly, a lot of old time movie stars bought property near here back in the day, John Wayne, June Allison, a bunch more I can’t remember…. I went to an event at June’s house. It is an old classic adobe დ
I can understand why. It’s beautiful country.
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What s fascinating place to roam and explore- and right next door!
It is incredible and interesting. The whole preserve is such. It is also truly unusual that it is so pristine and untouched დ
If those walls could talk. I love places like this and you are lucky to have one next door. Looks like a safe place to be right now. Ghosts don´t carry the virus!
I have yet to meet a ghost!! And I agree, they are the least of our worries these days! 😉
Those walls must hold a lot of secrets from years past. The ghost ranch is stunning! Enjoy your walks and stay safe.
Thanks much my friend, and yes, these abandoned places hold much mystery and fascination დ
How interesting! Thanks for sharing this piece of history, Cindy. I wonder if it is a bit creepy for the caretaker.
I think he must love it, but also I bet he doesn’t wander after dark. There are really a lot of rattlesnakes down there and coyote packs too. დ
Yikes!
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That must be a fascinating place! Looks really like a place, which keeps lots of stories (ghostly?) 👻 It would be lovely to visit there – at night -time 😄 Thank you for sharing lovely photos^^
It would certainly be very scary, but way too dangerous! There are truly tons of rattlesnakes, packs of aggressive coyotes, poison ivy, scorpions and black widows. You definitely need to see where you are going out here and even then it can be dicey. You’d have to make it through all that before you got to the ghosts! 😉 😉
How sad that it is no longer being used for what it was built for.
Yes, the ranch must have been so very special. It is sad that it was abandoned. დ
This is so….quietly magical. As if the clock stopped and you can simply absorb all of the history, as well as the stillness of the present. It must have felt like having one foot in the past, and one in the present simultaneously. Great experience to read about, thanks!!
You summarize the feeling of being there perfectly. What a wonderful imagination and writing ability you have. You should come with me for a tour and write about it! დ
Deal! I love an adventure….and as soon as we all feel confident and safe to venture forth beyond “the necessities” we will meet up and discover the mysteries this site will share. Thank you for the lovely compliment! Take good care.
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What a wonderful place and fabulous photos as always. Thanks for introducing us to the ranch.
Thank you more for joining me on a tour! დ
These kind of stories and history always leave me asking more questions. It’s great that the ranch is now a preserve. Beautiful landscape and I’m sure a great place to live especially these days.
Thank you Ingrid. The Holler is ideal for pandemic days. Lots of open space and very few people. დ
You photograph the coolest places, Cindy!
You are so nice to say so! Thank you Pam დ
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Definitely an interesting place to see.
Fun to poke around…. დ
Reblogged this on Ed;s Site..
Thank you very much Ed & cheers to you დ
It could have served as a movie set for an old western. Be careful out there…
It would be a wonderful movie set! დ
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You live in a beautiful pocket of nature Cindy. And how fun to have friendly ghosts next door, along with such a large nature preserve. You’re living in my dream setting. ❤ Thanks for sharing the views!
Living here definitely works for us. I don’t miss suburbs or the city at all! დ
I bet I would enjoy it too.
You would. I hope, if our country regains sanity, you could.
Awesome! I would love to hand around and check out all the wildlife.
The preserve is a very unspoiled place to hike with wildlife trails and tracks all around you დ
Fascinating bit of history, Cindy. Part of me hates that it was abandoned like that, but I suppose the wildlife is better for not having visitors, ha!
The wildlife is very happy. I imagine the rattlers love the abandoned buildings, but I am not going in them to find out! 😉
What a gorgeous place to relax and … to take pictures!
Stay well, and take care,
Pit
Thank you Pit & same to you my friend დ
As soon as I saw the word Ghost in the title, the buildings suddenly appear very spooky indeed and it became clear in my mind why all the building shots are from a ‘safe distance!’ 😁
I need to add some more close up photos. I realized I only included distance shots, but my wifi is being difficult with upload now. It is not safe to go into any of the buildings, but I did peek into most of them. They are spooky დ
That must have been quite the ranch in its day Cindy.
Leslie xoxo
Yes, I would so love to travel back in time and visit! დ
It’s a beautiful landscape, Cindy. 🙂
Thank you. It has subtle beauty დ
Great photos! I’m happy that it’s a beautiful place for wildlife!
Yes, it is a very wild place, unusual for the location დ
I have a tendency to want to read all the comments as they are interesting too but there are always so many here and so little time. I loved this. I would be so tempted to want to go look in all the windows and doors. Abandoned places fascinate me especially with so much land around them. Rattlers scare me more than bears. I’m glad you weren’t affected directly by fires but I know everything gets affected indirectly. Ghost towns are interesting and make great stories. I can’t imagine anyone like an Undersecretary abandoning that much of an investment. Interesting!
