The Ponderosa Ranch/ Bonanza House

Back in August of 1999 I visited The Ponderosa Ranch in Incline Village Nevada. I shot some video at the time and it never went further than that... until a few years ago when I sat down and edited the footage and posted it here on KZbin as one of my "3 Minutes" videos. That video has since garnered over 50K views and is my most popular video. Now, since it's been so popular, I decided to expand on the subject and include a little bit of history about The Ponderosa Ranch attraction that was located at Lake Tahoe's Incline Village Nevada. I also re-edited my footage to shooting order.
Enjoy!
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Vintage video location content shot using a Canon XL 1 (mini DV) camcorder
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[@margiecasado9310]

That ranch was fantastic and I visited there twice. The area was a slice of heaven and should have never been torn down 😢

[@jonathanarthur570]

Thank you so much for this wonderful memory. I am of age that I grew up with the Cartwright's. Not only was the scenery spectacular, but so were the actors of this series.....It was sometimes a little silly, but wouldn't we enjoy some that innocence in our world today. RIP Cartwright Family.

[@dawnjohnson8739]

❤

[@PLS.54]

It’s sad to think they’re all gone.

[@mstrdiver]

Where's Hop Sing cooking in the kitchen and bustling around the dinner table?

[@pauljw7697]

As a child, it was mandatory all the family gather around the TV & watch Bonanza every Sunday evening at 8PM. And not one word was to be spoken until a commercial came on. My parents did not miss any episodes. In fact, my father loved that show so much, he & my mother made a visit to the Pondarosa ranch tourist attraction back in the late 1960's. He was very disappointed to learn that it was only a set and not where the show was filmed. And it was a big letdown to learn Lake Tahoe did not border the southern side of the property as shown on a map in the show's introduction. The show was all through the magic of Hollywood. Back in the day when Chevrolet would run their "new model year" commercials that were up to 4 minutes long, or so. Gee, as a kid, I survived the Lawrence Welk show every Saturday evening followed by Bonanza every Sunday. And I grew up just fine.

[@czechmate6916]

It was the same way growing up in my parents home and we all turned out fine also. I think we need to get all of these shows back on tv and do it all over again. Make tv great again.

[@pauljw7697]

@@czechmate6916 We all learned values watching Bonanza & certain other TV shows. We learned right from wrong, how to conduct ourselves in society & interact with others. It was a very subtle way of teaching viewers & it worked. Each episode taught something to all of us.

[@kingboagart899]

It was a little bit different in my neighborhood. By 8:00 Sunday all of our parents would already be so liquored up that invariably there would have already been the real life drama of a wife beating, car through a yard, neighborhood brawl, or a toddler on the way to the ER due to some lack of supervision. Us kids in the cul-de-sac couldn't have watched bonanza if we wanted to. Saw the reruns a number of years later though.

[@czechmate6916]

@@pauljw7697 Yes sir it did. I hope everyone here has a wonderful day.

[@Cmxx1v]

Back in the good old days, and the commercials weren’t many or very long

[@tav5690]

Excellent show and better times. I'm 67 and have very fond memories...

[@horatioguderian4694]

There was anti-white messaging in those shows, anyone who showed any loyalty to the white race was depicted as a person who'd kill any non-white if he could get away with it. We see the result of that anti-white propaganda now do we not? "Diversity" means chasing down the last white person. White GENOCIDE is not a theoretical debate, it is a CRIMINAL charge.

[@really2345]

@tav: "Better times?! That was during most of the Vietnam War. Tell that to the veterans and families of the fallen and disabled. Tell that to the 1.6 million Vietnamese that we slaughtered. Tell that to the Cambodians that died during Kissinger's and Nixon's 'secret' bombings. Gove me a break.

