In 1960, Disney purchased a small herd of American bison and used them in his two-part television show, 'Sancho the Homesick Steer,' and other productions. Three real cowboys ran herd on about 50 head and took them to market each winter to be sold for beef. Disney liked the varied topography so much that he purchased 315 acres for $300,000 in 1959, increasing his holdings to more than 700 acres in the next few years.Įven while Disney was using it for filming, the Golden Oak doubled as a working cattle ranch for a time. Meanwhile, Carr's one-time movie property reverted to a working horse and cattle ranch that was occasionally used by filmmakers - including Walt Disney, who leased the property for portions of three years in the mid-1950s for the 'Spin and Marty' segments of 'The Mickey Mouse Club' television show. But Carr soon ran out of money and had to sell the ranch Hickson picked up his sticks around 1930 and moved them westerly in Placerita Canyon, erecting what would become the Monogram and later Melody Ranch. 'Ernie' Hickson, collected old Western buildings that he imported from Nevada (some say he acquired special lumber in Nevada and assembled the buildings on site), and used them to create a Western movie town for Carr's productions. Pioneer filmmaker Trem Carr owned what he called the Placeritos Ranch at the same site as early as 1922. Disney purchased the ranch in 1959, but the area's history as a filming backdrop actually begins much earlier.

The Walt Disney Co.'s Golden Oak Ranch is a private, working movie ranch (not open for tours), located just east of State Route 14 off of Placerita Canyon Road. The 'Cabin by the Lake' at The Walt Disney Co.'s Golden Oak Ranch in Placerita Canyon.

Golden oak farms