1904 Building to Be Moved Across Valley

A 97-year-old building, one of the last vestiges of the original Lankershim Ranch that once covered most of the south Valley, will be rescued from destruction and moved for the second time.

Built in 1904 of redwood and known as the Lankershim Reading Room, the octagonal building will be moved Thursday night by the San Fernando Valley Historical Society to the grounds of the Andres Pico Adobe in Mission Hills.

Historians said the gazebo-style building was purchased by a minister and moved in the 1950s from the original ranch grounds in Studio City to his Chatsworth church, Chapel of the Canyon on Topanga Canyon Boulevard. The church has long since closed and the property sold.

A few weeks ago, the historical building was scheduled to be demolished as the new property owner made room for a residential development, said Jim Gulbranson, vice president of the historical society.

“When I told them of the historical value, they said we could keep it if we move it within 30 days,” Gulbranson said.

Gulbranson, who has been involved in preserving California history for 35 years, discovered the building by accident while driving on Topanga Canyon Boulevard a few weeks ago. He noticed bulldozers at work at the old Chapel in the Canyon, a familiar but faded landmark with a colorful history.

The site, which had four chapels and two garden settings for weddings, was known for its involvement with a number of Hollywood stars from Roy Rogers and Dale Evans--who lived on a ranch in the hills west of Chatsworth--to Jane Russell and Annette Funicello.

After taking a closer look, Gulbranson quickly noted the gazebo-style structure with wood floors was special. He confirmed this after checking the society’s archives and discovered that the building was part of Isaac Lankershim’s ranch. In the 1800s the Valley pioneer owned 60,000 acres of land, stretching from what today is Studio City to Calabasas.

The historical society will spend $15,000 to transport the building and another $15,000 to restore it, Gulbranson said.

Eventually the reading room, which will house items that once belonged to the Lankershim family, will be open for public tours as is the Andres Pico Adobe, a registered national landmark.

The new location is ideal, historians say, because of a connection between the Picos and Lankershim. In 1869, Lankershim purchased the ranch land from adobe owners Andres Pico and his brother Pio, California’s last Mexican governor.