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

Litto’s Hubcap Ranch

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.)

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.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Pope Valley Store (approx. 2 miles away); Pope Valley Garage

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

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.

(approx. 2 miles away); The Henry Haus Blacksmith and Wagonmaker Shop (approx. 2 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); Schramsberg (approx. 7.2 miles away); Bale Grist Mill (approx. 7.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pope Valley.

Categories. • Arts, Letters, Music •

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 March 30, 2018. This page originally submitted on April 12, 2011, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Sacramento, California. This page has been viewed 1,285 times since then and 20 times this year. This page was the Marker of the Week April 24, 2011. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 12, 2011, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Sacramento, California. 4, 5. submitted on April 13, 2011, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Sacramento, California. 6. submitted on April 12, 2011, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Sacramento, California. 7, 8. submitted on April 13, 2011, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Sacramento, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.