[@bigdeal6852]

​@@really2345 I'm well aware of that. My brothers were there. But we have had many wars before that and even since then, and you're bringing up one issue (a war issue) and ignoring all the other issues. It was a better more simpler time and with better morals. Especially on T.V. and especially when you consider the crap that's going on today and the on T.V. shows and even in the schools. All the way up to the colleges. Which reminds me of the crap on colleges from the hippie days...were you one of them protesting then to ? Families were more close and talked more, ate dinner together more. Instead of everybody with their head in their phones and in their @sses...like today. Sheesh ! 🙄 😊

[@mstrdiver]

@@really2345- Hmm, your use of the "we slaughtered" is telling in some ways. Were you there doing your duty or an onlooking draft card burner from the protesting cheap seats? Mstrdiver - US Army - 1973 to 1995

[@knighttuttruptuttrup8518]

​@@mstrdiverWell said, I share your sentiments.

[@susanboyd245]

It's really sad it was torn down 😢

[@robertschultz6922]

It’s not torn down, just moved to a new location in Elko county

[@happyhippie2853]

The ranch was relocated

[@krisa8649]

Too bad the town and ranch wasn't around when Yellowstone came out, it would have been stood a better chance. What a beautiful location, somebody probably has a really nice McMansion on the property now.

[@stevedeloach5981]

Wish they had not torn it down. That had a zero cost benefit.

[@robertschultz6922]

It wasn’t torn down just moved to a new location in Elko county Nevada

[@wayneroberts4144]

Bonanza was a part of our growing up just as much as Saturday morning cartoons!

[@carolinehannah5188]

those were the days, times of simplicity. I am so greatful i grew up in that era

[@wayneroberts4144]

@@carolinehannah5188 Amen.................we lived the last best part of America! God Bless you!

[@timthompson8297]

Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry. Wish I could have seen the Ponderosa.

[@wayneroberts4144]

@@timthompson8297 Hey can still watch Looney Tunes anytime we tune into the news nowadays!!

[@LowPlainsDrifter60]

Not forgetting 'The High Chaparral'

[@johnnybegood9285]

When I was a kid, we only had one TV that was black and white. I remember my neighbor inviting my family over one Sunday night to watch Bonanza in color. When that NBC peacock opened up his feathers, I was in awe. I couldn't believe the difference.

[@AmusedKelpie-tc9du]

We did the same, there was only 1 color TV ( big console model) in my neighborhood, Sunday nights were memorable with wholesome family entertainment .

[@PlanetEarth3141]

I totally agree with my father bringing home a color TV. Global reality past my trips around town were never the same.

[@unclej3910]

I was lucky. My dad owned and ran a TV and appliance store in the 1960’s to 1973. If I remember correctly, dad brought a color TV home as soon as they were available.

[@caddothegreat]

Our family did not even own a TV until about 1956/7. When I was on my own. I bought a color TV in 1967. I had to see Star Trek in color. I also bought it on credit. My first credit purchase.

[@mstrdiver]

Our TV growing up was a big boxy B&W Philco on a wrought iron swivel base so we could turn it to watch 'some shows' during dinner, but not very often.

[@LesterChamberlain-q1f]

Pictures of those ranch brings back memories of a child when things good

[@RonHamill818]

Thanks!

[@FGN666]

​@@RonHamill818 Not surprise that the Ponderosa "home" was Demolished because most of the "westerns crack" was FICTI😅NAL !... #scared .

[@dawnjohnson8739]

Agreed

[@louisgiardina8918]

Absolutely

[@RainerBreuer-bq2hf]

Auch in Deutschland 🇩🇪war und ist immer noch eine Kult-Serie . Ich liebe diese alte Serie die mich an meine Kindheit erinnert . Und an meinem Vater der nun auch schon über 30 Jahre tot ist , der den Hoss sehr ähnlich sah . An alle Bonanza Schauspieler R.I.P. 🕊️🕯️🙏😢 🥀 ihr gehörtet damals zu unserer Kindheit....Danke !

[@royhowze4023]

Thank you for sharing those thoughts and a love for better days and simple life.

[@Thomas-qr3zv]

Didn’t realize it was a big thing in Germany as well . I know Westerns were huge in Great Briton.

[@norbertschmitz3358]

@@Thomas-qr3zv It sure was, and not only for us kids. Same goes for Lassie, Flipper and Skippy, the Aussie show. And now it's all history, long forgotten by many, and we young kids are old men. Life is indeed very short.....and time very fast😉 Cheers from Berlin

[@greywolf1251]

still watch reruns when I can loved that show as a kid I'm now 66

[@pamelag7553]

So do my hubby and I, just a fun good show.

