Never built to last: “Love Comes Softly” movie set
Movie set site: Love Comes Softly

Love comes softly; decay comes swiftly. Picture taken in May 2018.
Somewhat haunted, this two-room structure is still standing after over fifteen years of non-use. Its sole purpose was to serve as a movie set for “Love Comes Softly,” a film based on writings by Canadian fiction author Janette Oke. The film was released in 2003. Oke often plotted her Christian fiction, exploring deep theological and cultural themes, in the wild-west pioneer era. Cronan Ranch—just a few miles north from the historic gold discovery site in present day Coloma and with the South Fork American River winding around the ranchland's rolling hills—gave a fitting scenery.

Outdoor folks including hikers, joggers, bikers and equestrians enjoy what is now called Cronan Ranch Regional Trails Park. The Cronan Ranch Road, Long Valley Trail and South Fork American River Trail intersect at the site of the movie set. Two picnic tables (not part of the original set) invite travellers to rest, relax and imagine wagons coming down the dirt road or fantasize about cackling in the skewed chicken coop.
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