In the first two parts of Twin Peaks on Showtime, we are introduced to the William (Bill) and Phyllis Hastings who live in the town of Buckhorn, South Dakota. These scenes were actually shot at a private residence in southern California. Let’s take a closer look.
WHERE IS THE HASTINGS HOUSE IN BUCKHORN, SOUTH DAKOTA FROM TWIN PEAKS LOCATED?
In Part 1, Constance Talbot from the Buckhorn Police Department runs finger prints found from Ruth Davenport’s apartment. She gets a match with local high school principal Bill Hastings. His driver’s license reveals the Hastings residence is at 439 East Elm Street in Buckhorn.
The 2,253 Sq. Ft. house is actually located at 2044 Skyview Drive in Altadena, California. The property was built in 1936 and has three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
The earliest record of this home I found on Newspapers.com was from September 13, 1945 which stated Lee Merriman, a newspaper editor in Pasadena, lived in the home with his wife Polly. At the time, Merriman was called to serve on a Federal Grand Jury. On June 9, 1966, he was serving as the editor of The Independent and Star-News when he was named Editor Emeritus. An active member of the Pasadena community, he volunteered extensively with a number of social clubs including a stint as the president of the Pasadena Rotary Club and the Twilight Club.
Ms. Polly Diana Douthitt and Lee Merriman were wed on July 3, 1928 at her parent’s home in Texas. At the time, Merriman was the city editor of the Pasadena Evening post. According to an article on June 3, 1928 in “The Pasadena Post,” he was living at 1955 Summit Avenue. Following their honeymoon in July 1928, they moved into 615 South El Molino Avenue.
By February 1931, Merriman was promoted to managing editor of the Pasadena Post. By April that year, the couple was living at 1773 La Paz Road in Altadena. I found a newspaper from August 13, 1936 stating Polly had a garden at her home at 1935 East Foothill Boulevard. If the Skyview home was constructed in 1936, the couple must have moved into the home at some point between 1936 to 1945. Merriman may have been the original owner but I’ve not located information to confirm that notion.
According to an October 20, 1943 article in the Pasadena Post, roads and street names in Altadena were changed in order to minimize confusion. Before it was Skyview Drive, the street name Allen Drive, which extended from Rubio Drive southeasterly to Crescent Drive.
EXTERIOR OF THE HASTINGS’ HOUSE
The first time we see the Hastings residence is in Part 1 with a view from their front porch looking out to Elm Street.
The same view is used when Detective Dave Macklay approaches the house and when Bill Hastings is escorted in handcuffs to a police car.
Sadly, Google Maps doesn’t offer the same view from the front porch but it does offer a look at the landscape across the street.
Later in Part 1, the Buckhorn Police return with Detectives Dave Macklay and Don Harrison to search the Hastings residence.
The only nighttime shot of the Hastings residence is found in Part 2. A similar view from Bing Maps of the Altadena house is presented above.
KNOCKING ON HASTINGS’ FRONT DOOR
Detectives Dave Macklay and Don Harrison knock on Hastings’ front door. I love the door knocker.
The wolf-shaped knocker was something pre-existing on the home’s front door. I spotted it when I visited the location on October 12, 2020.
SEARCHING HASTINGS’ VEHICLES
Detectives Harrison and Macklay search Bill Hastings vehicle during their investigation. The Hastings own a Volvo 940 and a 2012 Toyota Prius III.
The license plate on the Hastings’ Volvo 940 is South Dakota 68N 416. Interesting tidbit about South Dakota license plates – the first number is the county that that car is registered in. The number “6” means the car was registered in Brookings county which would on the far eastern side of the state of South Dakota from where Buckhorn was supposedly located.
Hastings trunk contains a Coleman Party Stacker cooler, a tackle box and a fishing pole.
Macklay and Harrison examines the contents of the Volvo’s trunk. We can see part of the landscape across the street behind the two detectives.
INSIDE OF HASTINGS’ HOUSE
We catch a glimpse inside the Hastings house when Detectives Macklay and Harrison speak with Phyllis Hastings while on the front porch.
In Part 2, we go inside the Hastings house which I can only assume is the actual house based on the scenes from Part 1.
Mr. C stands inside as Phyllis returns home. This is the only time we see this view from inside the Hastings’ house.
After Mr. C dispenses of Phyllis, we can see the same rug in the foyer as the image above with Detectives Macklay and Harrison. How I wish I could have found images from inside this home. Maybe one day.
But more importantly, I want to know if the Morgans ever made it for dinner.