[@PLS.54]

@@pamelag7553 So do my husband and I 😂

[@russellbarnes7728]

I grew up in Reno, we knew the owners family. Been there often until it closed! Great memories!

[@jakebrakebill]

same age, seems odd we're still here while everything we grew up with is gone

[@jackip2ava]

I wonder what the owner went on to do, and where is he now. I'd like to watch a biography about him, and I'm glad he was a part of TV history

[@larryhanshew5173]

THANK YOU RON. I NAMED MY YOUNGEST SON LORNE AFTER (MR. GREEN RIP). HOSS WAS MY FAVORITE AND HE WAS A TRUE GENTLE GIANT MAN. BUT I MUST ADMIT I LIKED IT WHEN HE WOULD KICK BUTT IN FIGHTS. ALSO I HAVE BEEN TO THE LAKE LOS ANGELES WHERE PARTS OF THE PROGRAM WAS FILMED AS WELL AS INCLINE VILLAGE AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A NATIONAL LANDMARK AND ON THE REGISTRY AND PRESERVED FOR ALL TO ENJOY. THIS PROGRAM DEFINITELY MADE AN IMPACT ON MY LIFE AND I HAVE SIGNED PHOTOS FROM THE CAST WHICH MY FAMILY CHERISHED TO THIS DAY AND WE HAVE THE PROGRAMS WE WATCH FROM TIME TO TIME AND ALWAYS ON THANKSGIVING. I MISS THE SIMPLER PLACE AND TIME OF THAT ERA.

[@hyacinth4368]

Bonanza was the first TV show I remember seeing. My family did not own a TV until 1964.

[@questfortruth665]

I saw the first episode at a friend of my moms who was well enough off to afford a color tv. I can still conjure up the thrill of watching a tv show IN COLOR for the first time! WOW! As an adult I ended up living at Lake Tahoe for a number of years not far from Incline Village.

[@maureenpalmquist08]

As a 15 year old teenager I visited the ranch at incline village with my parents and it was by far one of the best times we shared together.

[@Knards]

I was 9 when the show first came on. My Dad loved it, so I loved it. So if no one minds, I will live on knowing the Ponderosa was the only location ever used, and the ranch really did exist.

[@cwavt8849]

I grew up watching that show. As a 3 year old, I even got to sit in Little Joe's lap. I know that I am 63, but it breaks my heart that it is all gone, just a memory in the minds of the few of us left who remember.

[@gregt8638]

I agree. It breaks our hearts how the world has changed. And even though I'm getting closer to the end of my life, I would not have changed the opportunity to have lived through those times!

[@aaronlayes4485]

I'm on the younger side and Grew up to reruns I am 43 this September, I do remember the series and in a way I am the last generation and one of the youngest who would remember such things. I am however passing it on to my children who have found love in some of the old shows. I have shown them Gun smoke and the Rifleman and stuff that was not full of trash, but had messages of hope and made you think about morality. I hope you have found peace in retirement or soon coming retirement if you get it. the good days of America so far seem to be far behind us. So I shall mourn her passing and share the memories with my children in hopes of keeping that part of America alive at least in memory. God bless you and may you have peace in your sunset years.

[@pamelablume1637]

I lived in Los Angeles as a small child. My dad had a Mexican restaurant. The cast of Bonanza used to come in. I don’t remember them but I do remember sitting on a man’s lap when my dad tended bar. We moved to Florida and I went to see 20,000 leagues under the sea. Imagine my surprise when I recognized the man whose lap I had sat on. It was Kirk Douglas! I’m 62 years old.

[@PlanetEarth3141]

​@@pamelablume1637 Wow! Children like us love our heroes and our parents and heroes from our character. Which the lack of, especially decent parents, explains present culture values, crime and corruption.

[@louisgiardina8918]

I’m 63 and have the series on DVD and love watching the old shows. Great TV back then now everything is garbage

[@jeffsmith-ze6wb]

It’s sad to think they tore this down!!! I Love bonanza until this day!!

