Skywalker Ranch Skywalker Ranch is the name of the workplace of and George Lucas in secluded but open country near in . The ranch is located on Road , although Lucas is not related to the road ' s namesake , a turn - of - the - century landowner in the area . The Ranch is not open to the public and keeps a low profile from the road . Assembled parcel by parcel since September 1978 , Skywalker Ranch has cost Lucas up to US $ 100 million , according to the " " . After neighboring ranchers complained that Skywalker Ranch was polluting the environment , Lucasfilm acquired 3 , 000 acres ( 12 km² ) of adjoining land for a total of over 4 , 700 acres ( 19 km² ) . Only 15 acres ( 60 , 000 m² ) have been developed . The Ranch contains a barn with animals , vineyards , a garden with fruits and vegetables used in the on - site restaurant , an outdoor swimming pool and fitness center with courts , the man - made " Lake Ewok " , a hilltop observatory , a 300 - seat theater called " The Stag " as well as multiple theater screening rooms , and parking that is mostly concealed underground to preserve the natural landscape . Skywalker Sound was moved onto the ranch in 1987 , now occupying the Technical Building . The Main House has a company research library under a stained - glass dome . Skywalker Ranch has its own fire station , which is part of the Marin County Mutual Aid system , and is often called on to assist firefighters in nearby Marinwood . Lucas also created a fictional backstory for the ranch , in which it " was once owned by an old sea captain " . In 2007 , Marin County gave Lucas permission to add two more screening rooms and a bridge across Bull Tail Creek Lucas , who based his " Star Wars " films on the scholarship of Joseph Campbell , was involved in the creation of the 1988 documentary which explored Campbell ' s works of " The Power of Myth " . The series of six , one - hour interviews between Campbell and journalist Bill Moyers was filmed at Skywalker Ranch . In the first episode , Moyers discusses Campbell ' s friendship with Lucas and the impact of his scholarship on Lucas ' " Star Wars " films ( Episodes IV , V , and VI ) . Skywalker Ranch is intended to be more of a " filmmaker ' s retreat " than a headquarters for Lucas ' s business operations . The headquarters of Lucasfilm , Industrial Light & Magic , and LucasArts are located in Lucas ' s Letterman Digital Arts Center in the . Lucas does not live on the Ranch . Big Rock Ranch . Big Rock Ranch is a later Lucasfilm development in Marin county on Lucas Valley Road adjacent to Skywalker Ranch . The county ' s planning commission approved this facility in September 1996 and construction was completed in August 2002 . However in November 2004 , Lucas announced that the 250 employees of the ranch were to be moved to the Letterman Digital Arts Center . The ranch comprises 1061 acres ( 4 . 3 km² ) , of which 43 acres ( 17 hectares ) are developed with 317 , 000 ft² ( 29 , 500 m² ) of office space . Before the Presidio move in 2005 , Big Rock Ranch housed the marketing , licensing , distribution and online divisions of Lucasfilm . It is currently the headquarters of the animation division as of 2007 .