Urban cowboy: Have laptop, will travel

Chatsworth has a long and colorful history. An important stagecoach stop in the latter half of the 1800s, it also was the site where John Wayne stepped into stardom in the 1939 film “Stagecoach.” Horses are still a presence in the hills and on county roads and trails, but nowadays their riders are packing cellphones instead of six-shooters.

Chatsworth lies in the northwest corner of the San Fernando Valley, cradled on two sides by a swath of the craggy Santa Susana Mountains. Most of its 31 square miles is rugged L.A. County wilderness. Its dramatic rock formations, close to the amenities of civilization, have attracted Hollywood moviemakers for nearly a century.

The community’s diverse geography is reflected in its eclectic home styles: the funky cabins and bungalows of Chatsworth Manor, the palatial estates of Monteria and Indian Springs, and the grid of mid-century stucco ranch homes.

Hollywood came calling at the dawn of the 20th century to make silent movies at the Iverson Ranch, a potato farm in the hills near the 118 Freeway. D.W. Griffith made silent films there, including “Judith of Bethulia,” starring Lillian Gish, in 1914.

A string of television series such as “The Lone Ranger” and “Zorro” were filmed there in the 1940s and ‘50s, as well as scenes in the movie classics “High Noon” with Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly; “The African Queen,” starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn; and “Around the World in 80 Days.”

The California West condominiums, north of old Santa Susana Pass Road, now stand near the spot where Silver reared to the strains of “The William Tell Overture.”

Wow factor

Horses seem to be indigenous to Chatsworth. A Chumash tethering stone is on display at the Chatsworth Museum in Chatsworth Park South. Thoroughbred ranches were the rage in the 1920s but gave way to developments in the early 1960s.

This longtime love affair with the horse has contributed to the establishment of miles of riding and hiking trails, including Brown’s Canyon trail, which starts near the old heart of town at Devonshire Street and Canoga Avenue and meanders past streams and meadows deep in the hills. Stoney Point, a climber favorite, is a monumental outcropping by the 118 Freeway.

In December, the town turns out for a Christmas parade. “I love the parade,” said 18-year resident and horsewoman Janine Prado. “Where else can you see all your friends riding down the street on horseback?”

Insider’s view

Perhaps all those B westerns have left Chatsworth citizens with a strong sense of good guys versus bad guys. Developers whose plans don’t take horses into consideration can count on being sued; residents of California West, using night patrols and walkie-talkies, drove graffiti taggers from the grounds three years ago; and outraged residents of Chatsworth Manor organized a rally last week to protest the speeding on Lake Manor Drive, after a hit-and-run accident in December left a 12-year-old boy in a coma.

Stock report

The 2000 U.S. Census tallied about 13,500 housing units, 70% of which were single-family homes. About 50 homes were on the market in early January, ranging from $319,000 for a two-bedroom, three-bath, 1,446-square-foot condominium to $3,995,000 for a four-bedroom, six-bath home with two pools and a guesthouse on four acres.

Report card

Chatsworth is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Three elementary schools, one middle school and one high school serve the community.

Chatsworth Park Elementary scored 754 on the 2003 Academic Performance Index out of a possible 1,000. Germain Street Elementary scored 825 and Superior Street Elementary scored 772. Ernest Lawrence Middle School scored 703.

Because of the small sampling size, 2003 scores are not yet available for Chatsworth High School, known for its vigorous drama program. One famous alumnus is Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey.

Historical values

Single-family detached resales:

Year...Median Price

1990...$289,500

1995...$193,000

2000...$280,000

2002...$345,000

2003*...$425,000

*Through November

Sources: DataQuick Information Systems, Chatsworth Historical Society, U.S. Census Bureau 2000 report, api.cde.ca.gov, ZipRealty.com, www.lausd.k12.ca.us/ChatsworthHS, www.geocities.com/chatsworthdrama