LEARNING LOCAL HISTORY STORY OF THE STRAUSS RANCH INCLUDED IN NATURE WALK.

Byline: Cecilia Chan Staff Writer

AGOURA HILLS - Lynn Boydston of Santa Monica came prepared - hiking shoes, shorts, water and an apple.

Boydston was one of three hikers and two docents who came out on a sunny Saturday morning for a 1.5-mile nature walk and to learn the cultural history of the Peter Strauss Ranch, a 70-acre spread off of Mulholland Highway. The walks are held monthly.

``I've been hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains for three years,'' said Boydston, of Santa Monica. ``But this is my first time here.''

Boydston said he has hiked all over the mountain but never knew the history of the ranch. So when he learned of the walk he decided to take the opportunity to do so.

The ranch site, which includes a stone house, a caretaker's house and an aviary, was built in 1923 by Harry Miller, who patented the carburetor, explained Lois Keele, who was leading Saturday's walk. Nearby was an unused swimming pool that was wildly popular in the 1950s, but now stood with stagnant water and weeds popping up through the cracks on the bottom.

Miller lost the property during the Great Depression and it landed up in several hands before Strauss took over the ranch in 1977 and sunk in $250,000 worth of repairs. In 1983, the actor, who starred in ``Rich Man, Poor Man,'' sold the ranch to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and in 1987 the National Park Service purchased the site. The ranch is opened daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and hosts summer concerts and other events.

Usually between 12 and 20 hikes attend the walks, Keele said. Saturday's hikers were treated to the sight of two, free-roaming male peacocks.

The ranch has coyotes, fox and raccoon but unfortunately they only come out at night, Keele said.

Keele said she planned to show hikers native plants and how they were used by the Chumash Indians.

Lyle Larsen's last time out at the ranch was about four years ago.

``I was out here by myself and I didn't know what I was looking at,'' he said.

Saturday's hike would give him a chance to learn some of the historical background of the ranch, he said.

The walk would be a piece of cake for Boydston, who was use to five- hour long hikes.

``The Santa Monica Mountains is the best kept secret in LA,'' he said. ``It's a beautiful place and not many people take advantage of it.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

(1 -- color) Lois Keele leads a group of walkers Saturday morning at the Peter Strauss Ranch.

(2 -- color) Keele surveys the scene of the nature walk in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News