Murphy Ranch
This article's factual accuracy is disputed. (October 2015) |
The Murphy Ranch is a ranch built in Rustic Canyon, Los Angeles in the 1930s by Winona and Norman Stephens,[1][2] who were sympathizers of the Silver Legion of America.[3] The owner of record in 1933 was Jessie M. Murphy.[2] Designed as a base for Nazi activities in the U.S.,[4] it was intended to be capable of being self-sustaining for long periods. The compound had a water storage tank, a fuel tank, a bomb shelter, and various outbuildings and bunkers. The estate's main gate was designed by Paul Williams, a well-known African-American architect in the Southern California area.
On Monday, December 8, 1941, the day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, local police occupied the compound and detained members of the 50-strong caretaker force.[5]
As of 1990, it was abandoned and in a state of disrepair, and covered in graffiti.[2] The site is currently owned by the city of Los Angeles. As of 2015, the ranch buildings were still standing, despite repeated proposals for their demolition.[6]
Murphy Ranch in Popular Culture
The ruins of Murphy Ranch are featured in the Sandman Slim novel Killing Pretty.
References
- ^ Anna Almendrala (2012-03-19). "Hitler Bunker In Los Angeles: Murphy Ranch Reveals An Alternate Universe". Huffington Post.
- ^ a b c John Rivera (November 18, 1990). "Nazi Sympathizers' L.A. Utopia Is Now a Ruin". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Ella Morton (February 27, 2014). "Murphy Ranch, the Abandoned Nazi Compound in the Hills of L.A." Slate.
- ^ "Rustic Canyon's Murphy Ranch". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2014-03-01.
- ^ "Heil Hollywood: The Los Angeles bunker from which Hitler planned to run Nazi empire after the war". Daily Mail.
- ^ Jeff Hester (February 26, 2014). "Murphy Ranch – The Nazi Compound in Rustic Canyon".
External links
- Photographic tour of the Murphy Ranch by Josh McNair
- What Really Happened at Rustic Canyon's Rumored Nazi Ranch?
- A description of the hiking route to Murphy Ranch and additional history by Casey Schreiner
34°04′19″N 118°30′47″W / 34.072°N 118.513°W