Heritage Museum honors Bumann Ranch with new exhibit

The Heritage Museum in Encinitas debuted a new exhibit on Aug. 27 that pays homage to the Bumann Ranch, which has been in Olivenhain since the 1880s and became a recent addition to the National Register of Historic Places.

“Over time, most were eliminated and now only exist in the memories of those pioneering families,” said Richard Bumann, grandson of Herman Friedrich Bumann, who started the ranch. “The world changed and the farms became an unnecessary relic of the past. The Bumann Ranch is a wondrous exception. It has remained unchanged by time. It offers an historic window into our distant past.”

He and his wife, Adeline “Twink” Bumann, addressed a crowd of about 50 people during a brief ceremony to commemorate the ranch’s history and the stewardship of one of Herman’s sons, who was also named Herman.

“This exhibit is a wonderful tribute to his efforts,” Twink said. “If it wasn’t for him, the buildings and the farm implements wouldn’t have been here for us to enjoy.”

The two of them have raised beef, poultry, pork and have grown field crops since they moved onto the ranch in the 1980s. For the first six months, they used lanterns at night and an ice box for their food before they were able to get electricity.

The Bumann Ranch was added to the National Register of Historic Places in March 2020, according to the National Park Service. But because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no celebration of the ranch’s new designation and it’s place in local lore until now.

“We have become the new custodians of this historic ranch, and are determined to maintain and preserve this historic treasure for future generations,” Bumann said. “We were absolutely blessed to now be living in the midst of the best preserved homestead ranch in San Diego County.”

Photos by Robert McKenzie