Historic homes, state park buildings lost to Palisades fire
Among the devastation and loss caused by the Pacific Palisades fire, the blaze destroyed historic buildings and multiple structures at Will Rogers and Topanga state parks, officials announced Wednesday.
The fire fueled by wind gusts up to 80 mph destroyed Will Rogers’ historic ranch house and buildings at Will Rogers State Historic Park, as well as the historic Topanga Ranch Hotel, which was once owned by William Randolph Hearst, an American publisher and politician.
“California State Parks mourns the loss of these treasured natural and cultural resources, and our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the devastating fires in the Los Angeles area,” State Parks Director Armando Quintero said in a statement.
According to Quintero, the department has directed all available resources into its emergency response of securing and protecting affected state parks.
He expressed gratitude for park staff and the department’s partner agencies for their swift actions, but the top priority remains the safety of impacted residents, employees and first responders.
The Palisades Fire began around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, prompting State Parks to close Topanga State Park and Will Rogers State Historic Park as a precaution.
Flames quickly moved onto State Parks property at Topanga and that evening into Will Rogers, according to Quintero.
A full assessment of the damage and losses wasn’t immediately available.
The department was able to evacuate horses, cultural and historical artifacts ahead of the fire.
According to the department, Will Rogers was one of the most popular and highest-paid actors in Hollywood and known as “America’s most beloved citizen” in the mid-1930s.
Rogers started in vaudeville theaters with a trick roping act, and rose to worldwide fame as a columnist, “cowboy philosopher,” aviation enthusiast, philanthropist, radio personality and movie star.
During the 1920s, he bought land in Santa Monica where he developed a ranch. Eventually, Rogers owned about 359 acres in what is now known as Pacific Palisades, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
At the time of his death in a plane crash in 1935, his ranch consisted of a 31-room ranch house with neighboring guest housing, a stable, corrals, golf course and riding trails. His widow, Betty, donated the ranch to State Parks in 1944 and it became a historic park.
Built in 1929 by William Randolph Hearst, the bungalow-style Topanga Ranch Motel had 30 rooms that once housed Pacific Coast Highway construction workers, State Park officials said.
The motel, located across from Topanga Beach, served as an inexpensive seaside holiday vacation retreat for families and writers and was a popular film and television location.
State Parks acquired the motel in 2001 and in recent years, plans had been in the works to restore about 20 of the cabins for public use.