NOSTALGIC LOOK BACK AT WALNUT ACRES (aka Woodland Hills, CA) between 1953 - 1957

Now in my 82nd year on planet earth, I spend a fair share of my time reflecting on positive memories of the past. I define memory as, “What once was will always be.”

I was a pretty lucky kid... I grew up in the ‘country’ and ‘city’ at the same time.

And, there were some pretty nifty things left over from a colorful and historic past.

It was the perfect combination for a kid with a horse that dreamed of being a cowboy.  

In 1953, my dad built a house on Manton Avenue in an area that was known as Walnut Acres (aka Woodland Hills, CA). Across the street from us there were thousands of acres of rolling farmland with wild oats.

The farmland had once been the Platt Dairy, and before that it was Rancho El Escorpión, a Mexican land grant originally given in 1845 by Governor Pío Pico to three Chumash Native Americans.

Here’s what it looked like 70 years ago…

1952 photo of the Woodland Hills, Calabasas Area with El Escorpión adobe barn (red), a friends horse ranch (orange), my home (yellow), and Old Calabasas (Raspberry). Clink on images for a larger view.

1953 me and my bicycle with the remains of Platt Dairy behind.

Me and my bicycle — juxtaposed 1953 - 2022.

1953 view of Platt Dairy (camera North), with El Escorpión adobe barn at the far right (library photo).

Me and my first horse ‘Paint’ in the winter 1954. I out grew this 20 year old gelding, and had a new horse in just a few months. Look beyond us to get an idea of the open space I rode in.

Dirt road leading to El Escorpión adobe barn about 1953 (library photo).

El Escorpión adobe barn closeup as it appeared about 1954 (library photo).

Me and my dad on our horses (Lucky and Sandy), about 1955, on Manton Ave., Woodland Hills (aka Walnut Acres).

c.1950s Title Insurance Co. map of Spanish and Mexican Ranchos. Rancho El Escorpión is on the left, center near the Ox Cart.

If you live in this area today I hope you enjoy my NOSTALGIC LOOK BACK AT WALNUT ACRES.

ps

If you'd like to know what Walnut Acres and Calabasas looked like in 1956 have a look at these short YouTube clips taken from an old 8 mm home movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IWMXJwflfc AND https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcD2ztO7jC8 (ETI riders gathering for a trail ride to Chatsworth and back).

Happy Trails.

DNA CONNECTION, THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR AND PRESIDENT FRANKLIN PEIRCE

I’ve been trying to learn the ancestry of Marcus Morton Pierce, our 2nd great-grandfather, for the past 25 years. SEE “Cowboy Legacy -- The short, tragic life of Marcus Pierce”

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2011/11/cowboy-legacy-short-tragic-life-of.html

Then a few weeks ago I got a ancestry (dot) com DNA match to William Pearce (Pirce), our 5th great-grandfather, 1770–1841. 

From that connection I was able to piece together my PIERCE ancestry back to Thomas Pierce II, Sergeant, immigrant ancestor, 1608-1683, my 10th great-grandfather.

There I found an interesting "Family Relationship.” It seems Thomas Pierce II, Sergeant, immigrant 1608-1683, was the 3rd Great-grandfather to Franklin Pierce 14th U.S. President.

After considerable additional research I was able to discover our relationship to President Franklin Peirce.

OUR LINEAGE TO PRESIDENT FRANKLIN PEIRCE:

Franklin Pierce (14th POTUS, US Rep, US Senator, Brigadier General) 1804-1869
4TH COUSIN 7X REMOVED

Governor Benjamin Franklin Pierce 1757-1839
Father of Franklin Pierce (14th POTUS, US Rep, US Senator, Brigadier General)

Benjamin PIERCE or PEIRCE Sr 1726-1764
Father of Governor Benjamin Franklin Pierce

Stephen Pierce 1679-1749
Father of Benjamin PIERCE or PEIRCE Sr

Stephen Pierce 1651-1733
Father of Stephen Pierce

Thomas Pierce II, 10TH GREAT-GRANDFATHER, Sergeant, immigrant 1608-1683
Father of Stephen Pierce

