When I moved to the West San Fernando Valley, I was able to get out and ride my bicycle on Valley Circle. After going up a pretty brutal hill, I rode down a nice downhill stretch towards Ingomar and came upon a little park with the cutest name, Lazy J Ranch Park (photo above courtesy of Heidi Manning). It seemed an ideal place for kids to enjoy the outdoors with the background of the mountains.
I wondered what the history of Lazy J Ranch was since I didn’t see what I thought was a ranch. Obviously, at one point there must have been a working ranch on the site. I turned to the internet for some answers. I didn’t find much except a Yelp listing and a listing on the LA Dept of Parks and Recreation, which didn’t have any historical information. I turned to my favorite resource, Newspapers.com for some insight.
The story of Lazy J Ranch begins with Genevieve “Jerry” Johnson or “Mrs. J” (1915-2008) and her husband Arnold “Red/Par” Johnson (1910-1983) moving from Illinois to the West Coast in 1945. Jerry was an artist and taught at a the Progressive School in Pasadena. This is where she found her passion of teaching children. Jerry and Red opened their first children’s weekend camp at the Lazy J Ranch when it was called Canoga Park in 1945.
A clipping from the Valley Times in 1950 announcing it’s opening for the summer season.
An advertisement in the paper for the camp calling all kids!
In 1959, there was a fire that damaged the cabins on the ranch. The fire burned in Dayton Canyon, towards Bell Canyon, and the Simi Hills.
Youth organizations, like the Girl Scouts and Brownies spent time here together.
As homes started to spread towards the Lazy J Ranch, developers were snatching up land nearby. The Johnsons sought another location and purchased in Malibu on Yerba Buena Road. The property had been developed by William “Hopalong Cassidy” Boyd, from Duncan Reynaldo, who portrayed the Cisco Kid.
Jerry and Arnold had one daughter, Judith Ann “Judy” Johnson who was a competitor in local horse shows.
“Judy Johnson, 19, of the Lazy J Ranch, Canoga Park, will headline the clays entertainment with a d e m o n s t ration of the horsemanship which helped to win the crown of United States Champion, Stock Saddle Seat. Miss Johnson, who began entering competition at the age of four, is a student at Pierce College. Youngsters from the Lazy J childrens day and resident camp also will participate in the competition.”
Excerpt from Valley Times (shown below)
Judy Johnson married Clyde Kennedy, a local horse trainer in 1963.
The ranch by 1964 was now solely in Malibu.
Jerry Johnson was famous for her Christmas parties which he was feature in the Los Angeles Time for in 2003. You can find the links to the article here.
The Quimby Act passed in 1965 requires developers to set aside parkland and open space for recreational purposes. Below is a list of land since 1972 the City of Los Angeles acquired through the Quimby program.
In 1994, when the Northridge Earthquake hit, it was a meeting place for an earthquake damage forum for the public.
Jerry Johnson, the matriarch of the Lazy J Ranch passed away on October 23, 2008 on the Lazy J Ranch at her home and was 93.
“Children from all walks of life enjoyed their experiences at the Lazy J Ranch. Jerry loved to recount the pranks that many now well known folks got up to while attending camp. Although busily involved with the camp, Jerry still found time to learn to fly a plane, terrifying her husband by buzzing the ranch one afternoon. Jerry was preceded in death by her husband in 1983. She will be remembered fondly by her many friends, neighbors and those who attended the camp, both counsellors and campers alike, as a gracious lady, a dedicated children’s advocate and a fun-loving person. Jerry loved both impromptu get-togethers and more formal affairs, such as her famous annual Christmas party. She also took great delight in the annual neighborhood Labor Day softball games at her ranch and the potluck parties that followed. Jerry Johnson enjoyed life and lived it to the fullest.”
On August 2, 2009, KAB7 Eyewitness News wrote an article stating after the death of Jerry Johnson, her daughter Judy could not afford the inheritance tax and had to sell the ranch. It closed in the Fall of 2009. Ranch Director, Craig Johnson said, “Lazy J ranch camp here in Malibu has been around since 1945 and because of the death of Mrs. Johnson, the original owner, the property has been sold and consequently it’s being turned into a spa-type setting.”
“I’ve met all my friends here, I’ve had amazing experiences. I’ve learned how to surf, I’ve learn how kayak, I’ve taken care of animals, I’ve done the horseback riding program.”
Courtney Hutchison (Former Camp Director at Lazy J)
As I was researching for this post, I found a curious entry on Reddit about the Lazy J Camp in Malibu. It’s somewhat of a scary possibly haunted story about the ranch. Have any of you reading this heard about it? Click on the link below for the post.
Did anyone else go to Lazy J Ranch Camp in Malibu Canyon and have a paranormal experience? JW from r/Paranormal
Through my research on the Johnsons and Lazy J, it appears they truly had a passion for horses and animals, educating children, and creating memorable experiences. I’m sure any kid that attended one of their camps has some great stories to share. I would love if your reading this and have attended a camp to please comment below on your experiences so the stories can be shared and memorialized for these dedicated community members.
West SFV Lifestyle 
Leave a reply to Cynthia McArthur Cancel reply