[@Howdy76]

Wow, this brings back memories of my youth. Now they have all passed.

[@jksmountaindream]

We named our property the Ponderosa because of our trees..... and I liked the show! Our skid loader is called HOSS

[@RadioSilence-vs5hn]

Sure do miss the days of watching this show and wishing to be a cowboy. Now at 48, good clean wholesome tv show such as this and alike are gone. Miss the old days.

[@pauljw7697]

As a child in the 1960's, TV viewing was the same each week. After Bonanza on Sun eve, we watched Gunsmoke on Mon eve, Red Skelton on Tue eve, Hawaii Five-O Wed eve & add to that Kojak, Mission Impossible, High Chaparral & a few others to round-out the week. It's hard to believe the (2) stars of Gunsmoke & Mission Impossible, James Arness & Peter Graves, were brothers. Back then, the TV repairman made house calls. I liked how the TV repairman would diagnose the problem. He simply kept replacing tubes until it worked. Many of the repairman from Sears & Roebuck worked on ALL appliances bought from Sears. It didn't matter if it was a TV, a washer, dryer, dishwasher, whatever, he could fix them all. Imagine getting that type of "in home" service today!

[@djdalton6070]

Wow! I did not know James and Peter were brothers. Thanks for tidbit.

[@pamelablume1637]

I’m 62 years old and I remember all of those shows!

[@johncater7861]

I watched Hawaiian Eye just for Connie Stevens.

[@mstrdiver]

One show to add to your Sunday evening viewing list is Walt Disney.

[@pamelablume1637]

@@mstrdiver Yes! And Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom.

[@sharleneknaus3664]

Boy did that bring back memories. I am now almost 74 years old and wish that more shows like that were around.

[@HubertLloydRich]

So sad the tearing down of the Ponderosa 😢 a Classic show. May they all rest in peace 🙏

[@4Cabin]

I still watch this series today and love it. I lived in northern CA for 10 years and made a point of going to Virginia City NV, Nevada City CA, Lake Tahoe and other places identified in the Bonanza series. What a shame that the Incline Village location was demolished. They just needed to reimagine that place to keep the Bonanza legacy alive. All these theme parks need a refresh to continue. Sad.

[@barbaratardy9788]

I went to the ranch on my honeymoon 36 years ago. We received the tin cup and put pennies and little things in. I couldn’t believe how tiny Ben’s office was in the house. It sure looked big when watching Bonanza on TV. Thanks for the memories.

[@terryderush2657]

I've just got to say. That this is sad as hell. I would have loved to seen this before it was destroyed. But thank for sharing this with us. 👍

[@cmg2651]

I grew up watching Bonanza as well as Wonderful world of Disney, The Big Valley, Mutual of Omaha’s wild kingdom, Gunsmoke, The Andy Griffith show, and many more classic shows. At 66 years old, this makes me sad these great shows are a thing of the past, most had a lesson to be learned.

[@mstrdiver]

Great list! Add Lassie, My Friend Flicka, Disney and The Big Valley starring Ms. Barbara Stanwyck, to it.

[@beckyshell4649]

I used to love to watch The Wonderful World of Disney every Sunday night. They used to have some great little movies on there.

[@TwinSister1957]

Rifleman.. Pa, Pa

[@lightfoot413]

Gone with the wind..great show and history...

[@daves6220]

We lived near the Incline Village Ponderosa, enjoyed going there many times and I met Lorne Green.

[@LoneRanger-kk4mi]

I visited the Ponderosa ranch 4 times when I was growing up. Back in the late 60's. It was a great experience walking around where they filmed Bonanza. I had a silver tin cup that I got when my mom bought me a coke from the saloon. Lake Tahoe was very beautiful lots of fresh air. Lots of pine trees. The good old days.

[@ej3358]

I grew up with Bonanza watching. Thanks for your video.

[@RonHamill818]

Thanks!

[@snydedon9636]

@@RonHamill818thanks for the video. Watched bonanza as a kid and always wanted to live in that house. Still would if I could.

[@RonHamill818]

@@snydedon9636 so would I.