Thomas Peirce III 1645-1717
Son of Thomas Pierce II, Sergeant, immigrant

Col. Timothy Pierce 1673-1748
Son of Thomas Peirce III

Nathaniel M Pierce 1701-1775
Son of Col. Timothy Pierce

Jedediah Pierce 1746-1826
Son of Nathaniel M Pierce

William Pearce (Pirce) (DNA Match) 1770-1841
Son of Jedediah Pierce

William Pearce (Pierce) (DNA Match) 1794-1875
Son of William Pearce (Pirce) (DNA Match)

James L Pearce (Pierce) 1819-1847
Son of William Pearce (Pierce) (DNA Match)

Marcus Morton Pierce 1842-1882
Son of James L Pearce (Pierce)

Lillian Amanda Pierce, GREAT-GRANDMOTHER, 1867-1957
Daughter of Marcus Morton Pierce

PLAUSIBLE EXPLANATION FOR JAMES L. PIERCE JOINING THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR

Not only are we related to President Franklin Pierce, but there is an 1846-48 Mexican-American War connection that may explain the question of what happened to James L. Pierce.

For many years the question of what happened to James L. Pierce (3rd great-grandfather), father of Marcus Pierce, went unanswered. 

Then a few years back I found a James L Pearce (Pierce) who was born about 1819 in Foster, Providence, Rhode Island. That James L Pearce died in 1847, at Sea en route to Mexico during the Mexican-American War.

Perhaps he was encouraged to follow Franklin Pierce, his relative, who was gathering a New England brigade to fight in the Mexican-American War.

The timeline fit, and would explain why Marcus was without a father at age 7 on the 1850 US census.

BRIGADIER GENERAL FRANKLIN PIERCE

Source: Wikipedia

Franklin Pierce was born in 1804 with the militia tradition in his veins, the son of a hero of the American Revolution who was among Washington's most trusted combat officers. 

Young Franklin attended Bowdoin College in Maine and, while there, formed a life-long friendship with Nathaniel Hawthorne, later one of his biographers. Upon graduation, he returned to his native state of New Hampshire and read for the law. 

Politics caught his fancy and his ambitions. He was a stirring orator and a tireless worker, and his progress was rapid: a member of the state legislature by 1828; its speaker by 1831. That same year he was appointed a colonel in the New Hampshire militia and served as the governor's aide-de-camp. 

He retired from Congress in 1842 and returned to state politics and his law practice in Concord, New Hampshire. 

The 1846-48 Mexican War took him into active military service as a brigade commander in General Winfield Scott's army. Pierce brought his troops in good order from New England to Veracruz and then overland to join Scott in the field before Mexico City. He participated bravely in numerous engagements, acquiring a bullet hole in the brim of his hat, and showed himself to be his father's son. 

In 1853 Franklin Pierce became the 14th president of the United States of America

THE TRADE... PAIUTE CRADLEBOARD & WINCHESTER RIFLE

 

Okay, so being 80 years old I admit to spending much of my remaining days reminiscing about adventures and experiences during my lifetime.

Between 1957 and 1960, I lived in Oakhurst, California, a small hamlet in the Sierra foothills. It was located just 13 miles from Yosemite Park, and in those days it only had a population of 357 men, women, and children.

My nearest friend, Bill, lived about a half mile north on a small 300 acre ranch. The two of us were both high school freshman, and because we both owned horses we often explored the National Forest areas surrounding Oakhurst. We had many hundred square miles of Oak Woodlands to explore. We could even ride to Bass Lake, four miles away as the crow flies.

 

On one of our adventures we stumbled upon and old, abandoned, dilapidated cabin. It was a humble wood structure with walls you could see through. The door had long since fallen off its hinges. A single window had been broken out allowing the nearby forest to invade. 

Off to one side, the forest was consuming a pile of rusted tin cans.

I got off Sandy, my red dun Quarter Horse, and peered into the dark cabin. After my eyes adjusted to the dim light I could see the cabin floor was covered with forest debris and oak leaves. There was the remains of an old iron stove in one corner, and a rusting steel bed with exposed springs against the back wall. 

A nervous Sandy was tugging on his reins, clearly agitated by this dark and dreary place. I was about to turn and get back on Sandy when my eyes picked up a shape that didn’t fit. I handed my rains to friend Bill and entered the cabin. There, under the window, and covered with Live Oak leaves was what could only be a willow cradleboard; long since abandoned in the decaying cabin.

