Clara's Dream

While filming True to the Navy in 1930, Clara met her husband, actor Rex Bell and her dreams began to become a reality. “I knew then how lonely I had been for someone of my own, someone who belonged to me and really loved me.” Within a short time, Rex and Clara bought a ranch in Searchlight, Nevada and began a life together. A short time later, Clara was a mother. “Clara planned to raise her dream family in her dream home.” Clara spent time with her family at the Walking Box Ranch.

Found in the Walking Box Ranch is a large collection of Monterey Furniture. “The wooden sofas, chairs, desks, secretaries, dining room and bedroom sets and wrought-iron accessories had the aura of western movie sets of the era.” In fact, the first pieces of furniture were replicated from movies. Built from 1929-1943 by the Mason Manufacturing Company, the Monterey Furniture was “conceived for the western home, capitalizing on nostalgic echoes of ranch life and Hispanic tradition.” Many of the early Hollywood stars, including Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Walt Disney, and Clark Gable all had Monterey furniture. The Monterey Furniture made the dreams of the movie set into a reality for Rex and Clara.