Nickelodeon cowboy star William S. Hart thrilled millions of fans in over 70 shoot-’em-ups in the early days of silent cinema. After completing his film career in 1925, Hart retired to Horseshoe Ranch in Newhall, California, where he lived until his death in 1946. Hart willed the property to the County of Los Angeles, requesting that it become a park and museum, stating: “When I was making pictures, the people gave me their nickels, dimes, and quarters. When I am gone, I want them to have my home.” William S. Hart Park stands as a fitting testament to Hart’s life and generosity. On its 265 acres, visitors can tour his 22-room retirement mansion and ranch house, picnic on the park’s spacious tree-shaded lawns, wander miles of trails, feed animals at the barnyard, and admire the herd of American bison, descendants of those gifted to the park by Walt Disney. The park is also home to Heritage Junction, which houses many of Santa Clarita’s most historic buildings and serves as headquarters for the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society.
Bill West is a longtime Walt Disney Imagineer and board member of Friends of Hart Park. He cohosts SCV in the Movies, a television program that highlights films and television shows made locally, with coauthor E.J. Stephens. Kim Stephens has worked for Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California, for over 30 years. She and her husband, E.J., have lived in the Santa Clarita Valley for many years and written over a dozen books on Southern California film history.