California Museums

William S. Hart Museum & Ranch

24151 Newhall Avenue
Newhall, CA 91321
hartmuseum.org
(661) 254-4584

As a gift to the public William S. Hart specified Hart Park and Museum are always free admission.
Free 30-minute guided tours start on the hour and half hour. Wait outside the front door of the Mansion until the next tour begins, during operating hours.

William S. Hart Park and Museum was owned by silent film era Western movies actor and director William S. Hart (December 6, 1864 – June 23, 1946). William S. Hart, also known as "Two Gun Bill," was the first cowboy movie star during the silent film era. He made almost 70 silent movies from 1914 to 1925 and donated his 265-acre ranch for the public to enjoy.

Fascinated by the Old West, he acquired Billy the Kid's "six shooters" and was a friend of legendary lawmen Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson. His shorts and films were known for their authentic costumes and recreations. He also may have been one of the first of a genre to create a brand for his trusty horse, a brown & white pinto called Fritz.

He never actually retired but did leave the movie industry for life on his ranch where he wrote quite a few books:

• Pinto Ben and Other Stories, 1919
• Injun and Whitey, 1920
• Injun and Whitey Strike Out For Themselves, 1921
• Injun and Whitey To the Rescue, 1922
• Told Under a White Oak Tree, 1922,
• A Lighter of Flames, 1923
• The Order of Chanta Sutas, 1925
• My Life East and West, 1929
• Hoofbeats, 1933
• Law On Horseback and Other Stories, 1935
• And All Points West, 1940

His immaculate Spanish Colonial Revival Style Mansion exhibits an impressive collection of Western artwork by famed artists: Charles M. Russell, Frederic Remington, and Joe de Yong.

Mementos from the early days of film in Hollywood represent many Native American cultures, as well as Hart's personal furnishings.

The Museum includes a 1910 Ranch House with Hart's tack and saddle collection.

Located in scenic William S. Hart Park, the Mansion and the Ranch House are in a scenic setting with farm animals, a herd of American bison, picnic area, hiking trails, and a charming Western-themed Gift Store.