Pope Valley in Napa County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Litto’s Hubcap Ranch

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, April 9, 2011

1. Litto's Hubcap Ranch Marker

Inscription. This is one of California's exceptional Twentieth Century folk art environments. Over a period of 30 years, Emanuele 'Litto' Damonte (1892-1985), with the help of his neighbors, collected more than 2,000 hubcaps. All around Hubcap Ranch are constructions and arrangements of hubcaps, bottles and pulltops which proclaim that "Litto, the Pope Valley Hubcap King", was here.
California Registered
Historical Landmark No. 939
Plaque placed by the State Department of Parks and Recreation in cooperation with SPACES (Saving and Preserving Arts and Cultural Environments), a non-profit education corporation April 4, 1987.

Erected 1987 by California State Department of Parks and Recreation; SPACES. (Marker Number 939.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. In addition, it is included in the California Historical Landmarks series list.

Location. 38° 38.207′ N, 122° 27.192′ W. Marker is in Pope Valley, California, in Napa County. Marker is on Pope Valley Road, 2 miles north of Howell Mountain Road, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6654 Pope Valley Road, Pope Valley CA 94567, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within

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7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Pope Valley Pioneer Cemetery (approx. 1.7 miles away); Pope Valley Store (approx. 2 miles away); Pope Valley Garage (approx. 2 miles away); The Henry Haus Blacksmith and Wagonmaker Shop (approx. 2 miles away); Historic Aetna Mining District (approx. 3 miles away); Larkmead Winery / Kornell Cellars (approx. 6.6 miles away); The White Church (approx. 6.9 miles away); Reason P. Tucker (approx. 6.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pope Valley.

More about this marker. This is one of nearly a dozen California Historical Landmarks with the number 939 — Twentieth Century Folk Art Environments (Thematic).

Litto's Hubcap Ranch Marker - wide view image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, April 9, 2011

2. Litto's Hubcap Ranch Marker - wide view

To find this marker - drive along Pope Valley Road. When you see some hubcaps hanging on the fence, then you know you're close.

Litto's Hubcap Ranch - Entrance image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, April 9, 2011

3. Litto's Hubcap Ranch - Entrance

The driveway entering the Hubcap Ranch is lined with, uh, hubcaps.

"Lito the Pope Valley Hubcap King" - sign to the right of driveway image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, April 9, 2011

4. "Lito the Pope Valley Hubcap King" - sign to the right of driveway

Litto's Hubcap Ranch - view from the south of the driveway image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, April 9, 2011

5. Litto's Hubcap Ranch - view from the south of the driveway

Ooh, look - shiny things! image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, April 9, 2011

6. Ooh, look - shiny things!

The marker says more than 2,000 hubcaps. Various web pages suggest the Ranch's number of hubcaps is now up to 5,000. It's a lot of hubcaps, any way you look at it.

About a quarter mile of hubcaps line the east side of Pope Valley Road image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, April 9, 2011

7. About a quarter mile of hubcaps line the east side of Pope Valley Road

One thing the pictures don't capture is the sound of hubcaps. When there is no traffic and a slight breeze, the distinctive, although not loud, noise of hubcaps rubbing or banging against the fence wires can be heard. It's something between a crinkling noise (almost like tinfoil) and pie pans being tapped.

The Magic of Hubcaps... image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, April 9, 2011

8. The Magic of Hubcaps...

So one day sometime in the 1930's, Litto Damonte sets on his fence a hubcap he found on the road, hoping the owner would see and retrieve it. Decades pass and....

Credits. This page was last revised on May 4, 2020. It was originally submitted on April 12, 2011, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 1,690 times since then and 41 times this year. Last updated on May 1, 2020, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 12, 2011, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. 4, 5. submitted on April 13, 2011, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. 6. submitted on April 12, 2011, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. 7, 8. submitted on April 13, 2011, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.