Former Hollywood Ranch Becomes Protected Wildlife Preserve and Public Parkland
The McCrea family transferred 74 acres of their former 3,000-acre ranch to a wildlife sanctuary and helped secure another 220 acres for public park use in Ventura County.
In 1933, actor Joel McCrea acquired a 3,000-acre farm in Santa Rosa Valley to serve as a working ranch and family home. Following his death, his family donated 74 acres as a protected wildlife sanctuary that includes sandstone bluffs, deep canyons, and the rare Conejo rock plant, with limited public access to safeguard the habitat. They also negotiated the sale of an additional 220 acres, containing historic ranch buildings, to the Conejo Recreation and Park District, preventing future suburban encroachment.
The preservation effort was aided by a long-standing friendship between McCrea and former park district manager Tex Ward. The ranch, recognized on the National Register of Historic Places and designed by architect John Byers, now offers tours, educational activities, and ongoing restoration funded by the Joel and Frances McCrea Ranch Foundation. Nearby agencies have added further parcels, expanding the protected open space around the historic site.
Why it matters
The conversion protects valuable habitat and historic farmland from development, offering public recreation and education.
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