Barker Ranch
Encyclopedia
Barker Ranch is infamous as the last hideout of Charles Manson
and his "family" after the gruesome Los Angeles murder spree. It is located inside Death Valley National Park
35°51′34.36"N 117°5′17.41"W
in eastern California
.
The Inyo County sheriff department, California Highway Patrol
, and National Park Service law enforcement captured the group in raids on October 10 and October 12, 1969. Manson was caught hiding under the bathroom vanity. At the time of his arrest they were unaware of the magnitude of their find. They wanted to prosecute the persons responsible for vandalism within Death Valley National Monument (the unit was upgraded to National Park status and expanded in 1994) further north, unaware that they had a mass murder suspect and his followers.
Barker Ranch is located in a rock and boulder filled valley in the Panamint Range
. It is only accessible by sandy, primitive and rugged roads. Streams feed this little valley and provide much vegetation. There is a small one room guest house located to the side of the main house. There is also a makeshift swimming pool (this was probably a cistern
to store water from the spring) made from cement and rock boulders towards the back of the property.
Today the remnants of the ranch belong to National Park Service
. Due to a fire in May 2009, most of the structure has been destroyed with only the cement and rock portion of the cabin still standing. The bathroom vanity where Manson hid is gone.
Barker Ranch was built by "recreational ranchers" who moved to the desert to enjoy the solitude and simplicity of living far from civilization.
Butch and Helen Thomason moved to the area in the 1930's to try their hand at gold mining. Around 1940 they constructed a small cabin and out building, with electricity provided by a windmill and generator, and drinking water from a nearby spring.
In 1955 the ranch was sold to Jim and Arlene Barker, who moved to the desert from Oklahoma. To accommodate their family gatherings, the Barkers enlarged the house and constructed more out buildings.
at their Barker Ranch hideout, sorting through evidence left behind by detectives, for the making of the Oscar-nominated documentary "Manson."
In early 2008, after decades of persistent rumors of additional Manson family murder victims, forensic investigators performed testing at the ranch for possible buried human remains. Using state of the art technology not available 40 years ago, investigators located several sites consistent with possible clandestine graves. In May 2008, investigators conducted a “dig” at the sites; however, further searching by authorities was called off due to finding no evidence or victim remains during the search.
Charles Manson
Charles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...
and his "family" after the gruesome Los Angeles murder spree. It is located inside Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park is a national park in the U.S. states of California and Nevada located east of the Sierra Nevada in the arid Great Basin of the United States. The park protects the northwest corner of the Mojave Desert and contains a diverse desert environment of salt-flats, sand dunes,...
35°51′34.36"N 117°5′17.41"W
in eastern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
The Inyo County sheriff department, California Highway Patrol
California Highway Patrol
The California Highway Patrol is a law enforcement agency of the U.S. state of California. The CHP has patrol jurisdiction over all California highways and also acts as the state police....
, and National Park Service law enforcement captured the group in raids on October 10 and October 12, 1969. Manson was caught hiding under the bathroom vanity. At the time of his arrest they were unaware of the magnitude of their find. They wanted to prosecute the persons responsible for vandalism within Death Valley National Monument (the unit was upgraded to National Park status and expanded in 1994) further north, unaware that they had a mass murder suspect and his followers.
Barker Ranch is located in a rock and boulder filled valley in the Panamint Range
Panamint Range
The Panamint Range is a short rugged fault-block mountain range on the northern edge of the Mojave Desert, in Death Valley National Park, Inyo County, California, United States.-Geography:...
. It is only accessible by sandy, primitive and rugged roads. Streams feed this little valley and provide much vegetation. There is a small one room guest house located to the side of the main house. There is also a makeshift swimming pool (this was probably a cistern
Cistern
A cistern is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Cisterns are often built to catch and store rainwater. Cisterns are distinguished from wells by their waterproof linings...
to store water from the spring) made from cement and rock boulders towards the back of the property.
Today the remnants of the ranch belong to National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
. Due to a fire in May 2009, most of the structure has been destroyed with only the cement and rock portion of the cabin still standing. The bathroom vanity where Manson hid is gone.
Barker Ranch was built by "recreational ranchers" who moved to the desert to enjoy the solitude and simplicity of living far from civilization.
Butch and Helen Thomason moved to the area in the 1930's to try their hand at gold mining. Around 1940 they constructed a small cabin and out building, with electricity provided by a windmill and generator, and drinking water from a nearby spring.
In 1955 the ranch was sold to Jim and Arlene Barker, who moved to the desert from Oklahoma. To accommodate their family gatherings, the Barkers enlarged the house and constructed more out buildings.
Subsequent Events
In early 1970, members of the Manson Family were filmed by Robert HendricksonRobert Hendrickson (director)
Robert Hendrickson is the co-director of the Oscar nominated documentary Manson about the "Manson Family" which he directed together with partner Laurence Merrick.-External links:* * at the Internet Movie Database...
at their Barker Ranch hideout, sorting through evidence left behind by detectives, for the making of the Oscar-nominated documentary "Manson."
In early 2008, after decades of persistent rumors of additional Manson family murder victims, forensic investigators performed testing at the ranch for possible buried human remains. Using state of the art technology not available 40 years ago, investigators located several sites consistent with possible clandestine graves. In May 2008, investigators conducted a “dig” at the sites; however, further searching by authorities was called off due to finding no evidence or victim remains during the search.