The Del Valles were a prominent Californio family involved in state and local politics during the Mexican period and after the transition to statehood. They were famous for their generous hospitality and for maintaining the traditional rancho lifestyle long after it had disappeared elsewhere. Camulos bustled with extended family members and ranch workers, with up to 200 people living on the property during years of peak agricultural production. Among the frequent guests at Camulos during the late 19th and early 20th centuries were a number of prominent writers and artists, including Charles F. Lummis, James Walker, and Alexander Harmer, who were inspired time and again by the rancho’s idyllic setting.

Camulos was a noted stop along the main stage coach route—part of the original mission trail—from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara. Padres traveling between San Fernando and San Buenaventura would visit the ranch to say mass for the Del Valle family and nearby residents in the private chapel, which over the years has become endearingly referred to as “the lost mission.” Rancho Camulos remained in the Del Valle family until 1924 when it was sold to August Rübel, whose heirs have worked to protect and preserve the site.