Neverland Ranch, or Neverland Valley Ranch, is owned by American pop musician Michael Jackson, although Jackson currently resides outside the United States. It is located at 5225 Figueroa Mountain Rd, Los Olivos, CA 93441, about 5 miles (8 km) north of unincorporated Los Olivos, Santa Barbara County, California . It was once operated as his private amusement park and home when it opened in 1988 ^[1]. The name Neverland came from the fictional island in the story Peter Pan. 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For other people named Michael Jackson, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation). ... Los Olivos is a place in Santa Barbara County, California. ... Santa Barbara County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, just west of Ventura County. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Neverland is the fictional island featured in J. M. Barries play Peter Pan and subsequent novel Peter and Wendy. ... For other uses, see Peter Pan (disambiguation). ...

Background

Sitting as a high sand dune in a valley, Neverland is located about five miles (8 km) north of Los Olivos (about eight miles north of the town of Santa Ynez), in the Santa Ynez Valley. Santa Ynez is a census-designated place located in Santa Barbara County, California. ... The Santa Ynez Valley is a river valley located in Santa Barbara County, California, between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the San Rafael Mountains. ...

Long before Michael Jackson made Neverland his home, the area surrounding Neverland was made of working ranches. Today, the neighborhood is made of vineyards. Neverland, which is over 2,800 acres (11 km²) in size ^[2], contains, among other things, a zoo and a theme park, with a Ferris Wheel, merry-go-round, and bumper cars. As with much of Neverland, little is known about the value of Michael Jackson's former home. In early 2004, news program Entertainment Tonight estimated Neverland Ranch to be valued at approximately $12.0 million. That figure is slightly different from the $6 million the Santa Barbara County assessor's office believes it to be worth. Forbes estimates the ranch may be worth a lot more than that. 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Entertainment Tonight is a daily television entertainment news magazine that is syndicated by CBS Paramount Domestic Television throughout the United States and Canada. ... Forbes Building on Fifth Avenue in New York City Forbes is a publishing and media company. ...

While Neverland was open, it served as the venue of numerous parties held by Michael Jackson. In 1991, Jackson hosted friend Elizabeth Taylor's wedding to Larry Fortensky. On September 13, 2003, he held a grand party to raise money for Oneness, the Make-A-Wish foundation, and pop artist Romero Britto's Brazilian charity, "E Ai Como E Que Fica?" It was dubbed "Michael's mother of all parties" ^[3]. According to a Jackson spokeswoman, groups of children continued to visit the ranch during the 2005 trial, but Jackson had little time to meet with them. After the trial ended in June 2005, Michael Jackson made his primary residence in Bahrain. Dame Elizabeth Rosamund Taylor, DBE (born February 27, 1932) is an iconic two-time Academy Award-winning British actress. ... September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The People of The State of California v. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Some allege that children at Neverland were reckless at times and were not bound by many rules. Children were told to follow a few rules, and were allowed to go about Neverland at will. The children were free to eat whatever and whenever they wanted and sleeping hours were not very regular. Kiki Fournier, a former housekeeper, compared Neverland to Pinocchio's Pleasure Island ^[4]. The Pleasure Island logo Comedians in the Comedy Warehouse perform a musical number Pleasure Island is a section of themed nightclubs at the Walt Disney World Resort within the Downtown Disney shopping, dining and entertainment district. ...

Police searches

In both 1993 and 2003, Jackson was accused of inappropriate sexual behavior towards young boys who had spent a great deal of time at Neverland. These accusations resulted in police searches of the ranch. The 1993 allegations did result in criminal charges and preliminary hearings, but the 2003 allegations lead to a trial in which Jackson was found not guilty on all charges.^[5]. In connection with the 2005 molestation trial, detectives searched Neverland twice. The first search was conducted on November 18, 2003 by more than sixty police officers. The second search took place a year later on December 3, 2004 ^[6]. 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The People of The State of California v. ... November 18 is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 3 is the 337th (in leap years the 338th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Neverland's main mansion closed

After the 2003 police search of Neverland, Jackson decided he would no longer reside at the ranch, and lived at a number of other residences including one in Beverly Hills, but returned to Neverland in late 2004. "I won't live there ever again," he said. "It's a house now. It's not a home anymore. I'll only visit." When the 2005 molestation trial came to an end, Jackson left the United States and Neverland for a stay in Bahrain. For other uses, see: Beverly Hills (disambiguation). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Speculation was rampant about the fate of Neverland, but on March 16, 2006, the main house was officially closed and most of the employees were terminated without benefits or pensions (though approximately $400,000 in back wages were paid). However, all workers finally were compensated under full compliance of law. It was announced that Jackson would not be returning to the United States in the foreseeable future. According to his spokesperson, Raymone Bain, Jackson closed his house for good. March 16 is the 75th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (76th in leap years). ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ...

Animals still at Neverland are currently being cared for by a Neverland employee. Despite allegations of animal mistreatment, the driver of a delivery truck that provided Neverland's animals with food stated, "The animals are well taken care of...". The County Of Santa Barbara removed nearly all of the animals. ^[7]. USDA investigators echoed the same beliefs when they found no credible evidence to suggest that mistreatment claims were true ^[8]. The United States Department of Agriculture (also called the Agriculture Department, or USDA) is a United States Federal Executive Department (or Cabinet Department). ...

In July of 2005, a month after the 2005 acquittal of Jackson, a Jackson spokesman told a German newspaper that Michael may build a Disneyland style home near Berlin, based on the German fairytale castle Neuschwanstein ^[9]. Disneyland (since 1998 officially Disneyland Park, to distinguish it from the Disneyland Resort complex of which it is a part), is a theme park in Anaheim, California, USA (28 miles from Downtown Los Angeles). ... Berlin is the capital city and one of the sixteen states of the Federal Republic of Germany. ... Neuschwanstein seen from the Marienbrücke. ...

On August 25, 2006, a wildfire burned about 40 acres of the ranch, coming within a quarter-mile of the main residence. August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ...

References

1. ^ King of Pop Downsizes Kingdom
2. ^ Dispute shuts down Jackson ranch
3. ^ Michael's Exclusive Neverland Party!
4. ^ Star's home 'was pleasure island'
5. ^ Grown-up problems knock at Michael Jackson's Neverland
6. ^ Sheriff's deputies and prosecutors search Jackson's home again
7. ^ Jackson pays back wages, closes Neverland estate
8. ^ Feds says no animal mistreatment at Neverland
9. ^ Jackson 'plans to build Neverland in Berlin'

External links

• Satellite Images of Neverland

Coordinates: 34°44′29.38″N, 120°05′34.91″W For other people named Michael Jackson, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation). ... The following is Michael Jacksons albums discography. ... The following is Michael Jacksons single discography. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Awards for the music entertainer, Michael Jackson. ... The moonwalk or backslide is a dance move that gained widespread popularity after being performed by Michael Jackson on the 1983 television special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, and has since become his signature move. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...