Bonanza series's long run. In 2002, "Bonanza" was ranked No. 43 on "TV Guide"s 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time, and in 2013 "TV Guide" included it in its list of The 60 Greatest Dramas of All Time. The time period for the television series is roughly between 1861 (Season 1) and 1867 (Season 13) during and shortly after the American Civil War. During the summer of 1972, NBC aired reruns of episodes from the 1967–1970 period in prime time on Tuesday evening under the title Ponderosa. The show chronicles the weekly adventures of the Cartwright family, headed by the
Spahn Ranch notorious for having been the primary residence of Charles Manson and his followers, the "Manson Family", for much of 1968 and 1969. The ranch took its name from dairy farmer George Spahn, who purchased the property in 1948. Silent film actor William S. Hart owned the ranch prior to Spahn. Many western-themed movies and television shows were filmed on the ranch, including "Duel in the Sun" (1946) and television episodes of "Bonanza", "The Lone Ranger", and "Zorro". It was also the filming location for the B-movie "The Creeping Terror". Spahn was 80 years old, going blind and living at his