I showed it to Bill and he agreed I had found a true Native America artifact, and maybe, a valuable treasure. We began making our way home, me clinging proudly to my valuable papoose board.

As we made our way along the edge of busy Highway 41, a middle aged gent spotted us and asked if he could see my new found booty. I handed the cradleboard to him, he examined it, and opined it looked to be willow, crafted by a Paiute or maybe Mono or Miwuk squaw. 

He asked what I’d take for it, and I advised him it wasn’t for sale. He responded, pointing to his home behind him, saying he had a nifty antique Winchester rifle to trade. 

DARN… he found my weakness. We rode down to his house and waited while he disappeared inside. In a couple of minutes he returned with a swell looking Winchester .22 Rimfire Single-Shot Rifle.

I reasoned that the cradleboard wasn’t complete — missing a hood and wrapping covers, and the Winchester would look mighty fine on the empty bracket of the four-gun rack in my bedroom. 

Swell looking rifle

The trade being done I rode home thinking I’d gotten the better part of the trade. It sure was easier to ride Sandy toting a rifle instead of an unwieldy papoose board.

It didn’t take long to discover the rifle stock was cracked and repaired, and the first time I shot the rifle it split the shell casing from end to end. I never shot it again, but it did look fine on my four-gun rack.

It took many years to realize the cradleboard, incomplete as it was, was likely worth many times the value of a Model 1904 Winchester .22 Rimfire Single-Shot Rifle. When I think about it today the old saying, ‘never give a sucker an even break,’ comes to mind, but then I realize… dang few modern-day youngsters ever got to ride a horse into a National Forest and find a real Native American papoose board in an old, abandoned mountain cabin.

NOTE: Cabin, Cradleboard and Rifle photos are representative, and not the actual items in my story.

CHATSWORTH MOVIES — updated 2024

When I started writing this blog back in October 2011, my goal was to leave for my grandsons the answers to questions I wished I had asked my granddad...

During my life I've been a soldier, a carpenter and home builder, a cowboy folk artist, a community activist, a movie historian, and a genealogist.

My blog is about all my life's passions: horses, canoeing, trout fishing, cowboy folk art, Western movies, family history, and especially fur trade history.

CHATSWORTH MOVIES are the most popular posts on my blog, so I decided to update this page with links to the most visited posts:

Films of Boulder Pass - A Comprehensive List of — Chatsworth, California — movies

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2018/11/films-of-boulder-pass-comprehensive-list.html

The Rock Stars of Boulder Pass (aka Santa Susana Pass)

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-rock-stars-of-boulder-pass-aka.html

San Fernando Valley Horses and Movies Are Forever Linked

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/08/san-fernando-valley-horses-and-movies.html

Reel Cowboys, Cowgirls, etc -- Chatsworth's Six-Gun Heroes

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2018/11/reel-cowboys-cowgirls-etc-chatsworths.html

Chatsworth Equine Cultural Heritage Organization's Parting Gift

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2017/04/chatsworth-equine-cultural-heritage.html

UPDATED MOVIE LINKS:

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Films of Boulder Pass — A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF MOVIES FILMED IN CHATSWORTH

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2018/11/films-of-boulder-pass-comprehensive-list.html

Saturday, November 17, 2018

The Rock Stars of Boulder Pass (aka Santa Susana Pass)

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-rock-stars-of-boulder-pass-aka.html

Friday, August 31, 2012

San Fernando Valley Horses and Movies Are Forever Linked

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/08/san-fernando-valley-horses-and-movies.html

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Reel Cowboys, Cowgirls, etc -- Chatsworth's Six-Gun Heroes

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2018/11/reel-cowboys-cowgirls-etc-chatsworths.html

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Chatsworth's Rock Stars

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/05/chatsworths-rock-stars.html

Monday, April 30, 2012

• Celebrating 100 years of Chatsworth Movies — Overview — older post

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/04/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_30.html

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Chatsworth Stagecoach History Tours

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Friday, July 18, 2014

Chatsworth's Road to Movie Magic -- Part One

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2014/07/chatsworths-road-to-movie-magic-part-one.html

