Large oaks shade a California ranch where visitors gather for outdoor music performances. Peter Strauss Ranch is now part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, but its history spans several generations and uses. It began as a private retreat, developed into a recreational destination, and later returned to residential use before becoming public property.
Actor Peter Strauss purchased the 78-acre ranch in 1976 and owned it until 1983, repairing buildings and restoring the surrounding grounds. The National Park Service’s 2006 report documents his work and the property’s historical features. The report identifies two significant periods in the property’s history: 1923 to 1933, when automotive engineer Harry Miller maintained a retreat there, and 1939 to 1955, when Lake Enchanto operated as a recreational destination. The National Park Service’s 2018 news release describes how visitors came from Los Angeles and other areas to picnic, swim, watch plays, explore Fairytale Land, listen to music, and dance.
After Miller lost the property, its purpose changed. Strauss repaired the main house and radio house, cleared debris, and removed several auxiliary structures. He also restored the lawn and planted ornamental trees and shrubs. In the late 1930s, the grounds began developing into Lake Enchanto, an amusement park and recreational destination that attracted visitors during the 1940s and 1950s.
The resort grounds also retained physical evidence of their recreational history. The cultural landscape inventory by John Hammond and Timothy Babalis describes a large concrete swimming pool with a central platform, a terrazzo dance floor, stone retaining walls, and stone stairs. These features document the property’s transition from a private retreat to a destination for public entertainment. The ranch’s public use has included concerts beneath its mature oak trees. That year’s program also included artist walks and outdoor art and sound installations.
The National Park Service’s 2018 news release highlighted the Tiny Porch Concerts series, which featured folk, rock, gospel, and country musicians. The announcement documents the site’s cultural programming in 2018, rather than confirming a current event schedule.
Developers retained several earlier buildings and continued using rustic stone-and-mortar construction in parts of the recreation park.
