Providencia Ranch



Providencia Ranch, part of 'Providencia Land and Water Development Company' property, was a piece of land in California, USA that was used as a filming location for some early motion pictures; most notably for battle scenes in the silent classic about the American Civil War, The Birth of a Nation (1915). The Valley was also the site for two Universal Studios west coast operations in 1914.

Early Universal Ranch (1912-1913)
Universal Film Manufacturing Company took over the west coast assets of Nestor Studios. This included a studio in Hollywood and ranch land in the San Fernando Valley. The Nestor Ranch was located on 'Providencia Land and Water Development Company' property east of the river, just below Cahuenga Peak.

Makeshift stages were set up on the 'Oak Crest Ranch' property and the production of western films began at the former 'Nestor Ranch' site in 1912. On December 6, 1912, an informal studio opening was held at the Oak Crest property The public was invited to tour the 'Oak Crest Ranch' and watch a Bison Pictures cowboys and Indians battle.

After the official opening of the new Lankershim Universal City site in 1915, the Providencia ranch (Oak Crest) property would become known as the "Universal Ranch".

Universal City (1913 - 1914)
Carl Laemmle, founder of Universal, saw the Oak Crest site as too small to consolidate all the west coast operations. He ordered the purchase of larger property from the Lankershim Land, Water Development Co. The Lankershim site contained several tracts of land, including Taylor Ranch.

Consolidation began in 1914, with the relocation of several small buildings from the Sunset Gower Studios (former Blondeau Tavern) studio and Oak Crest Ranch property. The three sections of the Lankershim property were referred to as the Universal Back Ranch and contained a zoo, cafe, horse corral and stage 2.

The Taylor ranch bordering on Lankershim Blvd. was divided by a stream. It contained the studio front lot and the backlot on the east side of the stream. The photographs of the Providencia Ranch land can be seen in the a "A Birds Eye View of Universal City".

The alternate names of this filming site include Providencia flats; Nestor Ranch; Oak Ranch; Oak Crest Ranch; Universal Ranch/Universal City [Providencia site vs Lankershim site]; 1916 Lasky Ranch; and Paramount Ranch (until Nov. 1927). Today this area is Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills).

Birth of a Nation (1915)
The Providencia Land and Water Development Company property was used for the battle scenes in Birth of a Nation. Billy Bitzer illustrates the location of the battle scenes by his hand drawn map.

Lasky Ranch (1918)
The Famous Players - Lasky Corporation have secured the "old Universal Ranch", a 1,000 acre tract within five minutes of Hollywood at a cost said to be $1,000,000. The site will be used for permanent sets and the first Picture will be a revival of "The Squaw Man", which Ceil B. Demile is to direct. [ The Squaw Man II, Presented by Jesse L. Lasky for Artcraft Pictures Corp., released by Famous Players Lasky Corp. on the Paramount Program, Dec. 15, 1918.

Paramount Ranch
Paramount ranch: LA Times announced on November 20, 1927: “With one gesture a 1,000 acre ranch is being abandoned.”