Down the Rabbit Trail to the Ponderosa
I'm supposed to be organizing and decluttering, but I found an old postcard of the Ponderosa Ranch, and that set me off on a rabbit trail...
Because inquiring minds want to know!
I picked up this postcard during my visit to Ponderosa Ranch years ago. For those of you who are younger, the TV series "Bonanza" was extremely popular in its time. I'm not sure how popular it was in other parts of the country, but here it was a top show. My parents owned a duplex in the Lake Tahoe area, and the towns and places mentioned on the show were familiar to us. This connection sparked our imagination and deepened our affection for the history of mining in California and Nevada.
The Ponderosa Ranch, established in 1964, featured a theme park based on the Cartwright family from the TV western. It operated in Incline Village, Nevada, near Lake Tahoe, from 1968 until 2004. Parts of the last five seasons of the series and three TV films were filmed there.
In 2004, fans of the classic TV western “Bonanza” were disheartened when software entrepreneur David Duffield acquired the Ponderosa theme park near Lake Tahoe and closed it indefinitely. The ranch was purchased for around $55 million.
By 2020, parcels of land had been sold off, and the house was sold for $38 million. That year, the Nevada Commission on Tourism approved a VIP grant to create a new Ponderosa Ranch exhibit near Elko, but it won't be the same.
David Duffield's decision to purchase the theme park raises questions, particularly since he made no significant changes to the property other than selling off the land. The park was already generating profit, and his selfish actions ended the legacy of the Bonanza brand.
Oh, how I long to visit the Ponderosa once more. My husband never had the chance to experience it.
The Ponderosa Barn
I looked for it on Google Maps - This isn’t it! It’s really gone! 😢 or is it??? See video.
April 2025
The last remnant of the Ponderosa Ranch and Bonanza
Okay I better start working on dinner.
Debby
Have you ever been to the Ponderosa Ranch as a child?
What did you think of it?
Were you a fan of Bonanza?
Who was your favorite Cartwright?
Have you ever been distracted when you’re deep in declutterring mode?
I've not ever been to the Ponderosa farm, but this post sure brings back a lot of sweet memories for me. My dad loved this show and our family watched it every week. I was always so impressed with the big log cabin home. Thank you Debby for posting this information about this beautiful spot that I remember watching on TV
ReplyDeleteI grew up on Westerns and old war movies. I was a daddy’s girl.
DeleteWe loved Bonanza! I didn't know about the farm you could visit but that would have been fun. It's sad it was just sold and then parceled off. I loved Little Joe. :)
ReplyDeleteOnce Dan Blocker died the show was over. He just couldn’t be replaced.
DeleteWe watched Bonanza as a family faithfully every Sunday night. I always wondered why Adam (Pernell Roberts) left the show, but it still lived on without him. Such a shame that someone could just purchase something just to make a profit and not care about the history. Janice
ReplyDelete
DeleteI read this online :
Pernell Robert was dissatisfaction with the show's writing, direction, and the lack of opportunity to challenge his acting skills. He felt his talent was being underutilized and that he wasn't being taken seriously as a stage actor.
I shall have the Bonanza theme running through my head all day, now.
ReplyDeleteHaha I’ve been humming it as well 🎶🎶🎼
DeleteMy dad loved that show, which means we never missed an epsiode and with reruns I have seen them all at least 2 to 4 times each. I loved it then but not sure I would now, although I do love the watch Andy Griffith foolishness in Mayberry. I have tried watching a few of the old shows I loved and find them not as good as they were... I would love to see the ponderosa, I love all things Western
ReplyDeleteI have watched so many old westerns I can’t count. Westerns and War movies I watched with my dad.
DeleteMemories of Bonanza. Thanks Debby. This was very interesting. I had such a crush on Little Joe.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
All the girls did!
DeleteI've never been, but like Shug's family, Bonanza was the first 'appointment television' I recall. That was the first show I ever saw in color! When asked by a former Q-and-A, "What television family would you have most liked to belong?", no question it was the Cartwrights (lol). I probably liked the older son best.
ReplyDeleteI loved them all - they felt like family!
DeleteI do remember the show, Debby, although I rarely got to watch it as it came on "too late" on a Sunday evening when there was school the next day. I'm saddened to learn of its legacy being shut down like it was. My favorite Cartwright was Little Joe. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteLittle Joe was cute
DeleteThis is a very interesting story. It looks like such a beautiful place to visit. It's a shame that people couldn't visit it anymore. It was a very popular show although I never watched it.
