Today in SCV History June 21, 1941, what would later become one of Santa Clarita’s most iconic movie ranches officially became known as Placeritos Ranch.

The 110-acre ranch in Placerita Canyon was owned by movie set builder Ernest “Ernie” Hickson, who bought out his business partner, producer Trem Carr, and renamed the property after years of operating it as Monogram Ranch.

Hickson came west from Ohio in 1922 while working with a traveling theater troupe and soon found success building sets for the growing film industry. By 1930, he was constructing Western towns in Placerita Canyon for Carr, co-founder of Monogram Studios. The original sets stood east of present-day State Route 14 near what is now Disney’s Golden Oak Ranch before being relocated in 1936 to the site known today as Melody Ranch.

Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Placeritos Ranch became a bustling backdrop for dozens of low-budget Western films each year. When cameras weren’t rolling, Hickson welcomed visitors to the ranch on Sundays, giving the public a chance to experience the Old West firsthand.

In his later years, Hickson transformed the ranch into the fictional frontier town of “Slippery Gulch” for elaborate Fourth of July celebrations that drew residents from across the Newhall area between 1949 and 1951.

Hickson died in 1952, and the ranch was later purchased by singing cowboy Gene Autry, who renamed it Melody Ranch.

To read yesterday’s SCV History, click HERE.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.