Monday, October 03, 2022

Photos From the Road: A Summer Visit to Lone Pine, Part 2

Here are a few more photos from our summer visit to Lone Pine. Part 1 may be found here.

One of the interesting things we came across as we explored was this 1992 marker north of town titled "The Alabama Gates." (Click on this or any photo to enlarge it for a closer look.)


The marker commemorates water battles which took place at the Alabama Gates and gatehouse, which were built in 1913 as part of the Los Angeles Aqueduct system. The Owens Valley water wars with Los Angeles were the inspiration for the film CHINATOWN (1975).


This hill marked "LP" is seen driving down Whitney Portal Road just outside of Lone Pine, on the way to the Alabama Hills and Movie Road.


Stunning views seen on a morning hike in the Alabama Hills:



One can see why so many filmmakers chose to use this area as their canvas.






A panoramic shot:


A new shot of the "Hoppy Cabin" where many movies were filmed and where Bill and Grace Bradley Boyd lived when he was working in Lone Pine. The home is easy to recognize in movies due to the distinctive well in the yard. This is as close as visitors can get to the home, which as can be seen is still inhabited today.


One of many films in which this view of the Hoppy Cabin is visible, along with closeups of the well, is the Randolph Scott film THE NEVADAN (1950).  I've just revisited that excellent film as preparation for this year's Lone Pine Film Festival, where I'll be visiting other locations from that film.

Thanks to the kindness of a friend who let us tag along while he researched tours for this year's festival, we were fortunate to receive permission to visit Anchor Ranch on this visit.


As I wrote in my new Classic Movie Hub column on THE VIOLENT MEN (1955), Lone Pine's Anchor Ranch, located on Highway 395 south of Lone Pine, predates the Anchor Ranch of the movie; the film's Anchor Ranch was shot on Moffat Ranch Road a few miles away. The anchor hanging at the entrance to the "real" Anchor Ranch is a replica of the one used in the movie.

Below, a view at Anchor Ranch.



For my Classic Movie Hub Western RoundUp column: Another Look at Western Movie Locations! (includes more photos from our summer road trip visits to Keeler, California, along with locations around Moab, Utah); The Violent Men (1955).

2 Comments:

Blogger Walter S. said...

Laura, I really enjoy these wonderful photographs and write-ups of the Lone Pine Country. The "Hoppy Cabin" is still inhabited, isn't that something! That's a neat photo of the cabin nestled behind the large rocks.

THE NEVADAN(filmed 1949, released 1950) is an excellent Western Movie and I can see, in my mind's eye, Dorothy Malone, in Western garb, holding a rifle with the Alabama Hills in the background.

12:29 AM  
Blogger Laura said...

Walter, thank you so much for reading, and I'm so glad you've enjoyed these photos.

Believe it or not last week I had my photo taken in the exact place Dorothy was standing with the rifle. It's right down the road from the Hoppy Cabin! We spent considerable time searching out locations for THE NEVADAN which I intend to share in a future post.

Best wishes,
Laura

4:43 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home

Newer›  ‹Older