Why we love old movie locations — especially the Iverson Movie Ranch

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Friday, July 16, 2010

Here's where the Lone Ranger once forged his silver bullets, in Chatsworth, Calif. — the only surviving manmade foundation at the Iverson Movie Ranch


"Annie Oakley" TV show (1954)

Here's a look at the little cabin that used to stand in the widely filmed South Rim area of the Upper Iverson Movie Ranch. The building is commonly known as the Miner's Cabin because it was often filmed with fake mine entrances to its left. Some of the metal fastening devices that were used to install the mine entrances can still be seen attached to the rocks if you visit the former Upper Iverson. The shot above appears in the "Annie Oakley" TV show, in the episode "Annie Finds Strange Treasure." The structure is also sometimes called the Lone Ranger Cabin, and legend has it that, on TV at least, the Lone Ranger mined silver and forged his silver bullets here.


Miners' Cabin (Lone Ranger Cabin) foundation as it appears today

Today all that's left are the stone steps and part of the stone foundation, including the front porch area. The rocks don't look much like they did, partly because they're overgrown with grass and also because a number of them are missing. But if you go stone by stone and see how they match up, it works.


Here's another shot of the stones that remain today, along with some rocks on the right of the photo that used to be behind the cabin. They match the rocks seen at the far right in the "Annie Oakley" shot. As humble as these remains are, they're virtually the only remains — and by far the best — of any manmade structure from the filming era at the Iverson Movie Ranch.

1 comment:

George said...

I'd be so grateful if someone can give details about the specific location of those cabin remains at Iverson. I live very nearby and would love to see what's left of the cabin foundation in person. Thank you. george@merlintek.com