Cielo Drive: The House of Love and Terror

(This is the first in a series of articles, about the history of some of the sites that are most associated with Charles Manson and the Family.

In this first article, we dive into the history of 10050 Cielo Drive — the house where Sharon Tate and her houseguests were brutally murdered by members of the Manson Family. Later articles will also cover the history of Spahn Ranch in Chatsworth and the Spiral Staircase house in Topanga.)

Benedict Canyon

Benedict Canyon lies in a ravine at the crest of the Santa Monica mountains. To the east sits Franklin and Coldwater Canyons, and to the north is Stone Canyon Reservoir. Benedict Canyon is separated by West Hollywood/Sunset Boulevard to the east, and by North Beverly Glen Boulevard to the west. Benedict Canyon is part of Bel Air, and currently consists of two subdivisions: Benedict Hills and Benedict Hills Estates.

In the mid-1800s, this region (along with most of Beverly Hills) was known as Rancho de las Aguas (Ranch of the Waters). In 1852, a grant for Rancho de las Aguas was filed with the Public Land Commission by Maria Rita Quinteros Valdez de Villa, granddaughter of one of the first settlers of the Mission de los Angeles. In 1868, she sold some of the acreage at Rancho de las Aguas to Edson A. Benedict, a beekeeper and shop owner who moved to California from Missouri. The Canyon was named for Edson Benedict, considered its’ founding father.