He didn’t really abandon it. It was inherited by his family who no longer occupied it. Various people lived here and ran cattle herds. The family explored selling it to a developer, and may have succeeded, when the state stepped in and bought it, and set it aside as a nature preserve.
I have looked in the windows and it is fascinating დ
I’m glad the state made it a preserve rather than more big development. That could have been catastrophic. Perfect outcome.
As usual Marlene, I think like you.
That is a wonderful tale of the old & new south west.
I’m so happy for the critters!
With all our drought and climate mayhem, the creek keeps flowing for the wild ones! დ
Thank goodness! დ
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Are you allowed to walk around the property or just observe from a distance?
I realized I only included distant shots. I have tons of close ups. I will add two to the post for you! დ
You didn’t have to … many thanks for adding the closer shots. 🙂
It was good feedback and improved the visuals, so thank you დ
Wow. Fascinating. Quite the complex at one time. Needs paint! At least the basketball hoop still has a net. 😎
There is this amazingly dilapidated shack with a satellite disk on it! Cow hands lived in some of these places up until the cows were forced to leave for constantly breaking through the one strand barb wire fences and chewing up entire orchards, including ours! დ
Wow! That is absolutely fascinating! You have everything around you: nature and history. What a paradise!
Thank you Teresa. It is an unusual place and we very much appreciate our life here დ
Sorry I’m late! I’m here for the boos. LOL! Spooktacular shots, my dear friend! ~((Φ◇Φ)‡
ฅ(*ΦωΦ*) ฅ (ノ*ФωФ)ノ (●♡∀♡)
I definitely should plant some pumpkins around for Halloween! 🎃🎃
That’s a faBoolous idea. Life is gourd!
(Ɔ ˘⌣˘)♥(˘⌣˘ C)
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Very interesting history behind the ranch. Looks beautiful even if it is no longer in its prime.
You can clearly see the faded charms…. დ
Cindy, the Holler is magical. I enjoyed the history you gave of the ghost ranch. I’m a little envious of the caretaker. Your photos are beautiful as ever. Hugs on the wing!
Yes, the caretaker has an awesome job! დ
I can only wonder if it is a ‘working’ ghost ranch, Cindy. On dark, stormy nights do you occasionally hear Ghost Riders in the Sky. Like the international retreat part of the story, too. I can imagine some very interesting conversations took place there. –Curt
I actually would brave the rattlers, coyote packs, poison oak and black widows to go there at night if I could talk with the ghosts of Eleanor Roosevelt and Gandhi! დ
I’d do it just to see a ghost! Admittedly, Roosevelt and Ghandi would kick it up a notch. 🙂
😉 😉
Danke für die interessanten Bilder!
Gern geschehen Ernst. Ich hoffe du bleibst in Sicherheit und mein Freund. დ
What a cool place to be able to explore. This year has shown how important it is to be able to find outdoor space to get out and breath.
So true and important დ
I really feel for those that don’t have access to this in the best of times but it’s critical now.
It looks like a lot of places around the World are abandoned. The modern life is concentrated mostly in the huge cities. Sometimes ago I’ve met very interesting thought – in the nearest future countries and states are disappeared and all the life will concentrate in the mega polices.
We in the US are certainly not building towards a better future….
Cindy, it happens everywhere, not only in US. If you go to blog China Dream or Smartphoto 78, you can find plenty of abandoned places in Canada (Ontario only, I do not say about all huge country) and Germany. It is common tendency in the World.
Very true დ
Wonderful to have silent neighbors, and interesting history here, too, Cindy. Thank goodness for nature preserves, and how pleasant to be next door to one.
Ghosts and wild critters for neighbors suits me perfectly too!!! 😉
Thank you for the very interesting post complete with wonderful photos. It is a place I could very easily live in. Too bad it is now a ghost town. But what a neat place to take a walk and be in nature. Have a great weekend. “”__””
Yes. I would love to travel back in time and pay a visit to the ranch. I could even go look at the orchard where we now live….
What a beautiful place to live, Cindy. I often think of those former days but a buckboard and horse don’t appeal to me much. We have a tourist town called Buckskin Joe near the Royal Gorge bridge near Canon City, CO. It was originally built as a movie set in the 1950s to film Western films. The boardwalk, the jail, shops, etc. I recall taking a ride in the stage coach – so bumpy and dusty. But it was cool to conjure up life there with the “bad” guys walking into the saloon by the swinging doors! We traveled to many ghost towns when I lived there. A slice of history. Thanks for your post replete with memories!