ReplyDeleteIt was a Sunday evening staple at our house
DeleteOH, MY GOODNESS !!!
ReplyDeleteTalk about a trip down memory lane.
We always camped at Lake Tahoe when the boys were younger and our special thing to do was go on the Haywagon Breakfast. The boys loved playing cowboys and the food was always so yummy. I'm not sure if I have any photos of us there. Stuff like that gets buried. I do remember that the yellow jackets really loved those outdoor breakfasts too. I wasn't fond of sharing my pancakes with syrup with them.
We were so sad when the whole Ponderosa Ranch folded. Going there was a real highlight for all of us.
Sue
That sounds awesome, Sue. Glad it stirred up some good memories!
DeleteDebby, this takes me back. It’s amazing how something small like a postcard can open up a whole world of memories. Bonanza really was a big part of growing up for many of us, and it’s sad to see the ranch gone like that. Your husband would have loved it too, I’m sure. Thanks for sharing the trip down memory lane.
ReplyDeleteI’m surprised at its reach all over. Way more popular than I ever knew.
DeleteI have never seen the show Bonanza...but I certainly enjoyed your post. I have heard my husband speak often of this favorite show. Was apparently very popular!!
DeleteOh, we loved Bonanza. We faithfully watched it. I never got to see it and did not know the history of it. Shame it is gone. My favorite was Hos - is that spelled right? He looked just like my brother.
ReplyDeleteI was a fan of Bonanza and would have liked to visit the Ponderosa, it's shame it was sold
ReplyDeleteI'm from NJ and we loved the show but I've never been too the ranch. My favorite character was Hoss.
ReplyDeleteOh my! Yes I loved watching Bonanza every week, and I think Little Joe was my favorite, although Pernell Roberts was more handsome until he took off his hat w/o his hairpiece. LOL. I remember watching Bonanza at my Aunt and Uncle's home in Crafton, PA., for the very first time on a color TV! (We were visiting them while on vacation). We didn't have a color tv at our house for a long time, so to see it in color was really a treat!! I never knew about the Ponderosa ranch/farm that you could visit. What a shame that it was sold off. I remember the Bonanza and Ponderosa steak houses that spawned from that program. They are all gone now too. It really was a great show for our era. Now, to answer your question about becoming distracted by things while supposed to be sorting/decluttering, etc., oh, yes! That's why I rarely get much done. I start looking at things and reading things and get bogged down by them and there goes my time...but it is fun to walk down memory lane now and then. Thank you for reminding us of these memories today.
ReplyDeleteMy parents weren't big on Westerns, so Bonanza was never on the TV at our house. Ponderosa Ranch sounds like it would have been a nice place to visit.
ReplyDeleteSunday nights were always The Wonderful World of Disney, Bonanza then off to bed.
ReplyDeleteWe were staying at the cabin in South Lake Tahoe one summer and my folks, one of my brothers, sister in law and nephew who was probably 7 or 8 at the time all went to the Bonanza park one time. My nephew was really into gold panning at the time and they had a set up for the kids to pan at. I remember my dad asking the guy running it if he had ever had a kid stay and work at it as long as my nephew did. I think he spent about an hour at it. I was sad to see when it closed but glad I got to see it. I remember noticing that they had a little grave yard with their headstones all there including Hop Sing the cook.
As soon as you mentioned Bonanza the theme song popped into my head. I used to watch it with my dad when he had it on the television. I never realized the history behind it. I love that you post a lot about historical things in your area and nearby. I've never been anywhere in the west.
ReplyDeleteHi, I never watched it. We did not have TV as a kid.
ReplyDeleteI do love the look of it.
Have a blessed weekend,
Carla
Hello Debby. You can add me to the list of Bonanza fans. I always loved that show. Once in a great moon, one can find a re-run. That would be so cool to take a tour of the Ponderosa! Thanks for your visits and comments on Writing Straight from the Heart. I hope you have a really great weekend. Susan
ReplyDeleteOh, I would love to visit Bonanza's Ponderosa Ranch.....especially if Michael Landon was there working on the ranch hehehe.
ReplyDelete~Sheri