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March 28
1934 - Bouquet Canyon Reservoir, replacement for ill-fated St. Francis Dam & reservoir, begins to fill with water [story]
Bouquet Reservoir


Now and Then in the SCV | Commentary by Darryl Manzer
| Tuesday, Oct 20, 2015

darrylmanzer0215Hey, Hollywood. Please take notes and do something about this.

Since the days of silent pictures, you, Hollywood, have been using Mentryville as a back lot. Thanks to many of those old films, we know what the old town used to look like in the 1920s and ‘30s.

Today it just looks trashed.

No, it doesn’t just look trashed – it is trashed. Broken windows, falling plaster, holes in the floors, missing woodwork around windows and doors. Rats and other critters have managed to infest the Pico Cottage and the Felton School, too.

Wallpaper is peeling off the walls, and it looks like the roof has leaked in a few spots. Funny, the original redwood-shingle roof didn’t leak for over 100 years.

Oh, the leaks appear to be in the same area where a camera was mounted on the porch roof for a recent upstairs interior film shoot.

My old bedroom has been plastered in some way and painted a number of colors. The natural gas fireplace is missing from the room and sits in a closet a couple of rooms away.

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Photos: Lauren Parker

There is a vent in the central hallway floor downstairs, and one can see shell casings under the house. They appear to be from an M-16 style rifle and, I would surmise, were left from another film shoot. Muzzle blast is really good for the old plaster, as well as the chance of a fire starting on that old lath where the plaster has already fallen. It was only blank ammo, but that can be worse in noise and fire potential.

photo-3-copy-9These pictures don’t show the only damage and total lack of concern by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (which owns the property) and the film studios that are using Mentryville. The real damage is to our history. Our community is slowly losing a resource of historical importance that cannot be measured in dollars.

It is as if the very heart of our valley is being ripped out.

Imagine, if you will, if the home of William S. Hart were being used in the same way Pico Cottage is being abused. Mr. Hart had the foresight to ensure that commercial filming wouldn’t take place on his property after it became a public park. Chevron Corp. didn’t do the same.

photo-5-copy-5The 13-room Pico Cottage, the main barn, and Felton School are at least structurally sound. The old tin garage and what is now called the chicken house need some pretty major structural repairs.

In case you haven’t heard, what is called the “chicken house” was originally a tack room and a place to store feed for the animals.

The folks in the movie studios think nothing of giving millions to political campaigns. Some senator or congressman they like is up for reelection, and the money flows like wine into those coffers.

There are many “stars” that have used Mentryville as a set and didn’t know what historical significance it has. I’ve talked to a few of them when they were filming there. They couldn’t believe such historic buildings were being used and abused in such a manner.

Look at the pictures you see here. You can see the damage being done. Missing bits and pieces of history.

photo-1-copy-8In the 1980s a Disney film called “Thanksgiving Promise” was filmed in Mentryville. How about some help from Disney? How about Universal, Sony, Warner Bros. and the others? You know that if each studio donated maybe $100,000 to the Friends of Mentryville, all of the buildings could be restored as agreed to in 1994?

Now, is that amount too much? I don’t think so. Sure, the studios have paid for the use of the old town for many years. Now they should make good on the damage and wear done through all those years. It shouldn’t be up to the MRCA or any other part of government at this point.

We all want to be able to preserve and use Mentryville again. We can’t afford to do it without help from those who have put it on film.

photo-1-copy-3So how about some help, Hollywood?

MRCA offices are in the former Malibu home of a Hollywood star famous if film and music. Another place they have is in Beverly Hills. (Not exactly the low rent district of the Los Angeles area, are they?) Maybe one of those places could be sold so historic buildings can be preserved not only in Mentryville but also in Towsley Canyon and many other places controlled by the MRCA.

Next time you go to a movie in a theater and pay those high prices for tickets and snacks, remember: Those very rich folks are not helping preserve anything.

It appears they only take your money and your history.

Want to help now, Hollywood?

 

Darryl Manzer grew up in the Pico Canyon oil town of Mentryville in the 1960s and attended Hart High School. After a career in the U.S. Navy he returned to live in the Santa Clarita Valley. He can be reached at dmanzer@scvhistory.com. His older commentaries are archived at DManzer.com; his newer commentaries can be accessed [here]. Watch his walking tour of Mentryville [here].

