11/19/2024 Chatsworth Historical Society - Harvester Farms 1
Harvester Farms
Los Angeles Historic
Cultural Monument 645
Designated March 5, 1997
•Headquarters of the Palomino Horse Association of America
•Harvester was the father of Mr. Ed –the talking horse, a 1961-66 TV Series
•Located on Devonshire west of Topanga
Harvester Farms includes a 1920's style
Barn and surrounding buildings as the
cultural monument. The main house is a
California Ranch style structure. The barn
is described as a two-story barn complete
with a hay loft, stables, ranch hand living
quarters complete with rest room,
showers and old telephones.
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•The Harvester was foaled in 1938, bred by James
Fagan.
•Jim was a trainer for William Randolph Hearst at the
Hearst Ranch in Hidden Valley, Camarillo / Thousand
Oaks. Jim and Edna married around 1939 and moved
to their own ranch in Agoura.
•Harvester was a golden Palomino that sired over 100
registered Palominos. These horses were most
successful in Trick, Reined, Western Pleasure and
Parade competitions.
•The Fagans moved to Reseda in 1943, and bred and
trained Golden Palominos.
•In 1952 Jim died at the age of 70 in a horse accident in
San Fernando. He is buried at Oakwood Memorial Park.
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•In 1950 The Harvester starred in the movie "The Palomino"
filmed in Chatsworth.
•The outdoor locations were in the rugged hills above Chatsworth
Lake and on the ranch of Max Schonfeld, who at the time was
the general manager of Devonshire Downs.
•Roy Rogers purchased Max Schonfeld's 130-acre ranch at the
west end of Lassen in 1955
You can watch
the 1950 movie
"The Palomino"
on YouTube
1950-03-30 The
Van Nuys News
and Valley Green
Sheet
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•Edna moved to Harvester
Farms in Chatsworth around
1953. In 1963 Harvester died in
the barn.
•In 1971 Edna rode her horse
Highland Harvest in the Rose
Parade, her 28th year of
participation. (LA Times)
•Alex Madonna, a good friend of
Edna and owner of the Madonna
Inn, told Dan Huffman that Edna
rode in 36 consecutive Rose
Parades.
•Edna died in 1988, 93 years old.
Edna Fagan shown with one of
their many Harvester sired horses.
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•This picture of Harvester
was labeled “Edna’s
favorite photo”, and was
taken at Harvester Farms.
•Four Hollywood Movie
Horses were registered
with the Palomino Horse
Association:
•Harvester
•Trigger
•Trigger Jr.
•Mr. Ed
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•Right: Edna and Jim Fagan
presenting Roy Rogers and
Trigger Jr. a certificate of
registration in the Palomino
Horse Association.
•Below: Trigger and Trigger Jr.
with Roy and Jim
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Roy Rogers had three horses named Trigger:
Trigger, Little Trigger and Trigger Jr.
•Golden Cloud, born 1932, was purchased from
Hollywood Studios in 1938 and renamed “Trigger”.
Trigger retired in 1957 and died in 1964.
• “Little Trigger” was purchased a few years after
Golden Cloud, was smaller than Trigger, and was the
“personal appearance” horse. He knew more than a
hundred cues for tricks and dances, and was
housebroken, a quality that allowed him to
accompany Roy on his many appearances in
hospitals to visit sick children.
• “Trigger Jr.”, born 1941 as Allen’s Gold Zephyr, took
over for Little Trigger in the 1950’s.
Trigger and Trigger Jr. were registered
with the Palomino Horse Association
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•In April 1937 a permit was issued to Ronald J. Houlihan for construction of a new $3,700 residence at 22049 Devonshire.
Source Van Nuys News, 1937 April 29.
•In May 1943 there was an advertisement for a registered Arabian Stallion, 3 Arabian mares, & 3 stud colts.
•In June 1944 the 11.5-acre parcel was purchased for production of Cattle and Horses, and named "Winterset Ranch". Fred
Geis advertises it for sale in 1946.
•In July 1947 Winterset Ranch is advertising 9 acres with house, barn for $40,000.
•Around 1948/1949 Monroe B. Lukather (1901-1977) owned the property. He added onto the house, and added chicken sheds
on the property in 1952. His nephew was Paul Lukather (1926-2014). Paul was an actor, playing in western roles in the 50's-
60's.
•In 1950, the Erlandson Family (Mrs. Flora Erlandson) lived there. And they advertised a 3yr old Palomino mare.
Harvester Farms Property History (22049 Devonshire)
•Edna Fagan moved to Chatsworth around 1953. Alex Madonna, of Madonna Inn in San Luis
Obispo, told Dan Huffman that he loaned Edna the money to purchase Harvester Farms.
•In 1956 the house was sold, and in 1957 Edna is advertising The Harvester at stud.
•In 1963 Harvester died in the barn at Harvester Farms.