[@robertgore8911]

One of the few good things to ever come out of hollyweird.Their shows included solid moral values that we kids put into action every day.All under a backdrop of a wild and free america in it's early days.Solid gold!👏👍🧙‍♂️

[@missy183]

Thanks for sharing these wonderful memories. ❤😘

[@RealJohnWayne]

We visited the House in 1984, great to see!

[@genedelalla8119]

I flew out to California in 1971 to be best man at my buddy's wedding (we are both Vietnam vets)... one of the places we visited was the Bonanza ranch at Incline Village... I remember I had Hoss burgers and beans! Here's the cute part.... I had a soft serve on a cone, as I was walking up the pathway there was a stone wall, and on that wall was a chipmunk. I stopped right at that spot... The fearless creature then jumped down off the wall, stood right at my feet and begged for a piece of my cone! No lie! I gave it to him, he immediately jumped up back on the wall... Lo and behold, unbeknownst to the little guy, a squirrel was lurking above him looking at that piece of cone. He jumped down and stole the cone from the chipmunk! Again, this is a true story!!

[@queserasera1674]

First, thank you for your service and second, thank you for sharing your cone with the chipmunk. You are a blessing to this world.

[@Navyguy1990]

I remember going there in 1976 when I was 8 yrs old and thinking it was the coolest place I’d ever been to! Very sad to see it go. 😢

[@aaronlayes4485]

Thank you for this. I never got to go I was too young when the plans were laid to go there. I grew up to the show and while many I knew had gone there I never got to go. in many ways this helped me close the door and say goodbye to a part of my childhood I never had the chance to say goodbye to. Thank you so much. I pray you are blessed.

[@kennethzullick6897]

Excellent video, thank you so much for sharing it.

[@timthompson8297]

Grew up watching every episode of that show.

[@ernestj3081]

I still watch the show every day on one of my cable channels! Bonanza and Gunsmoke will both continue to thrill all generations! I’m thankful I was born in their heyday 🙏🏻🐴🙏🏻

[@sunnyskye213]

was there in 1982.....GREAT MEMORIES!!!

[@mariop8576]

Went there with my family when I was a teenager and remember having a Hosburger. It was a cool place and I was a fan of the TV show. It's too bad that it's gone now, only a memory in my minds eye.

[@PlanetEarth3141]

When you and I are dead along with our generation almost no one will ever see or know Bonanza ever existed. Just like Napoleon, Charlemagne, Leonidas, Alexander, Einstein, Bell, Pasteur, Heston, Wayne, Weissmuller, Eisenhower, Reagen, Goldwater, Patton, Bradley, Rommel, Yamamoto, etc. Nothing learned from past history to guide future history. A society living only for the present is a soon extinct species. A species not driven by imagination, long term progress and achievements is like dodos, dinosaurs and naysayers. Worth basically nothing but rubbish and old stones. 😮

[@michaelhyland9216]

I'm glad that I got to see it back in 91.

[@thenaturaltexican]

Went at about 10 years old, still have pictures. Really awesome place.

[@georgetaylor8591]

Have been there many times!! Was stationed at Travis AFB and went to Reno most week ends!! Stopped at the Ponderosa most times and Had Hoss Burgers!! Loved Lake Tahoe!!

[@TracyFarrell-gu7vk]

I live 30 min from Lake Tahoe

[@thelastjohnwayne]

"""Ponderosa Ranch Western fun for everyone. "" That was the long time commercial that advertised visiting the ranch.

[@r8drvr819]

Thanks for the Memories! I soon will retire from Paramount Pictures, after 43 years, and I have been blessed to be a small part of it's history.

[@tracybreitkreutz5554]

Retirement should be fun for you. Say, do you know Gene Gross, or Joan Warner 🤔. I haven't heard from them in 3-3-1/2 years 🤔

[@kennethmarston8687]

Thank you for your service.

[@garybelew7813]

My wife and I went to Tahoe for our 2nd anniversary in 2004, the week after they closed this place.. We were really disappointed that we didn't get to go. Since we are older, we both grew up watching Bonanza and knew others that had gone to this attraction..

[@powervoc2]

Still watch Bonanza almost every day.

