He also would like to visit the store the Family bought their buck knives at in Santa Monica. Does anyone know if the name of that store is Western Supply Store? Or anything else about where the store? Is that even the correct name?
And, does anyone have any good locations in those areas that are M related he can go check out? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Check out the house where "Zero" was done in. It's right on Venice Beach at 28 Clubhouse Ave. I once sublet an apartment 2 buildings over from it. At the time, I had no idea I was so close. According to Simon Cowell, there was a lot of Manson Family action on Clubhouse Ave. Have fun!
ReplyDeleteManson purchased the Tate/Sebring rope at the Jack Frost Surplus store on Santa Monica Blvd. near the 405 Fwy. I don't believe the store is there any longer.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Buck knives......
According to Danny DeCarlo 10-12 knives were purchased by Gypsy in late August 1969. And handed out to various folks at the ranch.
I don't know were she was suposed to have bought them.
I don't know if it's still there but another interesting place to visit would be the locations of the Malibu Feedbin and the Spiral Staircase house. The Feedbin is were Sadie/Linda/Clem hitched to the evening of the LaBianca murders,hung out awhile,smoked a joint or two with hippies who crashed behind the business.
Everyone knows how the Spiral Staircase fits into the saga.
Both were located on Pacific Coast Hwy. at the mouth of Topanga Canyon.
Have Creepy Crawly fun.
I don't believe Sanders indicates where the various buck knives were purchased. I don't know if Bugliosi either established where the buck knives had been purchased, although he did put Dan DeCarlo on the stand to testify that Catherine Share mentioned to him that she had "been instructed" to purchase several buck knives and distributed them to some of the folks at the ranch. I highly doubt they were purchased at the Western Surplus Store in Hawthorne, which was some thirty miles from the ranch. The store, which was demolished in 2005, didn't really intersect with the family until the 1971 shootout.
ReplyDeleteAs for things to see in LA, there are countless. I lived in Los Angeles until my early twenties and spent an embarrassing amount of time exploring probably every site to see connected to the case. One of my favorite expeditions is to drive up Topanga Canyon Blvd. from Pacific Coast Highway. The beach there is where some claim the family filmed a ritual murder and/or orgy. Driving north one passes, among other things, the site of the famed Spiral Staircase, a number of family residences (including one that Neil Young remembered a few years later to be close to his own house at the time), Gary Hinman's house, the Topanga Corral (where the Milky Way played a few gigs [never with Dennis Wilson as Manson has recently claimed]), and the location for the Ramrodder film shoot. As one leaves the canyon and ventures into the valley toward the ranch, one passes the site of the former Yellow Submarine house, the supermarket where the girls used to dumpster dive, and the Sears where Sandy and Mary got popped for using stolen credit cards. From here it's onto Santa Susanna Pass and the ranch. It's easy to park one's car across the street at the church that now stands across from the ranch site and walk down a short bank into the heart of the ranch. On Youtube, Backporchtapes has an easy to follow video showing just how simple it is. I would also recommend going over to Box Canyon where the Fountain of the World was headquartered. It is now inhabited by a guy who calls himself the president of the Dominion of Melchizedek (an organization/"country" that is fascinating in its own right). All this in one drive!
I'll gladly supply any additional info or ideas. I wish I could make the trip to LA as well. I've not been back to see the family (my family that is) in a couple years.
As for things to see in LA, there are countless. I lived in Los Angeles until my early twenties and spent an embarrassing amount of time exploring probably every site to see connected to the case. One of my favorite expeditions is to drive up Topanga Canyon Blvd. from Pacific Coast Highway. The beach there is where some claim the family filmed a ritual murder and/or orgy. Driving north one passes, among other things, the site of the famed Spiral Staircase, a number of family residences (including one that Neil Young remembered a few years later to be close to his own house at the time), Gary Hinman's house, the Topanga Corral (where the Milky Way played a few gigs [never with Dennis Wilson as Manson has recently claimed]), and the location for the Ramrodder film shoot. As one leaves the canyon and ventures into the valley toward the ranch, one passes the site of the former Yellow Submarine house, the supermarket where the girls used to dumpster dive, and the Sears where Sandy and Mary got popped for using stolen credit cards. From here it's onto Santa Susanna Pass and the ranch. It's easy to park one's car across the street at the church that now stands across from the ranch site and walk down a short bank into the heart of the ranch. On Youtube, Backporchtapes has an easy to follow video showing just how simple it is. I would also recommend going over to Box Canyon where the Fountain of the World was headquartered. It is now inhabited by a guy who calls himself the president of the Dominion of Melchizedek (a "country" that is fascinating in its own right). All this in one drive!
ReplyDeletethanks everyone.
ReplyDeleteand "S" pretty much everything you mentioned he already has plans for those spots too. thank you.
Jonathan- Simon Cowell?????
ReplyDeleteyeah what is the Simon Cowell connection?
ReplyDeleteDid you mean Simon Wells?
ReplyDeleteYou might also consider having your final meal before returning at El Coyote restaurant on Beverly Blvd.
ReplyDeleteWE need to save all of these for my trip lol good stuff here...
ReplyDeleteI'm leaving a week from tomorrow for Corcoran Prison to meet the good ole' man himself and a few of his friends. I'm spending a week there and plan on spending a lot of time with a couple of his friends on the outside. I'm so curious to meet them. I'll update you all on my return.
ReplyDeleteTake it easy all.......
Anonymous, take lots of pictures...
ReplyDeleteHave a fun and safe trip!!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry for the typo guys. Yes, I meant Simon Wells. (Simon Cowell - lol!), and I don't even like American Idol. Shows where my brain was that night. I think it was a shoveling-induced brain freeze. Yeah, I just finished reading "Coming Down Fast". Really liked it.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely visit the Spahn site. Just beware of the poison oak, and the crazy old geezer on the golf cart. Oh yeah, and I highly recommend parking on Iverson Rd, directly across from Spahn(and not in the church parking lot above - they don't really favor that kind of behavior). The Yellow Submarine site is really close to the ranch, although, the building isn't there anymore. The neighborhood is kind of the pits. They film a lot of porn there, and drug deals and such. Not a whole lot to see. Box Canyon is kind of creepy.
I went on a little Manson tour 2 years ago, using the Watkins' book as a reference. Was able to track down the area of the house he first met the family at in Topanga. Have fun. Definitely study Michael's backporchtapes youtube videos. Those are very resourceful. I only wish I had had access to those a few years back. Good luck!
Sorry, I deleted my comment because of a couple typos. Anyways...
ReplyDeleteI would advise AGAINST eating at El Coyote. The food is awful. It tastes like a Stoffers Mexican frozen tv dinner, but way worse. The drinks are good and pretty strong.
There is an interactive map over at Charliemanson.com that has EVERYTHING that has to do with the family on it.
Love your site liz...
ty stacey!
ReplyDelete