"The Most Important Woman in the History and Geography of Southern California Never Lived"

"'Ramona's' romantic descriptions evoked the lazy 'days of dons' on their ranchos, where fiestas seemed to never end. The allure included a lush, year-round climate and a landscape of flowers and exotic fruit trees populated by dashing Zorro-like figures and flower-bedecked señoritas.
"This image prompted preservationists of that era to mount a campaign for the restoration of the California missions, many in dire need of repair.
"As the 20th century dawned, developers and their architects seized on the mania to popularize mission-style architecture.
"Featuring red-tile roofs and white stucco walls, ranch-style houses sprang up all over suburbia. While architects may deride the continuing 'Taco Bell' style imposed on gas stations and office towers, it all worked to create the "California lifestyle" that has drawn millions to the Golden State."

In a 2005 San Diego Union-Tribune article, Roger M. Showley interviews Dydia DeLyser, author of Ramona Memories: Tourism and the Shaping of Southern California.