Neverland Ranch (1981)
Location: 5225 Figueroa Mountain Road, Los Olivos, CA 93441
Between 1988 and 2005, pop star Michael Jackson transformed a 2,676 acre property in Santa Barbara County, California into a Disneyesque fantasyland. The Tudor style house and land, formerly called Sycamore Valley Ranch, had been owned by a golf course entrepreneur. When Michael Jackson arrived, he added mock-Victorian buildings and attractions that evoked a sense of play.
Michael Jackson built a Victorian train Station for his guests. Visitors could travel through the property on a real steam train. He named his home after Neverland, the imaginary land from the children’s story, Peter Pan.
Neverland was not only Michael Jackson’s home, but also a private amusement park. Visitors to Neverland found many attractions, including a floral clock, a zoo, two railroads, a roller coaster, a Ferris wheel, a carousel, and bumper cars
A “ranch” usually has rugged, utilitarian architecture, but during his time at Neverland, Michael Jackson added an odd mix of fanciful details. He often hosted groups of children at Neverland, and his activities roused suspicion and charges of sexual misconduct with minors.
Michael Jackson left Neverland in 2005 after a series of police searches. Jackson said the searches violated the beauty and innocence of Neverland. He dismantled the carousel and Ferris wheel and dismissed most of the Neverland staff.
