If you've seen a western movie made between 1935 and 1965, you've probably gotten a glimpse of Corriganville.
The 2,000-acre ranch, purchased by onetime stunt man Ray "Crash" Corrigan in 1935 for about $15,000, featured streams, a small lake, stark rocky outcroppings, avenues of oaks arching over dusty trails, and rolling meadows. In the middle of this rustic setting stood a western town (built in 1937) that included a post office, saloon, glass-blowing and leathercraft shops, sheriff's office, blacksmith's shop, a church and a bank.The ranch, north of the Simi Valley Freeway at the end of Smith Road, provided the backdrop not only for western movies such as "Fort Apache" but also for portions of "Tarzan," "The Adventures of Robin Hood" and "The Robe," and for TV shows that included "The Lone Ranger," "The Cisco Kid," "Rin Tin Tin," "Bonanza" and "Lassie."
Corrigan, whose daredevil stunts in movie westerns earned him his nickname, opened the movie ranch to the public on weekends in 1949. At its peak, it attracted more than 22,000 visitors a year.
Corrigan sold the movie ranch in 1965; entertainer Bob Hope, the buyer, renamed it Hopetown. But he closed it to the public in 1966. Fires destroyed most of the structures in 1969 and 1971, and Hope put the land up for sale.
About 188 acres of the original ranch were acquired in 1988 by the Rancho Simi Open Space Conservation Agency, a joint venture of the city of Simi Valley and the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District. The open space agency's plan for the ranch includes building a visitors center, picnic shelters, a campground, restrooms, an amphitheater, equestrian corral and stable, lake and reconstruction of Fort Apache and the Old West town.
The improvements may take five to 10 years - and $4.5 million to $5.5 million - to accomplish, said Rick Johnson, senior administrative assistant for the park district, but the agency hopes to be able to open the ranch - with an on-site caretaker and portable toilets - for limited hiking and day use by this summer.
Anyone who worked in the Corriganville stunt shows and is interested in helping to revitalize the western town can call onetime stunt man Patrick Bousquet at 805-527-9653.
Anyone interested in donating funds for Corriganville's improvements can call Rick Johnson at the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District at 805-584-4400.