•In May 1964 Tract No. 22294 was recorded, a 6.7-acre subdivision of 34 homes north of
Harvester Farms, which included the creation of Glade Ave. north of Devonshire, and the
creation of Hiawatha St. north of the Elementary School. 1957-03-19 Van Nuys News
& Valley Green Sheet
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•In November 1967, Parcel Map 401 connected Glade Ave. to
Devonshire St., with two parcels to the west of Harvester Farms.
The street width of Glade Ave. at that point was only 30’, not the
standard 60’ wide for a subdivision.
•30 years later, in August 1997, a subdivision of 18 homes west of
Glade Ave. was approved, with the homes built in 1999 (Tracts
48826 and 49169).
•The pursuit of this subdivision by developers threatened the
condemnation of a portion of Harvester Farms, as the requested
widening of the street would have resulted in the destruction of the
historic Harvester Barn.
•This development led to the letter writing campaign by Dan Huffman
and others in December 1996, that resulted in the declaration of
Harvester Farms as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument on
March 5th, 1997.
Harvester Farms Property History (22049 Devonshire)
1997-08-27 Tract 48826 TR1224-061
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•Bamboo Harvester was foaled in 1949 in El Monte,
sired by The Harvester. He was a parade and show
horse.
•His trainer was Les Hilton, who had apprenticed
under Will Rogers and worked with the mules in the
Francis the Talking Mule movies.
•The show ran for 143 episodes
•Allan Lane was the talking voice of Mr. Ed
Mr. Ed - The talking Horse, a
1961-1966 Television Series
Connie Hines, Mr. Ed (Bamboo
Harvester), Alan Young
Allan "Rocky"
Lane
1904-1973
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•Guest Stars included Clint Eastwood,
George Burns, Leo Durocher and
Mae West
•To create the impression that Ed was
talking, it was initially done by putting
a piece of nylon thread in his mouth
attached to the halter. Ed was trained
to stop talking when the trainer
touched his hoof with a crop. In fact,
according to Alan Young, Ed
eventually learned to start talking
whenever he (Alan Young) stopped
talking during a scene!
Ed was very smart….
Mr. Ed - The talking Horse, a
1961-1966 Television Series
A Scene from 1963, "Leo Durocher meets Mr. Ed"
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•In 1976, Mr. Ed was 27 years old and
retired, living on Sparks St. in Burbank, CA
with his trainer Lester Hilton.
•Mr. Ed was in distress and died of a
tranquilizer for unknown reasons while a
temporary caregiver was caring for him.
•Lester Hilton, his trainer, died a few months
later on Oct 27, 1976
•Source: Mr. Ed Wikipedia, and 1994 "Mr Ed &
Me" by Alan Young, pgs 181-3)
Mr. Ed - The talking Horse, a
1961-1966 Television Series
At right, in 1962 Connie Hines on Mr. Ed in
Chatsworth, Episode “Ol' Rocking Chair”
s3-e15 aired Jan 10, 1963
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Sources/Acknowledgements
•Scrapbook and Photographs from Edna Parsons Fagan, donated by great-niece Cecilia Parsons
•Notes and documents supporting the Los Angeles Historical Cultural Monument designation, provided
by Dan Huffman and Virginia Watson, Chatsworth Historical Society.
• “Hollywood Hoofbeats: Trails Blazed across the Silver Screen”, 2005, Bowtie Press
•Alan Young on how "Mister Ed" really talked –emmytvlegends.org YouTube video
• Facebook site “West San Fernando Valley Then and Now”, and associated researchers and
contributors
•Many thanks to many Chatsworth residents, past and present, for their contributions to this
presentation.
•A special thanks to Bea Berman for donating the Mr. Ed episodes that inspired this program.
•Prepared by Ann and Ray Vincent, Chatsworth Historical Society, January 2015, revised Oct 2023, Nov
2024.
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•Showing Next:
•Season 4, Episode 1, aired Sep 29, 1963
• “Leo Durocher Meets Mr. Ed”, 25 minutes
•Including Sandy Koufax, John Roseboro, Willie Davis, Bill "Moose"
Skowrun, and Vin Scully….Announcer
•In all, there were a total of 143 episodes over 6 seasons, from 1961-1966
•Note: a 5-minute clip of "Leo Durocher Meets Mr. Ed" is available on our
YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/B75FZ3UlHMY &t=0
Mr. Ed - The talking Horse, a
1961-1966 Television Series
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•The now famous Dodger
baseball episode with
Leo Durocher was filmed
in 1963.
• “Leo Durocher Meets Mr.
Ed”, 25 minutes
•In all, there were a total
of 143 episodes over 6
seasons, from 1961-
1966
•a 5-minute clip of Mr. Ed
at Dodger Stadium is
available on our
YouTube channel at
https://youtu.be/B75FZ3UlHMY
11/19/2024
