Ella Young Remembered Book Signing

We were delighted to learn that the Oceano Railroad Depot museum in Oceano will be hosting an event celebrating Ella Young Remembered, our transcripts of 1966 interviews with Ella Young’s friends.

The Oceano Depot Association will be hosting local historian, James D. Cain, for a book signing of Ella Young Remembered. This event will be held at the Oceano Railroad Depot at 1650 Front Street on Saturday, June 15, 2024, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Jim Cain, while a school teacher in Santa Maria, had become interested in Ella and her involvement in the 1916 Irish Rising in Ireland. He was also interested in her later years of teaching Irish Folklore at UC Berkeley in California after she had emigrated to America; her books and writings about Irish folklore; and her connections with nature spirits. Jim began researching Ella by interviewing many of her close friends.

Among those friends were Gavin Arthur, grandson of past president of the United States Chester Alan Arthur, photographer Ansel Adams, and people living in and around Oceano. Jim’s recordings of these interviews have been transcribed and presented for the first time in this new book to provide more insight into Ella and her work.

Ella made her final home on Paso Robles Street in Oceano, California, and in 1931, Gavin Arthur established his utopian colony “Moy Mell” in the nearby sand dunes of Oceano. Gavin had known Ella in Ireland, and had also known her in a previous life, and she quickly assumed the title of “Godmother of Moy Mell.”

The Weedon family occupied Ella’s home after she passed away in 1956. They knew about Ella and left many of her personal possessions in place in their home until 2023, when many of those items were donated to the Oceano Depot by family member Mark Weedon. Many of these items will be on display during this event, including Ella’s own ornate writing desk which Jim will use for signing books.

The Depot and Gavin’s Cabin will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Refreshments will be provided, along with sales of Ella Young Remembered; other books written about Oceano, and books written by (or about) the Dunites who lived in the sand dunes of Oceano.

For further information contact Linda Austin at hguiton@aol.com