About the Author

Author and Ramona resident Richard L. Carrico is an award-winning historian, archaeologist, university professor, and writer. With more than 35 years of experience in interpretation and preservation of archaeological and historical resources, Carrico is particularly proud of sharing the story of Ramona and its people. He is on the advisory board of the Ramona Pioneer Historical Society, whose extensive photographic archives from the Guy B. Woodward Museum form the basis of this book. This photographic journey through more than 10,000 years of history is the collaborative effort of Carrico and the Woodward Museum.

Reviews

Title: 'Ramona' History Author to Sign Copies of His Book
Author: Julie Pendray
Publisher: Ramona Patch
Date: 6/2/2011 If you want to see girls playing basketball in long dresses and hats or people driving down what they called Muzzy Grade Road in a horse and buggy, then check out Richard Carrico's new book on local history. It's called simply Ramona and is part of the Arcadia Publishing "Images of America" series. Carrico is a Ramona resident and SDSU professor. He produced the book in association with Guy B. Woodward Museum, whose many images are contained in the work. Ramona covers 10,000 years of local history, from the Iipay village of Pa'mu to the aftermath of the 2003 Cedar Fire. Among the pages are photos of turkey queens, rodeo cowboys, a World War I airplane, the 1913 wildfire north of town, racecars and many of Ramona's famous namesakes. Carrico is in the Department of American Indian Studies at SDSU. He has two other published books: Strangers in a Stolen Land: The Indians of San Diego From Prehistory to the New Deal (Sunbelt, 2008) and San Diego's Spirits: Ghosts and Hauntings in America's Southwest Corner (Recuerdos Press, 1986). All three books can be found on Amazon.com He will talk about his latest book at Ramona Chamber of Commerce at 1 p.m. on June 8, and he'll sign and sell books for visitors.

Title: Author uses photos to share the story of Ramona Author: Crystal Carter Publisher: North County Times Date: 7/24/2011
A new photographic essay book about Ramona uses historic images from the Ramona Pioneer Historical Society to capture the town's unique blend of rural and urban life.
"Ramona," part of Arcadia Publishing's Images of America series, was prepared by local historian and Ramona resident Richard L. Carrico (a frequent contributor to the North County Times' Books section).
Carrico had access to the extensive photographic archives from the Guy B. Woodward Museum, which form the basis of the book. It takes the reader on a photographic journey through more than 1,000 years of history (with photos of local archaeological sites among those included). He also used ancestor.com as a resource to find names to the people who were in the old photos.
"I wanted to have a sense of humor when writing the captions to the photos," he said. "It makes it more of an easy read while being educational."
Some of the pictures include that of a girl athletically hanging off the side of a fully galloping horse and smiling. The picture, which dates back to the 1940s, explains that there was a sport called Cowgirls Fancy Riding where the participants rarely lasted 10 years without an injury. Cowgirl rodeos are still performed today.
"These old historic photographs are really an asset to our community," said Carrico. He said he believes that there are two categories of people who will benefit from the book. The first category are the residents who are new to the area and who will obtain more of an understanding of the historic roots of the town and more of an appreciation for its preservation. The other category would be the residents who have lived in Ramona for a long time and who will have their memories reawakened through the evocative photos that make up the majority of the book.
Some of the photos were so compelling to Carrico that he has dedicated his next book to a biography of the photo's subject, Judy Van der Veer. A photo in the book shows Van der Veer looking out into the landscape near Ballena. She was a best-selling writer and poet, and used the landscape of Ramona's nature and farm animals as her backdrop when she wrote.
"She was equal to Steinback during her time," said Carrico. "Women get underestimated when it comes to biographies and I thought her story was important."
Carrico is a professor of Native American Indian Studies at San Diego State University, teaching about the complexities of Indian cultures and family values. He also wrote "Strangers in a Stolen Land," a history of local Indian communities. He says that its really rewarding to see how the students grasp the content. He has also seen students interest grow so much that they become history majors and minors in the process. The Native American Indian tribes, Grande Mesa and Barrona, are also featured in his book about Ramona.
When Carrico is not busy educating minds, he is cultivating wines ---- which is one of his hobbies. He has lived in Ramona for the last 15 years.