Deserted Film Sets Frozen in Hollywood History

30. Western Town at Paramount Ranch, California: Lost to Fire

Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills served as a versatile Western town for decades—hosting everything from Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman to Westworld. Built in the 1920s by Paramount Pictures, the old-time facades, saloons, and storefronts formed a living backlot. Tragically, the 2018 Woolsey Fire destroyed most of it. What remains is charred framework, scorched signage, and a haunting silence where film crews once bustled. It’s a rare example of a cinematic world quite literally going up in smoke. Now a site of both mourning and reverence, it reminds us how fragile movie magic—and memory—can be.