Ventura County Landmark No. 63: Goebel's Lion Farm Site (aka Jungleland)

Today, the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza is located on the former site of Goebel’s Lion Farm, later known as Jungleland. After acquiring the property in 1925, Louis and Kathleen Goebel opened Goebel’s Lion Farm, where they trained lions and rented them to movie studios. As travelers passed through town, many were drawn by the chance to see the famous animals they had seen on screen. Louis Goebel capitalized on this interest in 1929, when the site became “Goebel’s Wild Animal Farm,” a theme park that became very popular in the 1940s and 1950s. The 170‑acre site housed numerous animals, including elephants, tigers, giraffes, hippos, and chimpanzees. Many TV shows and movies were filmed there, such as Tarzan and The Adventures of Robin Hood (Conejo Valley Guide, 2023).

Goebel’s Wild Animal Farm was home to Leo the Lion of MGM Pictures fame. Over the years, other animal “celebrities” included Mister Ed, the talking horse; Bimbo, the elephant from Circus Boy; and Tamba, the chimpanzee featured in the Tarzan films and in Bedtime for Bonzo, starring Ronald Reagan and Diana Lynn (Conejo Valley Guide, 2023).

Goebel sold Jungleland in 1946, and the park was renamed the “World Jungle Compound.” Ten years later, it was sold again to executives from 20th Century‑Fox and renamed “Jungleland.” After five years of declining business, Goebel repurchased the park in 1961 (Conejo Valley Guide, 2023).

Jungleland closed in October 1969 as its popularity continued to decline due to increased competition from attractions such as Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, and Universal Studios, as well as the rerouting of Highway 101, which diverted drivers away from the area. The park operated for 43 years, and its 1,800 animal occupants were sold at auction (Conejo Valley Guide, 2023).