GARNER RANCH

The San Jacinto Mountains, pictorially very similar to the San Bernardino Mountains around Big Bear Lake, was home to the Garner Ranch, originally begun by Charles Thomas in the 1860's. The ranch gained its current name when Robert F. Garner Sr. purchased the ranch in 1905. The Garner family has held title to the cattle property ever since, running through Robert F. Garner Jr. and Jack Garner. The property covers almost 10,000 acres of meadows and hills. The main features of the ranch during the filming years was the white ranch house with covered veranda on the front as well as several outbuildings and barns and corrals.

Here are some scenes of the Garner Ranch during the filming years:

Here are some scenes of the Garner Ranch in 1999:

Garner Ranch Entrance Garner Ranch Sign

Garner Ranch Entrance The entranceway to the Garner Ranch

Garner Ranch meadowland The meadowland at Garner Ranch

Lake Hemet from Garner Ranch Across Highway 74 from the Garner Ranch is Lake Hemet, another scenic location site.

DIRECTIONS: From Los Angeles, take Interstate 10 east to Beaumont. Take highway 79 south to highway 74 east. This is the easier driving route from Los Angeles. A somewhat harder but shorter route is to continue on Interstate 10 past Beaumont to Banning. Then take highway 243 south. At highway 74 (past Idyllwild), turn left (east). The Garner Ranch will be on the left (north) side of the highway, just beyond the easterly end of Lake Hemet.

SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY:

"Guns and Guitars" (Republic 1936) Directed by: Joseph Kane. Cast: Gene Autry, Smiley Burnett.

"Heading for the Rio Grande" (Grand National 1936) Directed by: Robert N. Bradbury. Cast: Tex Ritter.

"Springtime in the Rockies" (Republic 1937) Directed by: Joseph Kane. Cast: Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette.

"Brothers in the Saddle" (RKO Radio 1949) Directed by: Lesley Selander. Cast: Tim Holt, Richard Martin, Steve Brodie, Virginia Cox, Carol Forman, Richard Powers, Stanley Andrews, Robert Bray, Francis McDonald, Emmett Vogan, Monte Montague.

"Riders of the Range" (RKO Radio 1949) Directed by: Lesley Selander. Cast: Tim Holt, Richard Martin, Jacqueline White, Reed Hadley, Robert Barrat, Robert Clarke, Tom Tyler, William Tannen.