wieghorst western heritage center

This is a very well done tribute to local artist Olaf Wieghorst and his beautiful, western art. Many his works are attractively displayed in a historical setting. Well worth several visits.

You have never heard of this artist but you have definitely seen his artwork. Olaf Wieghorst captured the spirit of the west in paintings that breathe with movement and light. Many of them have graced the covers of magazines over and over again.The museum comprises both an art gallery and the artist's house with a number of period artifacts. (I believe the home was moved here.) Third- and fourth-graders come here from surrounding schools when studying California history, the ranchos and the missions. It offers a tranquil and inspiring setting. I wouldn't trek across the country to visit, but if you are within 50 miles of El Cajon it's definitely worth an hour of your time to stop by.

The city makes it sound like a Big deal, I had never heard of the artist Seems they wasted a lot of money to put this in downtown instead of bring a good Business in in it's place I was bored

I'm always looking for a new museum and stumbled upon this one a few years ago but didn't have time to stop. A year ago my wife and I found it easily enough on the way to visit a friend. Olaf Wieghorst worked in the west before joining the NY Mounted Police. He began artistic painting while working for the police and earned a few commissions. Most of his works included horses, Native Americans, and other western themes. Upon retirement, he moved to El Cajon and his fame grew. He created works for Hollywood stars among others, including John Wayne and even did a little acting in a John Wayne movie. The gallery shows some of his works. Outside, the house in which he created many of his works has been moved to the site. The interior of the house isn't regularly open, but the exterior is beautifully landscaped with a cactus garden and a mural has been painted on an adjacent wall. We enjoyed the visit and learned a lot about this lesser known artist.