Former Home of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans
2008, More than four decades after Roy Rogers and Dale Evans moved away from the San Fernando Valley memories of their Double R Bar Ranch still live on in Chatsworth. In a 1987 Dusty Rogers said, "We moved from the Hollywood Hills to Encino in the San Fernando Valley, then to a ranch in Chatsworth. We always moved away from the encroaching population because Dad liked his privacy. He wanted his kids raised on a ranch, where they could have horses and pigs and chickens and cows."
1955, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans purchased a 138 acre rancho in Chatsworth for $120,000. Over time additional land was added, and eventually the ranch was estimated to be 300+ acres. The original rancho had a small house that had been built in 1938. Roy and Dale expanded the house to approximately 6000 square feet.
1951 to 1957, The Roy Rogers Show ran on NBC TV. The show featured the Double R Bar Ranch located near the fictional town of Mineral City. In reality it was the Chatsworth home ranch of Roy Rogers, "The King of the Cowboys" and Dale Evans, "The Queen of the West."
The Double R Bar Ranch was surrounded by Chatsworth's rocky hills, and having its stables at home made it the perfect location for The Roy Rogers Show.
Most of the earlier shows had been filmed on the Iverson Ranch and the Goldwyn Studios lot, but contemporary interviews with Roy in "Roy Rogers, King of the Cowboys" (1992) confirm the Double R Ranch in Chatsworth was featured in many later TV episodes. The Rogers' home address in 1955 was 9839 Andora Ave., Chatsworth.
1963, Roy announced plans to subdivide 138 acres of his Chatsworth Ranch. The property to be developed was bounded on the east by Andora Ave. and Cactus Ave.; on the south -- a line parallel with and 200 south of Plummer St. (extended) to the Los Angeles City boundary on the west; and on the north Lassen St. (extended) to the Los Angeles City boundary on the west. Roy and Dale kept their ranch house and a small acreage with a stable for Trigger (Van Nuys News, June 1963).
1964, Roy actually sold 131 acres to a subdivider for $1.3 million plus part of the gross. The first unit to be developed was 55 lots on 33 acres.
1965, after Roy and Dale lost a child in a bus accident on a church outing -- their third child to die -- the couple sold the remaining property, and moved to the high desert near Apple Valley, CA. It seemed that Chatsworth had too many sad memories for them.
1969, industrialist Eugene Kilmer acquired the former Rogers estate which included the 6,000 square-foot ranch house (6 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms), a guest house, tennis court, pool and spa on 3.5 acres of land along with an additional 100 undeveloped acres (Los Angeles Times, Dec 2, 1984)
1992, Kilmer's wife, Senga, was living in the house that had originally belonged to Roy and Dale (Los Angeles Business Journal, Jan 6, 1992).
1997, Roy and Dale last appeared in Chatsworth for the dedication of the Chatsworth Rail Station, singing "Happy Trails to You."
1998, New owner keeps Roy and Dale's sprawling pink ranch house at the top of Trigger Street pretty much original (Los Angeles Times, July 7, 1998).
A rock with a waterfall seen in several of Roy's films is in the backyard.
His and hers closets built in the master bedroom for the Rogers' large wardrobe of western outfits.
The recreation room fireplace has spurs, horse shoes, bridle bits and other equestrian artifacts embedded into the stone work.
A terrazzo tile floor still has the fading initials of Roy, Dale and six of their children.
2001, The old Rogers' home, presently located on 22832 W. Trigger Street, last sold August 9, 2001 for $1,650,000. (Los Angeles Planning Department - zimas)
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