The headquarters of the Manson Family

Barker Ranch is located in a rock- and boulder-filled valley in the Panamint Range inside Death Valley National Park. Originally constructed around 1940 by Bluch and Helen Thomason, the ranch began as a storage and shop facility to support mining activity. The property featured a small cabin and outbuildings with electricity provided by a windmill and generator, along with drinking water from a nearby spring. In 1950, following the death of Bluch Thomason, the ranch became a seasonal vacation property.

In 1955, the ranch was sold to James and Arlene Barker of Oklahoma, who engaged in gold and uranium mining through the rest of the 1950s and 1960s. To accommodate family gatherings, the Barkers enlarged the house and constructed more outbuildings. The ranch was also used as a recreational property, featuring a five-thousand-gallon reservoir made from cement and rock boulders located toward the back of the property.

In 1968, Charles Manson learned about the nearby Myers Ranch from Catherine Gillies, the granddaughter of Barbara Myers. Manson and others began staying at Myers Ranch but discovered that the buildings at Barker Ranch were in better condition. The family relocated there and eventually obtained Arlene Barker's permission to use the property on a temporary basis. The group used both properties at times, staying at Barker Ranch for less than a month and a half before being arrested in October 1969.

During their stay, some members of the family burned a National Park Service tractor, which drew the attention of law enforcement. Following the raid, it became apparent that the group was involved with horrific murders in Los Angeles. The ranch eventually reverted to government control in 1971 and was incorporated into Death Valley National Park in 1994. Today, the remnants of the ranch belong to the National Park Service.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons