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In the Los Angeles fires, the historic home of the late actor Will Rogers was destroyed. More than 2,000 buildings have burned in the wake of the fire in the city's Pacific Palisades neighborhood, which expanded over 17,000 acres and was made worse by hurricane-speed winds. The fire is one of several wildfires engulfing Southern California. Among the historic structures at Will Rogers State Historic Park that were destroyed in the aftermath of the destruction was the 31-room ranch house of an American vaudeville performer.
In a statement issued on January 8, State Parks Director Armando Quintero said, "California State Parks laments the loss of these valued natural and cultural resources, and our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the devastating fires in the Los Angeles area." We are focusing all of our resources since yesterday afternoon into the emergency response effort and working to secure and protect as much as we can at affected nearby state parks.”
Rogers' vaudeville performances catapulted him to stardom, making him one of the most popular actors of the mid-1930s. After that, he gained notoriety as a radio host, movie star, and aviation enthusiast. And the Hollywood star, who passed away in a plane crash in 1935 at the age of 55, had come to construct a 359-acre ranch in Pacific Palisades that included a huge ranch house, stables, riding trails, and even a golf course.
However, in a tragic turn of events, the ranch was destroyed by the merciless flames sweeping across California. The ranch had been turned into a historic state park after his wife, Betty Blake, donated the land in 1944.
At least 130,000 locals have been forced to leave their homes and possessions behind as a result of the ongoing fires, which have also destroyed beloved landmarks and historic buildings. Some, like Paris Hilton, Mandy Moore, and Billy Crystal, received the heartbreaking news that their homes had been destroyed, while others, like Jamie Lee Curtis, expressed doubt about whether they would have a place to call home again.
"The magnitude of the destruction we are seeing and feeling is beyond words," the When Harry Met Sally star told People. "We are deeply saddened by the loss of our friends and neighbors' homes and businesses in this tragedy."
Furthermore, for Billy and his wife, Janice Crystal, the tragedy meant losing a very sentimental piece of their past in addition to their home.
He added, "Janice and I have resided in our house since 1979." Here, we brought up our kids and grandkids. There was love in every square inch of our home. Lovely memories that are irreplaceable. Naturally, we are devastated, but we will overcome this with the support of our friends and kids.