Friday, July 18, 2014

Chatsworth's Road to Movie Magic -- Part Two

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2014/07/chatsworths-road-to-movie-magic-part-two.html

Monday, January 16, 2012

Meanwhile back at the ranch -- Map to rock star locations

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/01/meanwhile-back-at-ranch-map-to-rock.html

REEL COWBOYS, COWGIRLS AND THEIR HORSES:

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Reel Cowboys, Cowgirls and Their Hosses (2011- 2012)

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/12/reel-cowboys-cowgirls-and-their-hosses.html

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Four Legged Pals -- Those Wonderful Movie Horses

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/09/four-legged-pals-those-wonderful-movie.html

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Four Legged Pals -- More Wonderful Movie Horses - part 2

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/09/four-legged-pals-more-wonderful-movie.html

Friday, September 14, 2012

Four Legged Pals -- More Wonderful Movie Horses - part 3

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/09/four-legged-pals-more-wonderful-movie_14.html

OTHER CHATSWORTH AREA MOVIE LOCATIONS:

Meanwhile back at the ranch -- Rocky Peak

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2014/04/meanwhile-back-at-ranch-rocky-peak.html

Meanwhile back at the ranch -- Oat Mountain

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2014/04/meanwhile-back-at-ranch-oat-mountain.html

Brandeis Movie Ranch -- Hickeyville

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/06/brandeis-movie-ranch-hickeyville.html

Brandeis Movie Ranch -- Caretaker's House

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/06/brandeis-movie-ranch-caretakers-house.html

Brandeis Movie Ranch -- Bunkouse

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/06/brandeis-movie-ranch-bunkouse.html

Chatsworth Filming Location -- Railroad Depot

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/07/chatsworth-filming-location-railroad.html

Chatsworth Filming Location -- Railroad Tunnel 28

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/07/chatsworth-filming-location-railroad_02.html

Chatsworth Filming Location -- Railroad cut and tunnels

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/07/chatsworth-filming-location-railroad_03.html

Chatsworth filming location -- Chatsworth Reservoir

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/07/chatsworth-filming-location-chatsworth.html

Chatsworth filming location -- Burro Flats

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/07/chatsworth-filming-location-burro-flats.html

Corriganville Movie Ranch -- Overview

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/07/corriganville-movie-ranch-overview.html

Corriganville's Western Street -- Silvertown

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/07/corriganvilles-western-street-silvertown.html

Corriganville's Fort Apache and Dugout

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/08/corriganvilles-fort-apache-and-dugout.html

Corriganville's Robin Hood Lake

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/08/corriganvilles-robin-hood-lake.html

Corriganville's Chase Roads

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/08/corriganvilles-chase-roads.html

Double R Bar Ranch -- Roy Rogers’ Chatsworth Home

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/02/double-r-bar-ranch-roy-rogers.html

Beyond Boulder Pass -- Bell Location Ranch

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/03/beyond-boulder-pass-bell-location-ranch.html

GARDEN OF THE GODS PLAQUE:

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Chatsworth Equine Cultural Heritage Organization's Parting Gift — GOTG Plaque

https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2017/04/chatsworth-equine-cultural-heritage.html

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Big News on the Iverson Movie Ranch

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2013/03/big-news-on-iverson-movie-ranch.html

Monday, February 6, 2012

Homage to six-gun heroes and their gallant horses

http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/02/homage-to-six-gun-heroes-and-their.html

VIDEO LINKS:

Iverson Movie Ranch Video Montage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_HBwVKaHjo

9.3K views  11 years ago

Video introduction to the historic Iverson Movie Ranch once located in Chatsworth, CA

Artist, Writer, Cowboy Heritage: The life and times of Jerry England

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXnRA0PHZQo&t=17s

2024 Chatsworth Day of the Horse, by By Mark Hovater

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ColqYxqglE

 MY OTHER BLOG: LA PRAIRIE VOYAGEUR CANOES… is about French-Canadian Fur Trade History as it relates to my family heritage and legacy.

http://laprairie-voyageur-canoes.blogspot.com/2017/10/ripples-from-la-prairie-voyageur-canoes.html

Also, please checkout my website at http://www.cowboyup.com/

Adios, until we meet again