Friday, February 20, 2015

Ramos House, Repurposed

The Ramos House Café, San Juan Capistrano, CA

In the city of San Juan Capistrano, we easily find visible remnants of its history.  Much of the credit goes to a persistent band of locals who did the work necessary and took the steps required to gain listing on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.  

Here on Los Rios Street stands a study in the age-old, now reinvigorated, concept of repurposing.  The Ramos House was built in 1881 by the Aguilar family but owned for many years by the Ramos family, one of the city's oldest and best-known families.  

Now a popular small restaurant, the structure stands proudly beside the railroad tracks that brought so much life and activity to San Juan Capistrano in past times.  Could those early travelers possibly have envisioned crab cake salad with remoulade or sweet potato hush puppies with pepper jam?  

Repurposing often requires reenvisioning to make it work!