"As the story goes, Augustus thought it improper for dances to carry on all night at the school house, and that the growing town needed a place to serve that purpose as well as a library."

The Ramona Town Hall was donated to the town people of what was then Nuevo on Washington's Birthday, February 22, 1894,  by Augustus and Martha Barnett.  Construction on the two story edifice began on July 11, 1893 on two lots donated by realtor  Milton Santee, and was completed in February 1894 at a cost of $17,000.  (Later that year, at the insistence of Mr. Santee, the town was renamed Ramona, to capitalize on the popularity of the fictional character from the best seller by Helen Hunt Jackson.)  The Barnett's established an unpaid five member board of trustees in perpetuity to administer the operation and upkeep of the Town Hall.  For the past 114 years, the Ramona Town Hall has operated solely on private donations, fundraisers, grant moneys, and rent collected for use of the building.  The Ramona Town Hall is not owned by the Town Hall Board of Trustees, nor is it a public agency.  The restoration work that has taken place in the past 20 years has been funded by county administered C.D.B.G. and P.L.D.O. funds, along with private donations.  The work completed to date includes a complete seismic retrofit of the entire front portion of the building, installation of new plumbing and electric wiring in the front, a new roof over the entire building, façade replacement, and fire sprinklers throughout the entire building. 

IMPORTANT FACTS: 

The California Landmarks Advisory Committee approved the Ramona Town Hall as a Point of Historic Interest on January 26, 1973

 The San Diego County Board of Supervisors designated the Ramona Town Hall as a Historic Landmark on November 10, 1991

 The Save our Heritage Organization presented the Ramona Town Hall Board with the prestigious “Civic Restoration Award” on May 10, 1994, the Centennial Year of the completion of the Town Hall

 The Ramona Town Hall was placed on the National Historic Register on September 26, 1994

The 114 year old Ramona Town Hall is one of the oldest and last original Town Halls in California, and is registered as a State Historic Landmark as well as being listed on the National Register of Historic Places

The Ramona Town Hall is one of the largest and oldest adobe structures in the entire Southwest, and features an architectural style unique to its architect, William Sterling Hebbard (1863-1930)

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The Ramona Town Hall is currently closed pending the yet unfunded completion of the seismic retrofit and restoration.

Current Effort

A renewed interest in re-opening the Town Hall is currently underway, new committees are being formed, and plans are being made.  What truly promises to be a community project that every citizen of Ramona can take pride in is taking shape.  YOUR HELP IS NEEDED.   First, we are seeking cash donations to bring the approximately $4000 in back taxes owed since 2002 current.  Second, we are seeking donations to cover the approximate cost of $8000 for one year of insurance to allow the re-opening of the east wing, and completion of the finish work required to open the west wing.  The current estimate to complete the entire front portion of the Town Hall is approximately $250k for materials and labor.  (Qualified Volunteer labor could greatly reduce this estimate.) 

Until a fire destroyed a portion of the front section in 1995, the Town Hall served as a community focal point, provided by and for the people of Ramona.  It is the goal of the Ramona Town Hall Board of Trustees, and Friends of the Town Hall, to make this historic landmark available again to the people of our community.  Send us an e-mail, or call the Ramona Chamber of Commerce at 789-1311 to have your name placed on our volunteer contact list.
 

Donations Can Be Sent To:
 

Ramona Town Hall, Inc.

PO Box 1954

Ramona, CA 92065

'Sleeping Beauty' Awakens…

There is a Sleeping Beauty

On the Main street of town…

Stately she rests, her history profound…

The sleep has been long;

the doze has been deep,

much in disarray, The legacy a heap…

How to wake her, what went wrong?

The slumber continues,
the nap is too long

From Chambers to classes

to celebrations and such…

She is missing, oh so much

The coffers are empty; the well has run dry…

The snooze continues…

And we all ask why

So the people assembled, uniting as one…

Plans were made, ideas begun

How to wake the Sleeping Beauty,

Questions abound…the drowse seems endless…

The 'Jewel of our Town'

The people spoke both timid and bold…

Should we let her sleep, is she too old?

''Not as long as I'm alive''…

''we'll find the money dime by dime''

The course was set…the plans were made…

At last we have a small brigade

The interest is high the attachment is deep...

But how to end this long long sleep?

The task is arduous the labor abounds…

She's rare and unique among American towns

We honor the care takers from yester year

And thank them abundantly for holding her dear…

As the Sleeping Beauty awakens,
I think I hear a sound…

Society prevails, the people are crowned

So let's celebrate together the rest is now done,

Awakening a spirit…

There's work to be done

by:  Sharon Davis