where did the show the big valley take place
The Big Valley The TV series was based loosely on the Hill Ranch, which was located at the western edge of Calaveras County, not far from Stockton.[1] The Hill Ranch existed from 1855 until 1931, included almost 30,000 acres; and the Mokelumne River ran through it.[1] The source is from an episode in which Heath is on trial in a ghost town with another man (played by Leslie Nielsen) and tells the judge how much land they have. Lawson Hill[2][3] ran the ranch until he was murdered in 1861. His wife Euphemia (aka "Auntie Hill")[4][5] then became the matriarch. During their marriage, they had four children, one daughter and three sons.[1] Today, the location of the ranch is covered by the waters of Camanche Reservoir. A California state historical marker standing at Camanche South Shore Park mentions the historic ranch.