Paramount Ranch

Paramount Ranch. How You Can Help , Santa Monica Mountains. , You've seen Western Town in hundreds of movies, TV shows and commercials. It all started back in 1927 when Paramount Pictures purchased 2,700 acres of the old Rancho Las Virgenes for use as a "movie ranch." , "Cisco Kid," "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman," and HBO's "Westworld" are just a few of the popular productions that have been shot here. It's also been the site of many of the special events that take place at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, including weddings, night sky parties, music festivals, classic movie nights and a variety of other activities. , On November 9, 2018, the Woolsey Fire burned through Paramount Ranch, destroying Western Town and much of the surrounding oak trees and vegetation. This fire has changed the landscape of our mountains and burned over 88% of National Park Service land, more than any other fire in the recorded history of the Santa Monica Mountains. , But don't count us out! We're not done creating history. , The National Park Service intends to tap into the creativity, expertise, and resources of both the entertainment community and the general public to create a new Western Town. We will start with a temporary set and then, ultimately, a number of permanent structures will be built that will retain the rustic features of the past, but with more fire-safe materials. , Help us recover by: , Learning about the "Paramount Project" to rebuild Western Town with our nonprofit partner, the Santa Monica Mountains Fund. You can learn how to get involved at www.samofund.org.