WILLIAM ORCUTT AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY

DISCOVERING OUR VALLEY    2011

When my son Damon was married last week at beautiful Orcutt Ranch in Chatsworth, I waited with the men of the bridal party in a small room before the ceremony. The room had copies of several historic photographs related to the life of William W. Orcutt, one of the most important people in the history of the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles and indeed the American West. 

Here is an image of the Stanford University football team taken sometime between 1891 and 1895, when William Orcutt was taking advantage of the university's liberal arts education. The well-rounded Orcutt was a member of the university's debate team, the football team and a member of the first class to graduate in geology.

When Orcutt saw tar covered bones at an oil drilling site near, what is now Wilshire Boulevard, his broad based education told him that they were fossils. His actions to preserve the fossils resulted in the preservation of the greatest collection of Ice Age animal and plant remains in the world. 

Beautiful Orcutt Ranch at the western terminus of Roscoe Boulevard was once William Orcutt's ranch home.

ART JACOBS DISCOVERS RANCHO SOMBRA DEL ROBLE

DISCOVERING OUR VALLEY   2011        Orcutt Ranch

     Art Jacobs writes:

     "Just thought I would forward some pictures of just one of the Valley's tiny unknown gems. I've lived in the Valley almost 50 years and I have never been to the Orcutt Ranch also known as Rancho Sombra del Roble. The Ranch is Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument # 31, located in Canoga Park at the end of Roscoe Blvd. (23600 Roscoe Blvd)."

 

Residence Orcutt Ranch - photo by Art Jacobs May 2011

(click on images to enlarge)

        "The home was the vacation and retirement estate of William Warren Orcutt and his wife Mary Logan Orcutt. Mr. Orcutt was a pioneer of the oil production industry in California and discoverer of the prehistoric fossils at the LaBrea Tar Pits."

      Moorish doorway made of California Tiles - Photo by Art Jacobs 2011. Photo captures Art as well.

     "The adobe residence was completed in 1926 by L.G. Knipe, an architect known for designing some of the original structures of Arizona State University in Tempe. The home is surrounded by 24 acres of gardens and citrus orchards."

      Garden sundial at Orcutt Ranch - Photo by Art Jacobs 2011.  The Latin phrase Carpe Diem (made famous in modern times by Robin Williams in the film Dead Poets Society) reminds us that we should

"seize the day".  If you haven't paid a visit to our city owned Rancho Sombra del Roble, seize the opportunity like Art Jacobs did.

The three Divine Graces, in the gardens of Orcutt Ranch. 

Photograph by Art Jacobs May 2011.

     "In July the park allows the public to come on a schedules weekend to pick Valencia Oranges and White Grapefruit for a small fee. The gardens are beautiful as well as, the tile work located throughout the home. It depicts various scenes of days on the California Rancho."

CALL TO PRESERVE HISTORY OF THE VALLEY'S RANCHES

Historic flyer for Iverson Ranch event - permission to use on the blog of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley given by Darlene Estes 2008
All of us who seek to preserve the artifacts of the past and to piece together the history of the San Fernando Valley, know how quickly priceless records and treasures can be lost. Just recently the death of Danton Burroughs closed the door to his amazing knowledge of our city. After the great Northridge earthquake things of immeasurable value vanished. The Museum Community, for example, is very concerned over the historical house records of Orcutt Ranch. Your Museum joins with historians from the northwest Valley trying to locate these important papers.
Museum advisor Steve Falk is working to bring together the history of the horse ranches of Northridge and Granada Hills. When the great ranches were sold in the 1950s and 60s, their owners often moved to where horses were more welcomed - and, with their departure, the history of the ranches disappeared.
West Hills resident and Valley history preservationist, Darlene Estes calls our collective attention to the history of Iverson Movie Ranch. The great stuntmen and women who worked on the ranch once met regularly here (we think at the Sportsmen's Lodge). Will their histories vanish, along with the Sportsmen's Lodge itself?
Those interested in our Valley's ranch history or our entertainment industry history are urged to contact The Museum quickly. (818) 347-9665