Verlaque, Theophile, House
Also known as: Verlaque House
Why it's listed
Built in 1886 at what is now 645 Main Street in Ramona, this single-story adobe house was the home of Theophile Verlaque, a French immigrant who worked as a merchant, winemaker and real estate investor. It follows the French Colonial tradition, a style mostly found in Louisiana and Mississippi, and is adapted here with stuccoed adobe block walls, a fieldstone foundation, a cellar once used for aging wine, and a veranda on all four sides. A truncated hip roof with gently curved rafters gives it a flared overhang. Five rooms open off a central corridor, and the original doors, windows and fixtures remain. The house stands on land first known as Verlaque's Two Acres, where Verlaque's son Amos opened a store and post office in the settlement of Nuevo, later renamed Ramona. It is considered the first permanent residence in that community and a rare surviving example of its style in the West. Today it forms part of a pioneer museum.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is the first permanent residence built in Nuevo, later renamed Ramona, and one of the earliest surviving homes in eastern San Diego County. It is also presented as a rare, well-preserved example of French Colonial architecture in the western United States, adapted with adobe block construction.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 91000548, listed August 7, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 645 Main St., Ramona |
|---|---|
| County | San Diego County |
| Listed | August 7, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91000548 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1886-1887 |
| Architect / builder | Verlaque, Theophile |
| Architectural style | French Colonial |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operated as a museum (Ramona Pioneer Living History Museum); preserved essentially in original condition with only minor modifications. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 33.04524, -116.86291 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 91000548.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q5754548
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.