Chatsworth Park 1955 (Santa Rosa, Thousand Oaks, Paramount: homes, neighborhood, live)

[Charles]

Here's a 1955 shot of what is now Chatsworth Park South. It used to be one of those shooting ranges with clay pigeons called Aqua Sierra Sportsmans Club. This shot is looking east. If you walk around the flat area (now grass) on the left (north) side of this view in Chatsworth Park South you can still pick up little pieces of clay pigeons sitting there after more than 50 years. Also, and more interesting, is directly behind where the photographer was shooting this photo is one of the old stagecoach routes from the San Fernando Valley into Santa Susana and Simi. If you hike up there you will find a Daughters of the American Revolution plaque embedded in Simi Hills on the trail. The plaque was placed there in 1939. This stagecoach trail ends up at Lilac Lane on the east side of Santa Susana pass road about a half mile west of the old Spahn Ranch, Charles Manson's hideout. It's a nice hike for cool day. (There were actually three independent stagecoach routes: 1) This one up from CPS, 2) one up Santa Susana Pass Road, and 3) one that followed the 101 to about Erbes road/Route 23 in Thousand Oaks the north to the Butterfield grade north of Thousand Oaks and down into the Santa Rosa Valley. All three headed to Ventura. The Stagecoach Inn in Newbury Park was built in anticipation of the stage heading down the Conejo Grade. It's a myth that the stagecoach route ever went down the Conejo Grade.)

[LALady]

Originally Posted by Charles

Here's a 1955 shot of what is now Chatsworth Park South. It used to be one of those shooting ranges with clay pigeons called Aqua Sierra Sportsmans Club. This shot is looking east. If you walk around the flat area (now grass) on the left (north) side of this view in Chatsworth Park South you can still pick up little pieces of clay pigeons sitting there after more than 50 years. Also, and more interesting, is directly behind where the photographer was shooting this photo is one of the old stagecoach routes from the San Fernando Valley into Santa Susana and Simi. If you hike up there you will find a Daughters of the American Revolution plaque embedded in Simi Hills on the trail. The plaque was placed there in 1939. This stagecoach trail ends up at Lilac Lane on the east side of Santa Susana pass road about a half mile west of the old Spahn Ranch, Charles Manson's hideout. It's a nice hike for cool day. (There were actually three independent stagecoach routes: 1) This one up from CPS, 2) one up Santa Susana Pass Road, and 3) one that followed the 101 to about Erbes road/Route 23 in Thousand Oaks the north to the Butterfield grade north of Thousand Oaks and down into the Santa Rosa Valley. All three headed to Ventura. The Stagecoach Inn in Newbury Park was built in anticipation of the stage heading down the Conejo Grade. It's a myth that the stagecoach route ever went down the Conejo Grade.)

Attachment 5268

Cool picture.

[Fleet]

I've been at that park many times. On the hiking trails and on the stagecoach trail.
Here are some photos of the park I took in June of this year...

[Winston Smith]

Love that pic! Got any more? As a teenager we used to hike all over the Chatsworth and Simi Hills. I remember being chased out of what is now Rocky Peak County Park when it was still a private land holding of Bob Hope by an over zealous watchman in a 4x4 with gun racks. Nuts!

From Lake Chatsworth there was a great hike up and over the ridge to the Paramount Movie Ranch, an old western-like street of basically building facades. Outside street scenes in shows like Gunnsmoke and Bonanza are supposed to have been filmed there.

[Fleet]

The Chatsworth Historical Society in Chatsworth Park South (at the Hill-Palmer Homestead) has a lot of historic photos of the Chatsworth area. Here is the website:
CHS Home Page

There is also information about the Iverson Ranch:
Iverson Movie Ranch (http://employees.oxy.edu/jerry/iverson.htm - broken link)

[Charles]

Originally Posted by cre8

From Lake Chatsworth there was a great hike up and over the ridge to the Paramount Movie Ranch, an old western-like street of basically building facades. Outside street scenes in shows like Gunnsmoke and Bonanza are supposed to have been filmed there.

I did the same route except in reverse, probably around 1974, 1975. We started on on bikes from Box Canyon Road to Studio Road and rode right through the old western town. They filmed Zorro there. There was a security guard there, I think his name was Earl. He wore a six shooter on his hip. We'd continue down the trail to Valley Circle (I think we called it Reservoir Road.)

Bell Location Ranch

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by Charles

I did the same route except in reverse, probably around 1974, 1975. We started on on bikes from Box Canyon Road to Studio Road and rode right through the old western town. They filmed Zorro there. There was a security guard there, I think his name was Earl. He wore a six shooter on his hip. We'd continue down the trail to Valley Circle (I think we called it Reservoir Road.)

Bell Location Ranch

We'd access the back hills via a funky little neighborhood near that General Store on Valley Circle. Thompson Ave, comes to mind. It's probably impossible to get through there now. In fact, sometime in the mid-80s there was a FD gate installed on the road into the hills.

But I remember a guard/caretaker up at the movie ranch, maybe it was Earl! He would always tell us that we shouldn't be there, that it was private. We'd always say, "we know, we're just thirsty and wanted to see if we could get a sip of water somewhere." He'd let us drink from a hose and say, "ok, but now you have to leave." Every time, same routine. I think eventually "Earl's" line about private property changed from a blanket statement to something more personal, like, "now YOU know this is private up here!" Funny. Nevertheless, he always let us drink and was never mean about us being there.

Originally Posted by Fleet

The Chatsworth Historical Society in Chatsworth Park South (at the Hill-Palmer Homestead) has a lot of historic photos of the Chatsworth area. Here is the website:
CHS Home Page

There is also information about the Iverson Ranch:
Iverson Movie Ranch (http://employees.oxy.edu/jerry/iverson.htm - broken link)

Thanks, fleet, for the links!

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by cre8

But I remember a guard/caretaker up at the movie ranch, maybe it was Earl! He would always tell us that we shouldn't be there, that it was private. We'd always say, "we know, we're just thirsty and wanted to see if we could get a sip of water somewhere." He'd let us drink from a hose and say, "ok, but now you have to leave." Every time, same routine. I think eventually "Earl's" line about private property changed from a blanket statement to something more personal, like, "now YOU know this is private up here!" Funny. Nevertheless, he always let us drink and was never mean about us being there.

Good 'ol Earl! I'm glad he didn't run you off with a rifle.

Thanks, fleet, for the links

The Hill-Palmer Homestead is open the first Sunday of every month from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by Charles

Also, and more interesting, is directly behind where the photographer was shooting this photo is one of the old stagecoach routes from the San Fernando Valley into Santa Susana and Simi. If you hike up there you will find a Daughters of the American Revolution plaque embedded in Simi Hills on the trail. The plaque was placed there in 1939. This stagecoach trail ends up at Lilac Lane on the east side of Santa Susana pass road about a half mile west of the old Spahn Ranch,

I've been on that stagecoach road about a half-dozen times.

Here are some photos I took when up there:
1. Some hikers walking up the stagecoach trail heading toward the dedication plaque.

2. The dedication plaque.

3. Another view looking up the trail.

4. The view from near the top of the trail, looking northeast.

[FamilyOne]

Awesome stuff on Chatsworth... we live here and love it... especially all of the surrounding trails