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Spahn Ranch was a western-style movie and televison set constructed on a 500-acre (2-km²) ranch at 1200 Santa Susana Pass Road, Chatsworth, California in the Santa Susana Mountains. It's best known as the place where serial killer Charles Manson and his murderous hippie cult he called The "Family" lived while carrying out the Tate-LaBianca murders in August of 1969.
The ranch took its name from dairy farmer George Spahn, who purchased the property in 1948. Silent film actor William S. Hart was the ranch's was first owner.
Spahn was 80 years old and living at the ranch when he allowed Manson and his group to move in, rent free, in exchange for housework and sex from the group's women, all of whom were under 25. Despite this arrangement, Spahn was never accused of having any role in the murders.
In late 1969, Robert Hendrickson began filming the Manson Family at the ranch for his documentary film Manson. There he filmed Spahn, Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, Bruce Clayton Elliott, Nancy Pittman, Catherine "Gypsy" Share, Sandra Good, Paul Watkins and others.
Previous to being the home of the Manson Family, the ranch served as the set for many western-themed movies and television shows, including Duel in the Sun and episodes of Bonanza and The Lone Ranger.
A wildfire destroyed all the ranch's structures in November, 1970 and Spahn died on September 22, 1974. He is buried in Eternal Valley Memorial Park in Newhall, California.
The state of California now owns the property.
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