The acclaimed Star Wars filmmaker, George Lucas, lives and works on his famous 1860’s Victorian-designed Skywalker Ranch in Marin County, CA. Lucas has said, “I’m basically a Victorian person… I love Victorian artifacts… I love all kinds of old things. The 5,156-acre spread, which boasts its own fire brigade, houses Skywalker Sound, Lucas' post-production company (Cast Away, Million Dollar Baby), as well as five acres of olive trees, a herd of longhorn cattle and even bee colonies. It is located in a secluded, but open area, and not open to the public. Lucas displays his Hollywood memorabilia--the Holy Grail from the Indiana Jones series, Charlie Chaplin's cane--inside the 50,000-square-foot main house. No photographs are allowed. The entrance hall features a grand curving staircase – the story goes that it took three times to put together the hand assembled redwood staircase before Lucas was satisfied. The sizable and rare redwood was salvaged from trestles and bridges that were being modernized in the western US. Lucas set up a wood shop and a glass shop on site during construction and they produced the beautiful redwood lumber and etched glass used throughout the main house. The breakfast room, left of the entrance hall is decorated in Colonial Williamsburg style, furnished with antiques with a very large center table. As we toured the house we found many different themes. Off the entrance hall is a large 30’x60’ reception room with a large fireplace. There were many windows letting in light and the room was paneled in rich redwood. A hallway spans much of the center length of the ranch house. The breathtaking Skywalker Ranch library has isles of bookcases, thousands of books, and tables and chairs for research sessions. The light in the library has a different quality, and looking up we see a 40’ stained glass dome in gold, red and orange. The library has a 2nd level, reached by a spiral staircase. In the back of the house is a Victorian-style solarium with beautiful views. There is a large building on the acreage, housing the Lucasflim archives for his three blockbuster Star Wars films. There is also an observatory on the Ranch with a large telescope. In the basement level is a theatre-style private theater, 25’x50’ with 15 recliners. Each has a marble end table and touch-sensitive bankers lamp. Fans: rest easy. There will be more Star Wars films in the future.
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