Spahn Ranch Worker, The Stoner Van Houten Story
Donation protected
The goal of this film project is to explore the life of ex con,Bruce Fox(The Spahn Ranch Worker).
Bruce did seven years at Corcoran state prison in California.
Exiting from prison, Bruce returned home to the San Fernando valley, specifically Chatsworth California.
Basically homeless, he often found himself at the former site of Spahn movie ranch, made notorious for being the home of Charles Manson and his family.
Destroyed by fire in September 1971, the area that once encompassed the ranch had been left to Mother Nature and vandals. Despite it now being part of a large state park, rangers for the most part avoided the area and allowed trash and graffiti to accumulate.This only darkened the areas sometimes dark past.
(As a side note, Spahn and neighboring Iverson ranch, was the site of countless western films,dating back to the silent era.
Zoro, The Lone Ranger, Bonanza, Gunsmoke and many others were also filmed here.)
While Bruce was in prison, the rise of social media had occurred. Now, sites like Instagram, Facebook and YouTube made it easy for people to form and find groups and share information and content. Seeing a void and using a topic that interested him, Bruce started bringing a camera to the ranch to show people the area and share some of its history. He also started cleaning the ranch and with the assistance of park rangers, removing the graffiti.
Soon a community was formed online as Bruce continued to clean the ranch, and give tours,both in person and virtually. Now known as the Spahn Ranch Worker, Bruce has created a social media platform that reaches thousands on a daily basis.
Bruce is very open to his followers about his past in prison. Well spoken and an extremely likable person, who also admits that without his passion for the ranch he would most likely be back in prison. He has harnessed a subject most people find dark and upsetting(Charles Manson) and turned it into a positive and saving force in his life. Now happily with his girlfriend and employed, Bruce has found an unconventional redemption in the form of his Manson connected social media outlet.
The Spahn Ranch Worker continues to broadcast daily. He organizes tours and events at the ranch, all for free. Just last year, Bruce organized an event with the surviving members of the Spahn family. This event helps to clear the stigma connected to the Spahn family’s name.
Bruce did seven years at Corcoran state prison in California.
Exiting from prison, Bruce returned home to the San Fernando valley, specifically Chatsworth California.
Basically homeless, he often found himself at the former site of Spahn movie ranch, made notorious for being the home of Charles Manson and his family.
Destroyed by fire in September 1971, the area that once encompassed the ranch had been left to Mother Nature and vandals. Despite it now being part of a large state park, rangers for the most part avoided the area and allowed trash and graffiti to accumulate.This only darkened the areas sometimes dark past.
(As a side note, Spahn and neighboring Iverson ranch, was the site of countless western films,dating back to the silent era.
Zoro, The Lone Ranger, Bonanza, Gunsmoke and many others were also filmed here.)
While Bruce was in prison, the rise of social media had occurred. Now, sites like Instagram, Facebook and YouTube made it easy for people to form and find groups and share information and content. Seeing a void and using a topic that interested him, Bruce started bringing a camera to the ranch to show people the area and share some of its history. He also started cleaning the ranch and with the assistance of park rangers, removing the graffiti.
Soon a community was formed online as Bruce continued to clean the ranch, and give tours,both in person and virtually. Now known as the Spahn Ranch Worker, Bruce has created a social media platform that reaches thousands on a daily basis.
Bruce is very open to his followers about his past in prison. Well spoken and an extremely likable person, who also admits that without his passion for the ranch he would most likely be back in prison. He has harnessed a subject most people find dark and upsetting(Charles Manson) and turned it into a positive and saving force in his life. Now happily with his girlfriend and employed, Bruce has found an unconventional redemption in the form of his Manson connected social media outlet.
The Spahn Ranch Worker continues to broadcast daily. He organizes tours and events at the ranch, all for free. Just last year, Bruce organized an event with the surviving members of the Spahn family. This event helps to clear the stigma connected to the Spahn family’s name.
Organizer
Jason Hay
Organizer
Belfast, ME