Finding aid for El Camino Real Bell, records, 1969-2000 MVC067
Finding aid prepared by Nicholas Lawrence under the supervision of Krystell Jimenez, 2021
This finding aid was made possible in part through funding from the County of Ventura and the Heritage Fund at the Ventura
County Community Foundation.
Museum of Ventura County
June, 2021
100 East Main Street
Ventura, CA 93001
library@venturamuseum.org
Contributing Institution:
Museum of Ventura County
Title: Villa Caliente Enterprise records
Identifier/Call Number: MVC067
Physical Description:
1.65 Cubic Feet
2 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1969-2000
Date (bulk): 1969-1979
Abstract: The collection contains the records for Villa Caliente Enterprises of La Jolla, California. The Business was started in 1968
to celebrate San Diego's 200th anniversary and the California Bicentennial. The business was the proprietorship of Virginia
"Chris" Borgen, who handled the day to day duties. The business sold commemorative memorabilia, focusing primarily on miniature
replica El Camino Real bells. After the bicentennial, the bells were generally marketed to appeal to California history and
were sold in gift shops along California's famous stretch of highway. The collection contains financial records, business
correspondence, advertising/promotional materials, and historical reference information pertaining to El Camino Real history.
Physical Location: Stored off-site and advance notice required for timely retrieval. Please contact the Research Library reference desk prior
to your visit.
Language of Material:
English
.
Conditions Governing Access
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE: Open for research. All requests to access materials must be made in advance by contacting the
Research Library staff.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights to the physical object belong to the Museum of Ventura County. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained
by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue
the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where the museum does not hold the copyright.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Camino Real Bell records, (Collection MVC067), Museum of Ventura County, Research Library, Ventura,
California
Provenance/Source of acquisition
Virginia Borgen; gift; 1993
Processing Information
Processed by Sean McCaskill under the supervision of Krystell Jimenez, 2021
Our collections are being processed using MPLP so that we may prioritize access for users and identify potential priorities
for more detailed processing. If while using our collections you think there is something that should be added or amended
in the finding aid, we welcome your input. You can notify staff in the reading room or send us an email at library@venturamuseum.org.
Be sure to include the collection number and name and the box number you were working with in your email.
Biographical / Historical
Virginia Borgen, aka "Chris," formed Villa Caliente Enterprises in 1968 to sell memorabilia commemorating San Diego's 200th
anniversary and California's bicentennial, shifting into souvenir production in subsequent years. The business' main product
was miniature replica El Camino Real bells, which were manufactured in Mexico and shipped to its headquarters in La Jolla,
California. Borgen corresponded with gift shops and stores all along California's famous stretch of highway and marketed the
bells in connection to California's history. Villa Caliente Enterprises went out of business in 1979.
Villa Caliente Enterprises is representative of Borgen's entrepreneurial ambition. Borgen handled business correspondence,
selected and created the advertisement and promotional materials, kept detailed financial records, collected historical references
material that pertained to her merchandise, and organized the international shipping of her product from Mexico to several
California sites.
The collection consists of Ms. Borgen's business records for Villa Caliente Enterprises. This includes receipts and bills
for most of the years the business was in operation, as well as a list of buyers. Additionally, the collection contains various
correspondences pertaining to its day-to-day operations, including manufacturing, shipping, and customer relations. Promotional
correspondences and advertisement materials, such as ad mock-ups, historical reference material, photos, and original ink
sketches/photographs by artist Richard McConagy, are also included. Finally, the collection contains supplemental research
on the Camino Real's history from Max Kurillo, a local historian.
Scope and Contents
Ms. Borgen's collection was donated with the assistance of local historian Max Kurillo. At the time of donation, Mr. Kurillo
included miscellaneous documents from his own collection that pertained to El Camino Real history. These documents include
much of his own research and correspondence with Ventura County Museum of History and Art's librarian Charles Johnson. The
material is compiled into two folders at the end of the collection. It does not have any direct connection to Villa Caliente
Enterprises or Ms. Borgen.
Organization and Arrangement
This collection has been arranged in the following series:
- Series 1: Bills and Related Correspondences, 1969-1977
- Series 2: Advertising and Promotional Material, 1969-1972
- Series 3: Company Reference Material, 1969-1979
- Series 4: Max Kurillo Material, 1990-2000
Original order of materials has been maintained.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Advertising
El Camino Real (Calif.)--History
Bells--California--El Camino Real
Series 1: Bills and Related Correspondences
1969-1977
Scope and Contents
This series includes thirteen folders for paid and unpaid bills, organized by year from 1969 to 1977 (some years missing).
The series also contains five folders of business related documents and professional correspondences, including a list of
buyers, account records with Nakbor Publications, foreign manufacturing and shipping from 1975 to 1977, promotional correspondences
from 1969 and 1970, and bicentennial correspondences from 1968 and 1969.
Box 1, Folder 1
Bicentennial-sales paid
1969
Box 1, Folder 2
200th sales - not paid
1969-1970
Box 1, Folder 3
200th monthly royalty payment report
1969
Box 1, Folder 4
200th sales-paid California
1970
Box 1, Folder 5
San Diego 200th sales - paid
1960
Box 1, Folder 6
Sales and Board of Equal Reports
1971
Box 1, Folder 7
Bells - paid and Board of Equal Reports
1972
Box 1, Folder 15
Nakbor account reports and sales
1969-1970
Box 1, Folder 16
Foreign manufacturing and shipping correspondences
1975-1977
Box 1, Folder 17
Bicentennial correspondences
1968-1969
Box 1, Folder 18
Promotional correspondences
1969-1970
Series 2: Advertising and Promotional Material
1969-1972
Scope and Contents
This series contains one folder regarding advertisement mock-ups, original art, finished products, company stationary, and
miscellaneous promotional materials.
Box 1, Folder 19
Advertising and promotional material
1969-1972
Series 3: Company Reference Material
1969-1979
Scope and Contents
This series includes company reference material for the history of the El Camino Real bells. It is organized in the existing
order and the original folder titles have been maintained. Folder titles include: "Ventura," "Association," "Bells," "Miscellaneous
Bells," and "Photos not used."
Box 1, Folder 20
Ventura reference material
1969-1979
Box 1, Folder 21
Association reference material
1969-1979
Box 2, Folder 1
Bells reference material
1969-1979
Box 2, Folder 2
Miscellaneous bell documents
1969-1979
Box 2, Folder 3
Photos not used
1969-1979
Series 4: Max Kurillo Material
1990-2000
Scope and Contents
A collection of miscellaneous documents from donor Max Kurillo's personal collection, pertaining to the history of the El
Camino Real. These documents include Kurillo's research, photography and correspondence with Ventura County Museum of History
and Art librarian Charles Johnson. The material is compiled into three folders.
Box 2, Folder 4
Max Kurillo material 1 of 3
1990-2000
Box 2, Folder 5
Max Kurillo material 2 of 3
1990-2000
Box 2, Folder 6
Max Kurillo material 3 of 3
1990-2000
