Tom Fuhrman, Wooden Nickel Ranch Hold onto a Bit of History

Tom Fuhrman relaxes in front of the Broken Horn Saloon, part of the ghost town he created on his ranch property.

Tom Fuhrman says he was a proponent of cityhood for Menifee, which was incorporated in 2008. He acknowledges the march of progress that has resulted in the vast housing developments in what was once strictly a rural area.

At the same time, Fuhrman cherishes history and wide-open spaces. That is clearly evident in his 25-acre Wooden Nickel Ranch on the rural western edge of town.

"I'm all for protecting property rights," said Furhman, who was elected to the Menifee City Council last year. "I believe in keeping the country, country and the city, city."

Furhman's sprawling ranch on a hilly stretch of land off Holland Road is considered by many to be "country" at its best. Visitors and residents alike often stop in at the Wooden Nickel to check out Furhman's western artifacts, see his herd of 45 horses, or simply sit in the shade and take in the atmosphere.

If you enjoy farm life and have at least a little cowboy in you, the Wooden Nickel Ranch is hard to pass up. Fuhrman, 67 and a retired self-employed tool and die specialist, thrives in the rustic atmosphere of the place.

A replica mine entrance represents the mining history of the area.

Among the "attractions" on his ranch are:

-- A full-scale replica of a Western town, constructed with lumber and furnishings salvaged from the former estate of the late actor Audie Murphy, whose former property borders Furhman's.

-- An airplane hangar, relocated from Murphy's property and adorned on the roof with a giant American flag and the message "Welcome Home Troops," which is seen by military pilots on the flight path to nearby March Air Reserve Base.

-- Two 1800s era buckboard wagons, a replica mine shaft entrance, and dozens of antiques and artifacts - everything from branding irons to a plunger from a hand washing machine to a giant "spade" used to trim the blubber off whales.

-- A pavilion, built by Fuhrman and his son-in-law with local lumber, suitable for receptions, square dances and anything that seems appropriate under the wagon wheel and lantern lights.

-- A firepit, surrounded by hand-carved wooden benches, that is used by various community groups for night-time gatherings.

-- Horse stables, open fields and a scenic meadow that has been used for everything from weddings to Halloween haunts to Civil War re-enactments.

A wagon originally used in the 1800s sits near the horse stables.

"If I'm not busy, I'll let 'em use it," Fuhrman said about his willingness not only to host any visitor who comes along, but also large community and service groups. He hosts local Boy Scout Troop 444 on Monday nights; a Narcotics Anonymous group on Tuesday nights; the Paloma Valley High School football team on Thursday nights; and a church Bible study group on Saturday morning, among other things.

"I also have a skeet range up the road," Fuhrman said. "The people come to Bible study and they want to shoot skeet. I tell them, 'You can come and shoot, but you've got to go to the Bible study first.'"

In August, the ranch hosted a Hot Country Night fundraiser for Canine Support Teams, Inc., a locally-based nonprofit organization that provides assistance dogs for people with disabilities. The event, featuring a barbecue, music and dancing, raised nearly $20,000.

Life hasn't been all peace and quiet on the ranch, however. In 2008, Riverside County officials put a stop to the annual Civil War re-enactments, saying Fuhrman lacked the proper conditional use permits. Others have complained about the frequent activity on the ranch and noise, both from the Wooden Nickel Ranch and previous construction on the former Murphy Ranch property, which has been delayed several times.

According to one published report in 2007, Riverside County officials at one time were considering action to prevent all public events on the ranch.

Antique farm tools sit atop the sign that greets visitors on Holland Road.

Through it all, Fuhrman perseveres. He continues to host many events on the ranch and says he provides use of the facility free of charge.

Fuhrman, a native of Pennsylvania, has lived on the ranch since 1993, when he acquired it after his Hemet ranch was seized through eminent domain for a metropolitan water project. He soon befriended his neighbor -- Adolpho Perez, who had managed the Audie Murphy ranch since the 1950s.

Murphy, a highly decorated World War II veteran who starred in 44 films, died in a plane crash in 1971. Perez maintained the property for decades afterward. Actor Bob Hope later bought the property, which was eventually sold to Brookfield Land Development.

Plans were made for a large housing development on the property but have been delayed several times. The development company ran into resistance from the Pechanga band of the Luiseno Indians over sacred grounds including many metates (stone-grinding surfaces), Furhman said.

Movie posters featuring Audie Murphy grace the walls in the Audie Murphy Hotel.

In the negotiations that followed, said Fuhrman, Brookfield Land Development donated 105 acres of the former Murphy ranch to the Pechanga Indian tribe -- the original inhabitants of the land. Dennis Chapman, president of Brookfield, also allowed Fuhrman to salvage much of the Murphy ranch belongings.

Fuhrman's 21-year-old grandson, Devin LaMon, says he's been living and working on the Wooden Nickel Ranch since he was "a little buckaroo." He and a friend did much of the construction on the horse corrals and he does a lot of the manual labor on the ranch.

"Hopefully, I can take it over one day," LaMon said.

If Fuhrman has anything to say about it, the place will always be there -- virtually untouched by the march of time. Although his job as a city councilmember involves negotiations over land development in the area, Fuhrman says that because of the adjacent land deeded to the Indian tribes, the Wooden Nickel is in no danger of being bulldozed to create new housing.

"It will never happen," he said. "The land was dedicated to them (the Indian tribes) with the stipulation it would always be open, sacred land."

Fuhrman and those who enjoy the tranquility of his property are pretty happy about that.

A full-scale Western town is a popular attraction with visitors.

Lindsey Rodriguez, age 6, receives a riding lesson from instructor Daltyn Hayes.

A pavilion built from local lumber is the site of many social events.

Military pilots see Furhman's greeting on the top of the old Audie Murphy airplane hangar.