Peter Strauss Ranch facts for kids

The Peter Strauss Ranch is a cool park in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. It's run by the National Park Service. You can find it in the central Santa Monica Mountains, near Agoura Hills, in sunny Southern California. The ranch is named after the actor Peter Strauss. He was the last person to own and live on the property privately. Sadly, much of the ranch was damaged by the Woolsey Fire in November 2018.

Exploring Peter Strauss Ranch Park

The Peter Strauss Ranch Park is famous for its many California oak woodlands and chaparral areas. These are like natural neighborhoods for plants and animals. You can explore them on walking and hiking trails. Along Triunfo Creek, there's a wetter area called a riparian zone. It has lots of different plants and animals. The park's natural areas are part of the California chaparral and woodlands Ecoregion. They are home to many types of plants found in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Fun Things to Do at the Ranch

Besides the trails, there are other fun things to do. You can join guided nature walks and special programs. The park also has a swimming pool and the Lake Enchanto Dam. There's a stone ranch house with a big terrazzo patio. This area is great for outdoor events. People hold concerts, weddings, picnics, and art shows here.

History of Peter Strauss Ranch

The area where the ranch is located has a long history. The Chumash people lived here for as long as 8,000 years. After Spanish explorers came to Alta California, the land became part of a large area called Rancho Las Virgenes.

Early California Days

When California became part of the United States in 1850, the land was officially measured. This happened in 1881 to confirm the land grant. A special California live oak tree was used as a marker during this survey. This same tree still stands today, just west of the swimming pool. You can even see an upside-down letter "T" carved into its bark!

The 20th Century and Beyond

In the early 1900s, a car maker named Harry Miller bought the ranch. He was famous for his special carburetor used in the Indianapolis 500 race. Miller used the ranch as a weekend getaway from his factory in Los Angeles.

Harry Miller's Ranch

In 1926, Miller built the stone ranch house you see today. He also built a look-out tower and an aviary for birds. Miller loved to host big parties at the ranch. He even had someone watch from the tower to warn them if anyone unexpected was coming. Miller also kept other large animals as part of his own private zoo. Later, he faced money problems and had to sell the property.

Lake Enchanto Resort

In the mid-1930s, Warren Shobert and Arthur Edeson bought the ranch. They called it "Shoson" at first. They turned it into a fun "fairyland resort" for both kids and adults. They built the Lake Encanto Dam on Triunfo Creek, which created Lake Encanto. The resort was later renamed "Lake Enchanto." Over time, other bigger amusement parks opened. Lake Enchanto became less popular and closed around 1960.

Peter Strauss and the National Park Service

In 1976, actor Peter Strauss bought the property. He was filming a TV show nearby and loved the natural beauty of the area. Strauss worked to make the ranch look more natural again. He lived there until 1983. Then, he sold it to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. Finally, the National Park Service bought the ranch in 1987.

Woolsey Fire Damage

On November 14, 2018, the Los Angeles Times newspaper shared pictures of the ranch. The photos showed that many buildings were ruined. The report said the ranch was left with "charred remnants" after the Woolsey Fire.