Remembering Clarence ‘Pop’ Ruth

Title: Remembering Clarence ‘Pop’ Ruth & the Chumash Indian Heritage of Lompoc
Year: 2005
Master Artist: Colleen Mitchell-Veyna
Location: Currently in storage

Description: Chumash Indian’s territory once stretched from Malibu to Morro Bay. Their maritime culture flourished for thousands of years prior to the arrival of the Spanish explorers in the 16th century and the Spanish missionaries in the 18th century. Clarence Ruth, a local educator and historian, was among the first to study the Chumash way of life. In the 1920’s and 1930’s ‘Pop’ Ruth collected and studied Chumash artifacts and materials from many other native California tribes. This mural depicts Mr. Ruth and a few of the objects he collected, all of which are on display at the Lompoc Museum, located at 200 South ‘H’ Street.