There are so many fascinating old west ghost towns in the American west. I have been to many, but so many more beckon. They are all magical places to visit and to step back in time to the days of the pioneers. Happy you have experienced this my friend & cheers to you დ
Cindy, we used to camp and hike in the mountains about 45 min. away in Pueblo, CO and even hiked up to an abandoned silver mine and went inside. My mother was not happy to know this when she found out. Pregnant with her 4th child at the time, she opted to stay in the car. However, my Dad’s sense of adventure brought us back to the silver mine a few times but not inside since it had been abandoned. That spirit of adventure remains with me today. Happy hiking to you. oxox
You and I are kindred spirits definitely დ დ
Cindy, I believe we are as well. These days I prefer my own bed to camping but exploring is definitely there still. Now I can explore via your beautiful blog and photos. oxox
Well, except due to covid, my wings are clipped for now, and my exploration has been limited…but I am doing the best I can to get out and about! დ
Cindy, my Jeep could drive the dirt road and over pot holes. I imagine you have something similar. The Holler is a wonderful refuge from life too. Do you have issues with WiFi in such a remote area? I imagine you protect yourself from those rattle snakes which can be mean. Your photos are gorgeous. Be well. oxox
Thank you Maryann. Your jeep would like it here. We do have four wheel drive, but don’t bring vehicles in the preserve. It is all on foot. Funny, you should mention wifi. It used to be horrendously bad with ATT. But now we are connected with line of sight service connected to a mountain which works well until the snows come and ice things up. It was off yesterday however with no snow on the horizon! 😉
Cindy, when it works, technology is great. You really rough it when you don’t have wifi, don’t you. As long as I have a good book, it am fine. I assume tv reception is also not the best. Be well. oxox
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Wow! Fascinating place. It’s a pity it’s abandoned. Wonder how they can make the place productive again.
I think it will be set aside in the preserve as a place of historical interest დ
Beautifully serene
Thank you June and yes it is quiet and peaceful out here დ
Fantastic place to visit, it seems sad though that it didn’t survive.
Yes. It is bittersweet, but thankfully it didn’t get turned into a housing development which was in the plans before the state took it over and turned it into a nature preserve დ
What a beautiful area and such an interesting story behind the ranch. It seems like it’s in the middle of nowhere. How in the world did those famous people get to the ranch?
There is, and always has been, one road in, and out. They would fly into San Diego, and take a nice long drive! 😉
Beautiful …
Grazie mille დ
Must have been so nice to live close to nature!
Yes. The absence of people, and the presence of nature all around, is comforting for me დ
I love your photos and the way time stands still in the Rancho! Have a beautiful and blessed day!
Thank you very much! This is what cameras do, they make time stand still დ
Fascinating place – I love visiting such places. The feeling is eerie in its special beauty.
Yes. You get a continuous sense of lives lived before დ
True
How fascinating! I’m glad you provided this pictorial history of this place, Cindy. I enjoyed it.
Awww, that makes me happy. Thank you Cynthia დ
Looks like the settlers have just arrived there. Wonderful preservation work. Lets hope it will stay this way. Thank you for sharing the information about another nature gem, Cindy. Best wishes, Michael
Awww, thank you very much Michael. Stay well my friend დ
You too, Cindy! 🙂
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Oooh! A ghost ranch! Would love to have had chance to visit that! I have a thing for abandoned (and sometimes slightly illegal lol) places. The pandemic has put a stop to much of my in-person exploring and adventuring unfortunately. You get to see some amazing places in your part of the world though!
I also, “have a thing for abandoned, and sometimes slightly illegal places.”
How did you know this was, “slightly illegal?”
We should definitely hike together, and do slightly illegal stuff, as long as Wolfie & Herbert (the cat) are there to protect us.
It is so good to hear from you დ
Such places have a pleasing habit of being so in my experience! It would be fantastic to hike together with Wolfie and Herbert 😉 Slightly illegal stuff is so much fun!😛😅
Done! We just got a stroller for Herbert so he’s down for it (◐⊝◑)
It has been sad to see so much farm land go missing. But at least one of the older buildings is being turned into (I think a realtors office). Sorry has it that a child who lived there couldn’t go out, so a sort of 360 view Widow’s Walk room was built on top of the house. I’m not sure if the child had to be carried up the stairs… I wonder if they’ll also allow folks a little look see when it gets renovated and back in use?
Stay safe and sane, Jules
In French: Cindy, ce lieu, semble avoir conservé une force vitale
In English: Well, Cindy this place seems to have retained its life force
Interesting. It looks desolate, but there probably is a lot of wildlife we can’t see. Nice!
There is indeed and lots of it comes out at night! (◐⊝◑)
This looks like a good source of interesting stories but glad now it is a place for nature.
Yes. It is amazing to find so much space with no humans in southern California დ
Reblogged this on Musings on Life & Experience and commented:
Pictures of Holl Ghost Ranch by Cindy Knoke.
You are a wonderfully thoughtful friend Patricia დ
I fantasize living in a ranch.
This is why I moved to The Holler! დ