Some of William S. Hart's Westerns were shot on and around the Horseshoe Ranch in Newhall. In 1921, as his movie-making career was starting to wind down, Hart purchased the Newhall property. He commissioned Los Angeles architect Arthur Kelly to design a magnificent Spanish colonial style mansion, which Hart christened La Loma de los Vientos (Hill of the Winds). Hart lived in present-day West Hollywood and moved permanently to his Newhall estate in 1927 when the mansion was complete.

Below are two documents pertaining to the mansion, the first being what is in effect an invitation for a bid from Hart to Kelly, and the second, some notes from Kelly's files following his discussions with Mary Ellen Hart, the actor's younger and wheelchair-bound sister.

The William S. Hart Company
6404 Sunset Boulevard
Hollywood, California

July 12, 1926.

Mr. Arthur Kelly,
2512 W. 7th St.,
Los Angeles, Calif.

Dear Mr. Kelly:

I am contemplating building a Spanish style home on my Ranch at Newhall. Would you care to take a trip up there with me to look the location over and see if you would care to submit plans.

I would want the work to be a contract job and I would want it started in the near future and completed as rapidly as possible.

Newhall is twenty four miles from Cahuenga and Hollywood Boulevard. It has good living accommodations for workmen.

You can call me here at the office — Granite 0751, at my home — Granite 9878 after 5:30 and we can arrange time for me to take you up to the ranch and look it over

Very truly yours,

/s/ William S. Hart

[Kelly's notes]

The plan which Miss Hart has sketched out is her idea of requirements as far as number of rooms is concerned, but the sizes and arrangement will not fit the contours.

They will want a living room about 23' x 44' and three bedrooms, with their closets, dressing rooms and baths.

Miss Hart is an invalid and has to have a large, airy bedroom, with a fireplace, and big bathroom and dressing room. She has indicated in her plan that the bathroom comes between the bedroom and the dressing room. This is rather unusual, and probably could be better arranged in some other way. Her bedroom wants to be placed so that it has a good exposure and plenty of air.

The location of Mr. Hart's bedroom is not so important.

The third bedroom, which will be a guest's room or possibly a nurse's room, if Miss Hart requires a nurse, should be located convenient to Miss Hart's room.

The dining room, kitchen, servant's room and laundry can all go down below the main floor. The slope of the hill will take care of this.

Of course, the plan has to be made to fit the contours of the mountain.