|
Skywalker Ranch, Marin County, California
Skywalker Ranch is the name of the well-disguised residence of film director and producer George Lucas in secluded but open country near Nicasio, California. Curiously it is located just off Lucas Valley Road; there is no known relation between Lucas and the road's name. The Ranch and production facilities are not open to the public. Die-hard fans present occasional problems to perimeter security. When President Ronald Reagan requested a tour of Skywalker Ranch, shortly after Lucasfilm lost a court battle to have the US government refrain from calling the Strategic Defense Initiative, "Star Wars," a visit just couldn't be arranged.
Assembled parcel by parcel, Skywalker Ranch consisted of over 4,700 acres (19 km²) and has cost Lucas up to 100 million dollars, according to a Wall Street Journal feature. Over the objections of neighboring ranchers, that Skywalker Ranch was polluting the environment, Lucasfilm has acquired four neighboring ranches adding more than 3,000 acres (12 km²) to the Skywalker Ranch, all but 15 acres (60,000 m²) remaining undeveloped open land.
The Ranch not only contains a rambling redwood house for George Lucas and his family, in the manner of a ranch or winery with parking concealed underground not to clutter the views, it housed Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) and Skywalker Sound, until they were relocated to 23 acres (93,000 m²) of the San Francisco Presidio in 2002. The main house has a large library under a stained-glass dome.
A majority of the props used in the Star Wars movies are housed at the ranch as well.
|