[@susieuramoto7491]

I remember going there with my dad in the 70’s when I was a kid. My mom still has that tin cup. 😊

[@AngelCatBaby]

I really appreciate you showing this, I love it, I just wish I could have had the chance to have seen it in person. This would’ve been fun to see. I love going to museums and old western towns showing memorabilia and other artifacts from historical places of the eras. It’s a good history lesson and experience. This brings back good memories of when TV had better morals and showing how we should treat people with dignity and respect, no matter what status in life we are at. Even though times were hard on my family, Bonanza was one of my family’s favorite shows, including other westerns that were a big part of our lives then. We never owned a color television set until the late 60’s and when the moon landing was shown….my parents were approaching their 60th birthday then. Thank you for showing this. It’s a real shame that they tore it down, I would have loved to have owned a home like the Ponderosa ranch house, my type of home. 👍❤️🙏🏼😥

[@slotfiend]

I visited as a kid in 1983 or so, I remember the big fireplace and red leather chairs. I had the famous map on the wall of my bedroom for years. I'm 51 now

[@markthiede3135]

As a kid my father and mother took me to incline village and to the ponderosa house. The house didn’t have an upstairs. Good memories.

[@royhowze4023]

Was a delightful memory, seeing the entrance there so many times . The Cartwright family coming and going, standing there voicing dialog and action. Remembering HopSing going to and fro through the kitchen doors and the family eating meals in deep discussions. Going up the stairs , family and visitor guests also. At 6 yrs.old when it came to our livingroom tv, the music started playing and we would hot-foot it to the livingroom and see it beginning, Hoss was my favorite, and if he wasn't the main subject I wasn't happy, Hoss was the greatest thing since bubblegum. Thank you for sharing this wonderful time in tv history sir.....fershur.

[@yvonnethompson7052]

One of my all time favorite shows!!

[@johnkingsley9525]

I bought a home in the 60’s in the map area shown on the TV show Bonanza off the Mt. Rose Hwy. back in the pine trees on the Callahan Ranch. Had a solid wrought iron sign 3 feet tall and 12 feet wide mounted on telephone poles at the entrance to my property with lettering spelling out “LITTLE PONDEROSA”. Lots of fond memories 😊

[@j.greggnewman5496]

Brings back memories, we took our children there in late 80's with that and show the memories come . I use to watch Bonanza every Sunday night with my Grandpa who never missed an episode. Gone are the great old days!

[@Desertskyobservatoy1925]

I went to The Ponderosa back in the mid-1970's on our annual family vacation to Lake Tahoe. They had a guided horseback riding tour which had spectacular views of Lake Tahoe. Also there were hiking trails where I remember filling my Bonanza tin cup with rushing fresh water from snow melt. It was a very magical place for a 9 year old! Thank you for the video, sure brings back a lot of great memories.

[@kplante7881]

Thanks for sharing…!

[@Aldamiras]

I visited there in 1981, long after the TV series had ended. We rode the horses from an outdoor stables and toured the property. It was a short journey from Lake Tahoe up to incline village.

[@stevelee4653]

a moment in time.. that last for years!!!

[@jeanmarie4462]

A wonderful presentation of what I would have considered an historic building. I didn't even know it was there or I would have liked to have seen it. Although I did go on a trail ride along the rim of Lake Tahoe almost 40 years ago with some of my family, I really would have enjoyed seeing the Ponderosa Ranch house had we known it was there.

[@kchaney56]

Made me cry to watch this. Thank you.

[@TracyFarrell-gu7vk]

Miss going to the Ranch. Still have my metal cup. Took the kids several times good memories

[@screamingnighthog7155]

As a kid in the 60's, I usually had the monopoly on the one black and white TV we owned. That is except when my father wanted to watch it. All he ever watched was the evening news, Gunsmoke and Bonanza. I also got to visit the Ponderosa house back in the early 90's.

[@virgorising7388]

I was there once years ago. Being a child who watched every episode with my family I was interested to see it. It doesn't evoke the TV show at all but it is really a set.

[@ellonysman]

Yep, part of our lives when we watched the classics. Oh well, everything changes as we will be gone too. Life is good, enjoy it while you can.

