The Champion of Guajome Pond. This week, we're taking a detour off the beaten path to explore a hidden gem right here in Oceanside, California. Guajome Regional Park is more than a quiet place to stretch your legs. It's also home to some pretty interesting history. First, "Guajome" is a Luiseño word meaning "home of the frog." Since this place started as a 2,219-acre Mexican land grant in 1845, I'm guessing the frogs had quite the neighborhood. In 1851, the property became a wedding gift to Ysidora Bandini and Cave Johnson Couts. Apparently, back then, a nice set of towels just wasn't going to cut it. Couts later built a sprawling adobe hacienda, now considered one of the finest surviving examples of Spanish-Mexican colonial architecture. But I wasn't there for the real estate. This morning, I grabbed my daypack, tossed in a snack, binoculars, and water, and headed out for a leisurely walk. Gates open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The park's 3...
A smidgen of history, a dash of culture - a minute dedicated to making you smile.