 

 

photo-62-copy-4 photo-62-copy-3 photo-3-copy photo-2-copy-10 photo-2-copy-8

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18 Comments

  1. Cathy says:

    sad sad sad

  2. Susie Evans says:

    It is disrespectful of HOLLYWOOD yo destroy our history for money. Shame on the studios!!!!

  3. Finally, an articulate article from Darryl — and he is so right in this one!!

  4. Loren Elmore Loren Elmore says:

    Hollywood? Looks more like a job for a lath and plaster guy!

  5. Marianne says:

    That is so sad … I remember touring Mentryville in the ’90’s and thinking there was so much potential for lovers of historical locations … ’tis a shame, ’tis a shame!

  6. Josh Logerot Josh Logerot says:

    Hollywood has the money!!! They should let the next shooting company use it with the conditions of restoring it when done.

  7. To achieve preservation and conservancy a non-profit like the Historical Society is the answer to saving any part of your article. Talking about it is a start. Doing something about it will preserve it for the future so it’s history can remain. Or, be a part of talking about the demise of it until a producer decides a controled fire of this community is a great shot for his/her film. It could happen, then become out of control and burn down to right were we live in Newhall. Possibilities are available but a leader like yourself can make it happen.

  8. Danny Davey Danny Davey says:

    Production companies pay a lot of money to use locations like this. So where is that money going? Obviously not to renovations and obviously into someone’s pocket. So why are we blaming Hollywood for someones filthy greed? Barking up the wrong tree as usual Darryl. Oh and if you know anything about the industry than you know about how the production company pays for any damages or losses that happen during a shoot, everything is insured and replaced if broken.

    • Duane Harte Duane Harte says:

      Danny, I don’t believe that Darryl was complaining so much about the film industry damaging the Mentryville Cottage so much as the money they pay for using the property not being able to be spent on restoration. I believe he is asking the various production companies that have used, or will use, the property, to help us restore the historic buildings for future generations to use.

    • Danny Davey Danny Davey says:

      A major television show filmed there for a long period of time. During the filming, a very large amount of money was paid to use the facility. So, why were no renovations made with the profits? Why is it the responsibility of a production company to pay more money to the owner to to have it renovated? I can guarantee that one of the main reasons the buildings are still standing is because of the productions paying to keep it up. If any production company damaged anything on the property it is covered by huge insurance policies, everything is covered, fixed or replaced. Understanding that Darryl grew up there and has a personal attachment to the place, but this commentary is just inaccurate and wasting time pointing fingers in the wrong direction.

    • Danny Davey Danny Davey says:

      And how is it plausible to say a cottage that is over a hundred years old is falling apart due to film crews using the cottage in the past couple years? Oh, and if a production company does help, they will want to buy it, fix it up and close it off to the public.

  9. Hardin Rich says:

    Yes, Danny Davey you are very correct in what you wrote.

  10. C. Harris says:

    These Historical Landmarks should NOT be in the hands of Santa Monica Mountains Conv. as they HAVE NO intent to maintain or restore the building for PUBLIC use. Yes where is all the money that was paid for the use of the buildings by movie companies? The City of Santa Clarita who should have had these building in the first place, should demand a “Public Request” for the accounting of the monies. They have not stepped up on their duties at the Pioneer Oil Refinery however. Asking the SCV Historical Society to take on more with their very limited budget may not be the answer either. The only International, state, and local group that has had success in preservation and restoration is “The Questers” An example of their excellent work can currently be seen around CAlifornia including over at “Quester Court” in the William S. Hart Museum complex in Ole Newhall. They are currently working on the Pardee House to complete it for PUBLIC view and use. Wish JoAnn Darcy was still with Mike to take back Mentryville for US> No she would just say “I told you so”.
    p.s. Please do NOT show these pictures to Carol Lagasse

  11. T. Jones says:

    The Santa Monica M.R.C. is going to sell off the Mentryville Village site to the developers next door. So why would they spend money on fixing up the site?

    • C. Harris says:

      T. Jones How do you know that the Santa Monica M.R.C. plans to sell off Mentryville? Who is the developer next door?

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