[@MoonShadowsFarm]

Sunday nights as a kid! 7:30 Wonderful World of Disney. 8:30 Wasn't always the same show. I remember "Branded" with Chuck Connors. 9:00 Bonanza! Then, off to bed for school on Monday morning.

[@LuckyBaldwin777]

Growing up in San Francisco, it was Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom with Marlin Perkins, then the The Wonderful World of Disney followed by Bonanza. It was a great way to end the weekend.

[@erikaquatsch2190]

@@LuckyBaldwin777 Same TV schedule as yours for me as an elementary school child in Omaha, Nebraska, but it started at 6:30 pm. Those Sunday evening shows were the only saving grace of those bitter-cold Winter nights, dreading having to get up in the cold dark for school on Monday.

[@MoonShadowsFarm]

@@LuckyBaldwin777 I think you are right. M of O was before Disney. I completely blanked out on that until you mentioned it. Half hour, right? Old Marlin would always send Jim Fowler into the most dangerous situations first. OK, how many of you, and you parents, watched Ted Mack's Amateur hour on Saturdays and the Lawrence Welk show with the "pop" of the champagne bottle at the beginning of the theme song after Lawrence welcomed everyone? And they call this TV now-a-days!

[@LuckyBaldwin777]

​@@MoonShadowsFarm My dad always said that while Jim was doing all the work, Marlin was back in the blind hitting on his bottle of booze. lol

[@MoonShadowsFarm]

@@LuckyBaldwin777 Hahaha Sounds like something my dad would say! Was your dad a depression and WWll dad?

[@zulemamunoz3521]

Cuando era adolescente siempre veíamos ésta serie. Un saludo desde Argentina 🇦🇷🇦🇷

[@carolevenden4532]

I’m so sad that it’s gone I loved watching that show and would have loved to go there still

[@WILLIAM1690WALES]

I was actually at this location late 1980. On our way to Lake Tahoe before we eventually went to Vegas a beautiful spot.🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇺🇸

[@michaelgoolman918]

It so sad 😢 to see that icon disappeared 😭

[@robertschultz6922]

It’s still starting just moved to a different location in Elko county Nevada

[@jdrakeh]

My grandpa loved this show. I have fond memories of watching Bonanza with him when I was kid.

[@louismartinet882]

My wife and I stopped there on our honeymoon in 1984. Remember it well.

[@michaelmullen8153]

Might of seen you there my wife and I where there on our honeymoon in 84 also in August

[@behindthespotlight7983]

I was there in the summer of 1985

[@sabio2009]

You should remember it well! It was your honeymoon after all!

[@AdventuringwiththeS.G.O.C.C]

So very glad that we got to visit it before it was torn down. Last time there we had "Hoss" burgers and "Little Joe" fries. My wife and I visited many times.

[@reginamay2767]

Brings a tear to my eye. Walking through the ranch can almost feel ben and little joe and adam and hoss there.

[@a-townhoops9002]

I was there in 1999 as well with two children. The breakfast wagon and gun slingers scared my 3 year old. We laugh about that today!

[@toddricketts9498]

I was fortunate enough to see this place around 20 years ago, what great memories, I have a triangle dinner bell from the blacksmith shop on the site there

[@timthompson8297]

Cool

[@mannytoledo6510]

I remember going there as a kid on a famliy vacation headed to Lake Tahoe. There is picture of me on a pony/ small horse somewhere in my picture collection

[@TwinSister1957]

Lived in Sacramento, Ca for 30 years so yes we visited the ranch. Hop-sing's kitchen and yes the "Hoss Burgers" were huge and delicious. Very fond memories.

[@glennnisidio2813]

I lived in Incline Village for 12 years starting in 1968, I went to Ponderosa in 69 for my first time and so many times in the years following that I couldn't tell you, since I lived there I knew all the tricks to get in and being a kid I didn't care about rules, I snuck in, never paid. loads of fun.

[@ArlingtonRV]

Thanks for this. I wish I had known this existed back then, I would have gone to see it.

