Will Rogers State Historic Park - California
Will Rogers State Historic Park is the former estate of American humorist Will Rogers. It lies in the Santa Monica mountains in Los Angeles, in the Pacific Palisades area.
https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=626
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Rogers_State_Historic_Park
Will Rogers State Historic Park is the former estate of American humorist Will Rogers. It lies in the Santa Monica mountains in Los Angeles, in the Pacific Palisades area.
Our Mission
Will Rogers
State Historic Park
The mission of California State Parks is
to provide for the health, inspiration and
education of the people of California by helping
to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological
diversity, protecting its most valued natural and
cultural resources, and creating opportunities
for high-quality outdoor recreation.
If you want to be
“
successful, it’s just this
simple. Know what you
are doing. Love what you
are doing. And believe in
California State Parks supports equal access.
Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who
need assistance should contact the park
at (310) 454-8212. This publication can be
made available in alternate formats. Contact
interp@parks.ca.gov or call (916) 654-2249.
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS
P.O. Box 942896
Sacramento, CA 94296-0001
For information call: (800) 777-0369
(916) 653-6995, outside the U.S.
711, TTY relay service
www.parks.ca.gov
Discover the many states of California.™
Will Rogers State Historic Park
1501 Will Rogers State Park Road
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
(310) 454-8212
Cover photo courtesy of Larry Underhill
© 2001 California State Parks (Rev. 2011)
what you are doing.”
– Will Rogers
W
ill Rogers State Historic Park honors
one of America’s most-quoted, best-loved
humorists. A sought-after source of wisdom,
honesty and common sense, Will Rogers
holds a place in the public memory more
than three-quarters of a century after his
tragic death in 1935.
Here in the central Santa Monica
Mountains, peaceful views of Los Angeles
and the Pacific Ocean combine with the
practical experiences of a working ranch to
bring to life an American icon who “never
met a man [he] didn’t like.”
In 1944, Will’s widow, Betty Rogers,
deeded this 186-acre ranch to the State
of California to be enjoyed as a public
memorial to her late husband.
most of present-day
Los Angeles, from the
San Gabriel mountains
to the Pacific Ocean.
Abundant coastal
resources enabled
both Chumash and
Gabrieleno/Tongva
people to live relatively
peaceful, healthy lives
until the 1800s brought
Spanish colonization.
From 1827 until the
early 20th century,
this area belonged to
The family with Sealyham dog Jock and Brahma calf Sarah, 1929
the vast Rancho Boca
de Santa Monica. The
founder of Bel Air Estates (named after Mr.
Mexican government granted Antonio
PARK HISTORY
Bell and later renamed Bel-Air).
Ignacio and Francisco Javier Alvarado
Before European settlement, the land
Due to its very steep and rugged canyon
grazing rights to the land; later the land
comprising the Will Rogers Ranch sat
terrain, the area that is now Will Rogers State
itself was granted to Ysidro Reyes and
along the territorial frontier separating
Historic Park remained almost untouched until
Francisco Marquez.
the Chumash and
1922. That year, while Rogers and his family
Part of the acreage
Gabrieleno/Tongva
were still living in Beverly Hills, Alphonzo Bell
“My ancestors didn’t come over on the eventually came into the
native groups. The
sold Will the first 200 acres of the land that
possession of philanthropist,
Mayflower, but they met the boat.”
Gabrieleno/Tongva
would become his beloved family ranch.
oilman and real estate
Will
Rogers
region covered
developer Alphonzo Bell,
Ranch site, ca. 1927
Photo by Larry Underhill
Photo by Larry Underhill
THE RANCH
the family
For years Will had
Will and Betty had four children. Three
longed for a quiet
of them—Bill, Mary and Jim—made
retreat— a place
appearances in some of Will’s films. Bill later
where his family could
owned and published a local newspaper, the
Beverly Hills Citizen. In 1943, Bill resigned
live more simply, and
during his first term in Congress and
where he would have
reenlisted in the
plenty
U.S. Army to fight
of room
“Outside of traffic, there is nothing
under General
for his
that has held this country back as
George Patton in
treasured
much as committees.”
World War II.
horses.
Will
Rogers
Will and Betty’s
In what is
only daughter,
now Pacific
Mary, worked as an actress until Will’s death
Palisades, he saw his
in 1935. Jim Rogers eventually joined his
dream come true. The home he built there
brother Bill at the Citizen. Jim also owned
reflects his roots: first and foremost, Will
several ranches to the north of Los Angeles.
Rogers was a cowboy who loved horses.
To create the steep switchback roads
leading up to the canyon mesa, Will used
mule-drawn grading equipment, now on
display in the historic hay barn. At the top
he built a six-room “getaway” cabin and a
barn to keep his horses.
In 1930, Will moved his family from
Beverly Hills to the house and the
landscaped grounds he had helped design.
By 1935 a series of additions had
expanded the cabin to a sprawling
home with 31 rooms, 11 baths and seven
fireplaces. On the grounds, 13 outbuildings
stand among the rolling lawns, pastures,
riding arenas and a large, well-used
polo field.
In 1971 the Rogers family’s enlarged ranch
house received a listing on the National
Register of Hist