During the mid-20th century, the American West was often mythologized as a land of total freedom. However, for African Americans living under the shadow of Jim Crow laws, that freedom was often restricted by “sundown town” ordinances and segregated recreational facilities. In the heart of Apple Valley, California, Nolie and Lela Murray created a defiance to this exclusion: Murray’s Dude Ranch. From the late 1920s through the 1950s, this Black-owned cattle and guest ranch served as a critical cultural sanctuary, a filming location for pioneering cinema, and a world-class vacation destination for Black Americans (Jefferson, 2007).
From Health Retreat to Cultural Landmark
The ranch’s story began in 1922 when Nolie B. Murray, a successful Los Angeles entrepreneur and former bail bondsman, purchased 40 acres of desert land in San Bernardino County. The move was initially motivated by the health of his wife, Lela, a registered nurse who suffered from respiratory issues (California State Parks, 2021).
Initially established as a retreat for “wayward” city youth, the Murrays officially opened the land to the public as a “dude ranch” in the 1930s. Nolie Murray became an iconic figure in the region, famously known for his signature overalls and straw hat, earning the ranch the nickname “The Overall Wearing Dude Ranch” (Smith, 2012).
A Sanctuary for the “Who’s Who” of Black Excellence
As word of the ranch’s hospitality spread, it became the premier destination for African Americans who were barred from luxury hotels in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The ranch offered amenities that were rarely accessible to Black travelers at the time, including a swimming pool, tennis courts, and horseback riding.
In 1937, heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis visited the ranch to train and relax. A feature in Life magazine documenting his stay catapulted the ranch to international fame. Other notable guests included:
Hattie McDaniel: The first African American to win an Academy Award.
Lena Horne: Renowned singer and actress.
Bill “Bojangles” Robinson: Legendary tap dancer.
Clark Gable: A rare example of the ranch’s occasional white guests, illustrating the “no-nonsense” inclusive atmosphere Nolie maintained (Jefferson, 2007).
The “Bronze Buckaroo” and Black Westerns
Murray’s Ranch played a pivotal role in film history as a primary location for “race films”—movies produced specifically for Black audiences with all-Black casts. The ranch served as the backdrop for several Westerns starring Herb Jeffries, known as the “Bronze Buckaroo.” Films such as Harlem on the Prairie (1937) and Two-Gun Man from Harlem (1938) were filmed on the property, providing a platform for Black actors to portray heroes in a genre that typically relegated them to subservient or comedic roles (Smith, 2012).
The Pearl Bailey Era and Decline
Following Lela Murray’s death in 1949, Nolie eventually sought to retire. In 1955, the ranch was sold to the famous singer and actress Pearl Bailey and her husband, drummer Louie Bellson. Bailey renamed the property the “Lazy B” and used it primarily as a private family retreat rather than a public resort.
As the Civil Rights Movement led to the desegregation of mainstream hotels and resorts in the 1960s, the necessity for segregated sanctuaries like Murray’s Ranch diminished. Bailey sold the property in the mid-1960s. After years of changing ownership and falling into extreme disrepair, the remaining structures were burned down by the Apple Valley Fire Department in 1988 as part of a controlled training exercise (California State Parks, 2021).
Present Day
Though no buildings remain today, the site of Murray’s Dude Ranch remains a symbol of Black entrepreneurship and resilience. It provided a space where African Americans could enjoy the “Western experience” with dignity, proving that the desert was not just a place of isolation, but a place of community and joy.
Read the Ebony Magazine Article here -> https://archive.org/details/sim_ebony_1947-02_2_4/page/n3/mode/2up
Sources
California State Parks. (2021). African Americans in California’s History. Office of Historic Preservation. https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/
Jefferson, A. J. (2007). The Leimert Park: Village of African American culture. Arcadia Publishing.
Smith, C. L. (2012). The Black West: A documentary and pictorial history of the African American role in the westward expansion of the United States. Sourcebooks, Inc.
Taylor, Q. (1998). In search of the racial frontier: African Americans in the American West, 1528-1990. W. W. Norton & Company.
