Keys Ranch
Joshua Tree National Park, CA
Keys Ranch (formerly the Desert Queen Ranch) was one of the most successful homesteads developed in the high desert region of southern California in the twentieth century. The ranch, now a historic site, is located within Joshua Tree National Park. Bill Keys settled in the area in 1910, and through use of the Homestead Act, created a ranch that included 80 acres, a small lake, a ranch house, barn, machine shop, several small guest houses, and a schoolhouse. To support his family Keys worked at a variety of activities including gold mining, gold ore processing, cattle ranching and assaying.
Li · Saltzman Architects was retained by the National Park Service (NPS) to prepare a Historic Furnishings Report for six structures located on the ranch. Through research and documentation of existing building fabric, furniture, household accessories, and interior finishes, LSA provided the NPS with guidelines for re-creating various rooms as part of the interpretation of the historic ranch from the 1930s to the 1950s.
