Iverson Ranch

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Iverson Ranch is situated in the Santa Susanna Mountains, in the northwest corner of Chatsworth. It's been used for thousands of motion pictures, serials and television series. The rocky terrain has been used to simulate Africa, Asia, the South Seas, the old west, and any locale the studios wished to provide. The first production made at Iverson was "My Official Wife" in 1914.

The world famous Iverson Movie Ranch is the most photographed location ranch in motion picture history. Situated in the Santa Susanna Mountains in the northwest corner of Chatsworth, California, it has been used to simulate the terrains of Asia, Africa, the South Seas, the old west, and any other locale the studios could wish for.

Garden of the Gods

Literally thousands of motion pictures and television shows have used the Iverson Movie Ranch for some or all of the scenes in the picture. This location ranch is probably the most recognizable site to movie viewers of all ages, whether it is the Garden of Gods site on the Lower Iverson (see picture to the right) or the chase roads on the Upper Iverson.

The stars who have been filmed here is a virtual who's who of Hollywood, including Shirley Temple in "Wee Willie Winkie", Laurel & Hardy in "The Flying Dueces", John Wayne in "The Fighting Seabees", Gary Cooper in "Lives of the Bengal Lancers", and Johnny Weissmuller, Buster Crabbe, Lex Barker and Gordon Scott as Tarzan in various films.

The history of the ranch began in 1880 when Miss Augustus Wagman homesteaded 160 acres of rocky land which eventually grew to a few thousand acres. In October 1888, she married Karl Iverson, and from that union five children were born: Joe, Sena, Isaac, Anna, and Aaron.

In 1912 the California Aqueduct opened, bringing water (and people) to Los Angeles and the first film at Iverson was shot. The name of this first film has been reported as being The Squaw Man, but this is probably incorrect. Unfortunately, because of several fires, the ranch records have been lost.

The management of the ranch during the early years was handled by Karl, Augustus, and Joe. Around 1927, the ownership of the ranch was given to two of the sons, Joe and Aaron (the other children having moved away), but the profits were divided in thirds (the parents receiving one-third, Joe and Aaron receiving one-third each). By 1962, the ownership of the ranch was already divided into two sections: Joe owning the Lower Iverson, and Aaron owning the Upper Iverson [In the 1962 edition of the Studio Blu-Book Directory on page 36 is the following ad: "Aaron Iverson Ranch, Motion Picture & TV Location at the Upper (North) Section of Iverson Ranch, Consisting of Seven Location with Every Kind of Scenery including Miles of Scenic Roads and Insert Roads. There are many new improvements being made such as Western Street, Ranch Village, Lake, Pools, Bulldog Hills, Graves." Unfortunately, most of these improvements appear not to have been started.]

In 1966, the State of California began construction on the Simi Valley Freeway (118). This major thoroughfare cut the Iverson ranch in half, being built through the northern edge of the Lower Iverson. This freeway all but doomed the ranch as a viable movie location because of the high decibel sound levels caused by the traffic passing through the Santa Susanna Mountains.

In 1982, Joe Iverson sold the Lower Iverson to Robert G. Sherman, who almost immediately began subdividing most of the property. By 1998, Sherman had sold the ranch to a family which will keep the remaining acreage intact.

During the late 1980's, most of the ranch was subdivided into three portions: the Upper Iverson is now Indian Springs/Indian Falls, an exclusive gated community of 1 to 4 acre home sites, many of which have homes the size of mansions; the Lower Iverson is California West, a private residential condominium community; and the Middle Iverson is Summerset Village, consisting of luxury rental apartments.

Cliffs of Nyoka

Even though paved roadways now sit on many of the Upper Iverson's chase roads and another roadway traverses the canyon between the Garden of the Gods and the "Cliffs of Nyoka" (see photo to the right), the major rock formations and terrains still remain intact.

See also [ Perils of Nyoka ]

In its days of glory, besides the magnificent rock outcroppings and general landscape, the ranch had a complete western street (see photo to the left), a three-sided ranch house with accompanying barn, and many small buildings that usually were used as outlaw shacks, stagecoach stops, and the like.

In its heyday, the ranch had a Western street, a three-sided ranch house with a barn, and many small buildings commonly used as outlaw shacks, stagecoach stops, etc. The magnificent rock formations and general terrain made Iverson a staple film site for any Hollywood production. The Garden of the Gods and Cliffs of Nyoka were two regions commonly used at the ranch. The "Tarzan" films based in the writings of Edgar Rice Burroughs were filmed at the ranch from 1932 through 1958.

In 1966, the State of California began construction on the Simi Valley Freeway. This major expressway cut the Iverson Ranch in half, being built through the northern edge of the Lower Iverson. The ranch was doomed as a filming locale, with the freeway in place. The high decibel sound levels caused by the traffic passing through the Santa Susanna Mountains made filming impossible. Any post-1966 filming had to be done on the Upper Iverson property.

Joe Iverson sold the Lower Iverson to Robert G. Sherman in 1982. He began to subdivide the majority of the property. By the late 80's, most of the ranch was subdivided into three sections. Upper Iverson became Indian Springs/Indian Falls, an exclusive gated community, with some homesites the size of mansions. Middle Iverson is Summerset Village, which is made up of luxurious rental apartments. Lower Iverson is California West, a private residential condominium community. In 1998, Sherman sold the ranch to a family which holds its remaining acreage intact.

Filmed cuts of "Bonanza" episodes at Iverson Ranch include "Death on Sun Mountain", "The Paiute War", "Blood on the Land", "Escape to Ponderosa", "The Last Trophy", "Desert Justice", "Vengeance", "Day of Reckoning", "The Savage", "The Blood Line", "The Last Viking", "The Rescue", "Cutthroat Junction", "The Secret", "Breed of Violence", "The Spitfire", "Denver McKee", "The Smiler", "The Honor of Cochise", "The Frenchman", "The Auld Sod", "Look to the Stars", "The Dowry", "The Gamble", "The Crucible", "The Long Night", "The Ride", "Day of the Dragon", "The War Comes to Washoe", "The Beginning", "The Deadly Ones", "The Boss", "The Way of Aaron", "My Brother's Keeper", "The Hayburner", "King of the Mountain", "Walter and the Outlaws", "Invention of a Gunfighter", "The Scapegoat", "The Underdog", "The Far, Far Better Thing", "A Knight to Remember", "The Passing of a King", "The Unwanted", "Meena" and "Caution: Easter Bunny Crossing".

Driving Directions

To reach the Iverson Movie Ranch from Los Angeles, take the Golden State Freeway (5) north to the Simi Valley Freeway 118 west. The area surrounding the freeway from just before Topanga Canyon Boulevard to less than a mile farther west is the site of the ranch. The Lower Iverson is on the left and the Middle and Upper Iverson is to the right.

Exit from the freeway at Topanga Canyon Boulevard and turn left (southward) passing beneath the freeway. The trailer court on the right side is where the western street once stood. Turn right at Santa Susanna Pass Road. At Red Mesa Drive, turn right and head up the hill. Park just before you come to the first condominiums.

Note: Except for the major rock formations, most of the Lower Iverson is covered with condominiums. The Middle Iverson is partially open to the public, but apartments cover the main filming area, so there is no longer anything to see there, and the Upper Iverson is a private gated community and is no longer open to the public.

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