Nestled high above the quiet community of Casitas Springs, just minutes from Ojai, Cash Mountain Ranch is one of California's most remarkable pieces of music history. Designed and built by Johnny Cash beginning in 1960, the 6 Acre ranch became his private sanctuary—a place where the "Man in Black" could escape Hollywood, reconnect with nature, and spend time with his growing family. The home was completed in 1961, and Johnny, his first wife Vivian, and their four daughters lived there through the mid-1960s. 

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At the height of his career, Hollywood encouraged Cash to move to Los Angeles as opportunities in film and television expanded. Instead, he searched for someplace authentic. As the story is told, while driving toward Ojai, Johnny discovered the tiny blue-collar town of Casitas Springs. Filled with oil workers, ranchers, and hardworking families, it reminded him of the people he had grown up with in Arkansas. Rather than choosing the glamour of Beverly Hills, Johnny chose the simplicity and honesty of Casitas Springs. Johnny personally designed nearly every aspect of the home. He walked the property deciding exactly where each room would be placed to capture panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. The ranch reflected both his country roots and his larger-than-life personality, featuring exposed wood beams, a dramatic stone fireplace, unique entertainment spaces, and even a glittering ceiling that recreated the feeling of sleeping beneath a star-filled sky. Many of these original design elements remain today.