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WALKING BOX RANCH HISTORICAL/CULTURAL GEM
NEW PARTNERSHIP FORMED UNLV and BLM officials announced on April 11, 2006 that a cooperative management agreement had been secured for the two entities to cooperatively manage a 40-acre parcel of the ranch. Under terms of the agreement, UNLV and BLM will work towards making the ranch available for education and interpretive purposes, including the possibility of the ranch serving as a museum and interpretive center to inform the public about the history of ranching in Southern Nevada and ongoing conservation efforts. All activities will be in compliance with the easements held by The Nature Conservancy.
HISTORY PRESERVED The Walking Box Ranch was built in 1931 by legendary silent film stars Rex Bell and Clara Bow. The name of the ranch and brand are symbolic of a camera box on a tripod. During the 1930s, it covered nearly 400,000 acres and supported 1,800 head of cattle. The ranch was also known as a rural escape destination for the couple’s famous Hollywood friends, which reportedly included Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, and Errol Flynn. Bell and Bow stayed at the ranch until the mid-1940s, when they separated and Bell pursued a career in politics. He served as Nevada’s lieutenant governor from 1955 until his death in 1962. Rex Bell, Jr. and his brother George grew up at the ranch. Rex Bell, Jr. served as Clark County District Attorney in the 1980s and early 1990s.
The property continued as an operating cattle ranch under Bell and the subsequent ownership of Karl Weikel through the 1980s until it was sold to Viceroy Gold Corporation in 1990. Viceroy used the property to access their local mine and rehabilitated the ranch headquarters to serve as an executive retreat. Since the mid-1990s, the property has changed hands several times and is now located in the midst of an expansive desert tortoise conservation area. View the ranch chronology. THE RANCH TODAY The 160-acre Walking Box Ranch is located approximately seven miles west of Searchlight and just south of State Route 164. The facilities include a two-story 5060 sq. ft. home, 2095 sq. ft. barn, 960 sq. ft. caretaker’s residence, 1200 sq. ft. guesthouse, a 60x120 foot swimming pool, tennis court, and miscellaneous structures. Outside there is a 575 sq. ft. cactus garden and a 770 sq. ft. covered patio with a built-in barbecue. The main house features terra cotta tile on the first floor and hardwood floors on the second. The six bedrooms and six bathrooms retain most of the original tile work. The original desert stone fireplace remains as the centerpiece of the authentic great room, and a rustic wooden bar draws visitors into the family/game room.
THE LAND Some of Southern Nevada’s most significant ecological and cultural resources are embodied just outside the barbed wire fences surrounding the ranch. Being adjacent to wilderness areas and areas of critical environmental concern, the region is habitat for some 300 native plant species and the threatened desert tortoise. It is sits at 4,000 feet above sea level.
THE FUTURE The property currently is undergoing a detailed survey and cataloging of the structures, cultural artifacts, and historic land uses. The structures will be restored/renovated to stabilize and preserve the buildings’ interior and exterior. Renovations will be completed in accordance with requirements to place the ranch on the National Register of Historic Places. Master planning will be conducted to determine if the property should include a public museum and interpretive center, as well as using a portion of the surrounding environs as a field research station and training center. By taking these steps, the Bureau of Land Management and UNLV promote the public appreciation of a historic site, preserve early 1930s architecture, and provide a venue for public education about the fragile ecosystems of the Mojave Desert. |
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