The Walker Cabin

The Walker Cabin. . , This historic cabin, originally built about 1920 by pioneer homesteader Frank E. Walker, has been restored and finished as part of Placerita Canyon Natural Area's Heritage Trail. A descriptive trail guide to the Heritage Trail is available in the Nature Center Gift Shop. , Frank and his wife, Hortense, raised 12 children here, occupying the small cabin mainly during the winter months, when the rain swollen creek blocked passage to the other larger residence further up the canyon. They used the cabin for about 11 years and then started renting it to movie makers. , The original had a tar paper roof, no front porch and some small rooms in the back; the porch and the shingle roof were added by film crews. The Walkers were able to supplement their income by allowing their home and land to serve as a set for such movies as "The Hard Hombre". , Life was, of course, not particularly easy for a family the size of Frank and Hortense Walker, requiring long days filled with hard work to earn a living. But there were benefits to be had from living so close to the land, and the Walkers were able to know and enjoy the beauties of Placerita Canyon in ways that we today can only envy. , The Walker Family's land in Placerita Canyon was purchased by the State of California to be used as a natural area in 1949. The current Placerita Canyon Natural Area is operated by the Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation Department under a long term lease.