In 1977, Rich Man, Poor Man star Peter Strauss paid about $225,000 for a run-down 64-acre California ranch; 10 years later, it became a National Park Service site

Most TV stars buy a house and close the gates. Peter Strauss went on a different path. According to a National Park Service brochure, the actor bought a 64-acre parcel in the Santa Monica Mountains in early 1977 at a tax auction for about $225,000. He lived there until 1983, then sold it to a state conservancy. In 1987, the National Park Service bought it.

A TV hit and a ranch with a long past

Strauss became a star in 1976, starring as Rudy Jordache in ABC's miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man. He first saw the ranch property while filming that show at Malibu Lake. Many actors film in one place and then head home. Strauss, instead, bought the ranch property in Agoura Hills, California. But it wasn't a blank slate. For thousands of years, the Chumash lived in the area. After Spanish colonization, it became part of Rancho Las Virgenes. Over the following centuries, the land passed through many hands.


In the 1920s, the land was a weekend retreat for Harry Miller. He was an engineer whose Miller-built race cars won the Indianapolis 500 nine times. He built a stone ranch house, a lookout tower, and an aviary (a big cage for birds). In the mid-1930s, Warren Shobert and Arthur Edeson acquired the ranch and turned it into a whimsical resort named Shoson. Later, the place was known as Lake Enchanto. Its large swimming pool could hold 650,000 gallons of water and accommodate 3,000 people.

From private home to public park

Strauss restored the place to a more natural state, where he lived until 1983. That year he sold it to a state agency, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. In 1987, the ranch was acquired by the National Park Service. The ranch is part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, which was formed in 1978. According to a 2022 National Park Service press release, it is among the largest urban national park areas in the United States. The park spreads over more than 150,000 acres of mountains and coastal areas of Ventura and Los Angeles counties. It is one of five Mediterranean ecosystems in the world and is home to more than 450 animal species and 26 plant communities. Now open to the public, the ranch is billed as a "peaceful refuge." It invites visitors to hike, picnic, or catch a concert at the outdoor amphitheater.

Why we need green space

Most millennials and young adults spend most of their days indoors. This ranch provides an opportunity to get outdoors and spend some quality time in nature. For a long time, researchers have wondered how much time in nature is enough. A 2019 study by Matthew P. White in Scientific Reports gives us an idea. In the study, White used the Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment national survey. It included 19,806 people in England. He compared people who spent 120 minutes or more in nature during the week to those who spent no time there. People with 120 to 179 minutes had 59% higher odds of reporting good health. The odds of reporting high well-being were 23% higher. The link peaked at 200 to 300 minutes a week, with no further gain beyond that point.

However, two caveats are worth noting. The study shows correlation, not causation, because perhaps healthier people just get outside more. Also, the time did not have to come in one long visit. Several shorter visits appeared to work about as well, so multiple brief outings could add up. The survey covered people in England, so the exact numbers may not carry over to a California mountain setting, but it offers a useful benchmark.

A reminder that parks need care

The ranch also shows how fragile places can be. The site was heavily damaged by the Woolsey Fire in November 2018, and the historic ranch house was lost, though the stone amphitheater survived and concerts have resumed. Across the Santa Monica Mountains, the fire damaged 112 miles of trails and 88 percent of federal parkland. The ranch grounds reopened to the public June 6, 2022, after the Park Service removed hazardous materials from the soil. Protected land is not immune to change and requires ongoing care.

Strauss's story, in the end, is about what happens when a private space becomes a public space. Most of us can't buy land this big. But we can visit it, support it, and take care of it. Maybe your next free weekend can start on a trail.