Corriganville: Then and Now 2008

My 2008 return visit to the Corriganville (Hopetown) Movie Ranch outside of Simi Valley California, site of the old annual Corriganville Grand Prix Motorcycle race with historical pics and video added. I had my dates wrong however, the first time I was here was when I was 6 years old in 1964 and the last time was in 1975.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Corriganville
• Hopetown
• motorcycle racing
• history
• bike
• Randy Robbins
• Randyr3

[nyc783]

Randy:

I took another look at your film, which I transferred, with others, to DVD.

You mentioned, if I heard correctly, that Triumph 500cc Cycles were used in the races? I used to ride motorcycles in those days. What would happen if one of those "beasts" slipped in the dirt?

Like to share Corriganville info with you without tying up this board. E-mal me a good address at abner2665@yahoo.com and I will send you some Corriganville material with my regular e-mail address.

[Randyr3]

@nyc783 I sent you an email. By the 70's Triumph's were pretty much gone from off road, motocross type racing. Earlier on in the 60's Triumph's, BSA's etc... were common in American off road racing. The fact that John Hateley won on a 500cc Triumph in 1975 was a little odd because Husky's, Yamaha's, Honda's etc etc...Were the bikes of choice.

[nyc783]

Randy:

When you were at the races in 1975, do you remember seeing the Fort Apache set?

[Randyr3]

@nyc783 I don't actually remember, we were there so many times and I was pretty young for a lot of it. My last time there as a kid was in '75 and I was 16. I'm 53 now. I have lots of memories of exploring the western town sets (2 of them) the caves, the villages, the lake, Apache village, the bad guy hideouts etc etc... But I don't really remember in which visits those experiences happened. I'm pretty sure in 1975 I was more interested in the racing then... ?

[nyc783]

Might add one more comment about Corriganville. The Fort Apache set was the only one which was not destroyed by the fire. It was torn down. The set was originally built for one movie of the same name, and not built well to begin with. By 1961, all of the set was gated so people could not enter it, for fear of it collapsing. It was demolished by 1963. The rest of the sets were toast (sorry for the pun). Those motorcycle races video gave us one last chance to see some of the remaining sets.

[Randyr3]

@nyc783 When we first started going there for the races, all the sets were in place. In fact one year we took some friends and a buddy and I went exploring the entire day, didn't watch a single race just went looking for all the sets, caves etc etc... Found 'em all too. Then they built the freeway and it seems to me that things just started going downhill from there especially the fires. I am happy to say that I was at the last race in 1975.

[TheLonlycowboy]

The movie "Vigilante Force" 1976 was one of the last to be filmed at Corriganville. Views of the

Hotel/sound stage and of the Big Red Barn. Also a quick scene filmed at the 'Lake" area with Jan Michael Vincent running through the dry lake.

[Newk444]

It was called Hope town in the early 70's not "79" The Hope town races were a highlight of world wide competition and us in Simi looked forward to them every year!! Very cool bro thanx for the memories!

[64downtown]

a lot of the jungle jim series were filmed here--especially killer ape 1953--recognise that cave area-thanks for posting

[nyc783]

Randyr3:

Yes, the freeway played a major role in destroying both Corriganville (or Hopeville) and Iverson ranches. Iverson looks WORSE today, with the freeway very visable and condos all over the place! At least Corriganville was saved by the city/park district, or at least the areas used for filmmaking.

I am not sure, but think I read that they used Iverson for motorcycle riding as well.

The sets at Corriganville were deteriorating for lack of care. Loved to have seen in in its prime.