June 2020

It has been a key goal of the Ramona H.E.A.R.T. Mural Project board to expand the first mural of the Kenilworth Inn (#5 by Artist Laura Luisa) to show off the role of the Inn in Ramona’s history. This  life-sized Grand Kenilworth Inn mural, our largest mural to date, covers the entire south wall of the Ramona Food & Clothes Closet building.

The Inn opened in Ramona (then Nuevo) in 1887 as the Ramona Hotel as a stagecoach stop. Milton Santee (1835-1901) used bricks made by Augustan Barnett in 1886 and built the original one-story hotel.  A new owner, H.A. Miller, took over and built a wooden second story in time for the 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition. Manager Ida M. Kearney went on to make the hotel famous with her chicken dinners. The re-named hotel was destroyed by fire in 1943.

The mural was painted by artist Beata Wojcik who also painted the “Bandy Blacksmith” at D’Carlos; and the “Classic Bikes” at Cheers, in Ramona. She has been creating fine art murals and interior faux finishes since 1999 – commercial/residential – indoor/outdoor – private-public. She offers a unique blend of personalized design, 3D style painting, and a variety of artistic styles to customize her murals.

Small Kenilworth Inn mural by Laura Luisa will be moved to a new location.