The fire has claimed lives, homes, and forced scores of evacuations. The loss of a western town set is nowhere near the top of the list of tragedies or even inconveniences of this disaster. 

Paramount Ranch - Westworld

Westworld is the most recent high profile project to utilize the Paramount Ranch western town location. But the list of all projects shot there is long. Consider that some of the earliest projects on this list are W.C. Fields movies from the 1920's. 

Paramount Ranch - WC Fields

There aren't many monuments or old things in Los Angeles. We do tend to be a "what have you done for me lately" kind of city.

Paramount Ranch was one of those funny little exceptions. A near 100-year career is rare, especially in this town. 

In the 1920's the land was purchased by Paramount to use as an outdoor location. The area has changed hands much since then, but continued to be used frequently for much the same purpose. 

It was also used in Dr Quinn: Medicine Woman.

Paramount Ranch - Dr Quinn

The National Park Service purchased and refurbished the land in 1980, and it has been available to the public since then which gave the location with a rich history another rare distinction; people could just come to visit and picnic there. Unless of course it was being used to film something. 

The devastation of these fires has been vast and swift. Among the many things lost though, was an old, reliable, and unique piece of movie history. 

For more updates on the Woolsey Fire, you can follow the Los Angeles County Fire Department on Twitter. Here is a list of places you can donate time and resources to help with the catastrophe. 

 

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