Leonis Adobe Museum Celebrates 50th Anniversary with "Hands on History Day" Saturday, May 21st, 1-4PM

Leonis Adobe Museum

Celebrates 50 Years as Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #1

(Calabasas, CA - -) On August 6, 1962 the Leonis Adobe had the honor of being designated as Historic-Cultural Monument #1 by the Cultural Heritage Board of Los Angeles. The formal opening of the Leonis Adobe Museum was held on Saturday, May 21, 1966, when Mayor Sam Yorty unveiled the new monument plaque.

To commemorate the 50 year anniversary, the Leonis Adobe Museum will celebrate with a “Hands on History Day” on Saturday, May 21, 2016, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM at 23537 Calabasas Road, Calabasas. Participants at "Hands on History Day" can take part in activities like making tortillas, grinding corn, churning butter, making adobe bricks and corn husk dolls. There will be an authentic blacksmith as well as demonstrations of wool spinning, loom weaving, historic clothing, fabric dyes and an horno oven. An authentic Wells Fargo Stagecoach will be onsite and guests are encouraged to explore the stagecoach and take photographs.

“The Leonis Adobe Museum is a historical monument and living history museum dedicated to restoring, preserving and sharing California ranch life in the late 1880s” says Diane Ramadan, Executive Director. Each year more than 20,000 visitors and school children come to the Leonis Adobe to learn about life on an isolated ranch in the 1800s. Students learn about longhorn cattle, Percheron horses, goats, sheep and poultry, and see the restored and furnished adobe house, the barn and blacksmith shop as well as an assortment of farm machinery and wagons. The property includes grapes, pumpkins, corn, fruit trees, vegetables and herbs.

Throughout the year teachers bring elementary school students to tour the museum and ranch. The Leonis Adobe school tour was the recipient of the 2014 California Association of Museums Superintendent's Award for Excellence in Museum Education. The museum has recently added a Chumash school tour that focuses on 3rd grade curriculum, as well as founding the "Passport 2 History" program that brings together over 85 historical sites in 6 counties. The Passport program is the recipient of the 2015 Native Daughters of the Golden West "Image" Award for Promoting California History.

When the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Board was formed in 1962, the Leonis Adobe was the first of five sites to be designated as a Historic-Cultural Monument in the City of Los Angeles. All five sites were considered threatened to some extent. There are now over 1,000 sites that have received the designation. In 1975 the Leonis Adobe was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Throughout the year, the Leonis Adobe hosts a variety of events for families and children. Along with seasonal events like a Spring egg hunt, Halloween Pumpkin Party, and Winter Celebration, each summer a "Lil' Ranchers" program is held on Tuesday mornings for children to experience “a day on a ranch”.

For more information about the Leonis Adobe Museum and the May 21st “Hands on History Day” please phone: (818) 222-6511. Please look at the Leonis Adobe website to learn more about the history, buildings, ranch animals and enjoy the many photos: www.leonisadobemuseum.org