[@arnenelson4495]

The Big Bonanza by C.B.Glasscock is a GREAT book! Found my copy on ebay. He also wrote one on Tonopah and Goldfield, another on Butte Montana's copper boom.

[@justsayingforafriend7010]

I remember going there around 1987-88? It was cool to see. I saw all the shows when I was a kid.

[@bigsky1970]

What a gorgeous house, inside and out. As others have said, it's really sad the new owner had it demolished. 😔 I remember growing up as a kid watching "Bonanza" on TV, thinking it was entirely shot in Western Montana.

[@joeleyendecker5346]

My family went there during one of our vacations when I was a kid....we got to go through the downstairs portion of the house and all around the set...the Barn, etc.... We went to the Virginia City set too...it was just like the show... I remember there being wagons all over town with bluish colored rocks in them. I'm not sure what it was. But they were everywhere.

[@alanhall4226]

My family and I went to the ranch in the summer of 1970. Is was full and we did not get a chance to go in. I moved to Lake Tahoe in late 2004 and was excited to finally go to the ranch. My family had always watched Bonanza on TV and even bought a Bonanza travel trailer prior to our trip in the 70's. To my dismay, after all of those years, the ranch had just been closed for development. My loss.

[@jsmcguireIII]

We took our two boys there a few times in the early 1990's and we all had a great time. Tahoe has changed so much since then it is sad.

[@brianwaskow5910]

Was there in the 80's, had a Hoss Burger and a sarsaparilla in the logo metal cup for lunch.

[@screamingnighthog7155]

I wonder if it was made by Hop Sing.

[@williambrown6721]

What a shame! These were the good old days before "technology" took over... but I will continue watching these great series until the end of my life!!...

[@helengrabowska7440]

I have wondered what happened to the place. Visited there years ago when my parents came over from Germany and we went on a cross country trip with them and our kids. Those were good memories

[@paullynn1369]

1968 had my first summer job for Bill. Good times. So sad they demolished it. Bonanza was my favorite show and I considered it a privilege to work at The Ponderosa Ranch ( although never got to see any of the stars )

[@gino423]

I was there.....just stunning

[@whitegrizzleySR]

My Mom inspected and packaged the first hats that the Cartwrights wore on the TV series. They were made in Adamstown Pa at Bollman's hat factory.

[@RonHamill818]

Wow!

[@RonHamill818]

Actually I had a hat maker in Massachusetts make my hat modeled on the “western” hats of the day. That’s the hat that’s in the video.

[@ericlomax1793]

I was glad that I worked a summer job in South Lake Tahoe, California/Stateline, Nevada at Harvey’s Casino/Resort. I was able to visit Ponderosa Ranch before it was bought up in 2004 and was taken down, as well as the rest of the outdoor set that was Virginia City. I was told by other people on Facebook that everything was taken apart and placed into storage. I suppose what would go there is luxury apartments or condos that will be high value where not too many people can afford to live there.

[@williamzee7748]

One of the good wholesome shows gone the way of the Doe-Doe bird…..sad…but Lake Tahoe still holds its majestic beauty.

[@thomasm9139]

The crazy thing I remember as a young lad was the map showing Virginia City. Heck, living on the Gulf Coast and never being out west I always thought they were talking about the state of Virginia. It wasn't until I visited Lake Tahoe some years back that I found out, beautiful place.

[@czechmate6916]

Funny when I was growing up on the Gulf coast I thought the same thing. Btw I’m still on the Gulf coast.

[@thomasm9139]

@@czechmate6916 Not to mention the other western, The Virginian, that ranch was located in Wyoming. Just figured Virginia had mountains and was frontier land at one time.

[@czechmate6916]

@@thomasm9139 I had forgotten about that show.

[@bettykuhn1561]

Thanks for the video, brought back so many good memories on Sunday nights with my dad watching Bonanza. Love it then& still watch all the reruns to this day. I have a Bonanza map hanging in my bedroom. Went to Nevada in 2016 hoping to visit Ponderosa & found out it was torn down & was very disappointed but I got to visit Virginia City I am 72 & will continue to watch my favorite TV show.

[@pauletterichards4755]

I remember when the first show came on I was at my grand parents home