Flickr user T Hoffarth recently traveled to the Malibu Creek State Park in California, where external shots for M*A*S*H were filmed, and took photographs matching scenes from the series. Here’s how the mountains looked in the opening credits and how they look today:

The M*A*S*H Mountains: Then and Now

Additional comparisons can be found here, here, here, here and here. A comparison between the opening credits of the movie MASH can be found here. T Hoffarth also took some photographs of the remnants of the M*A*S*H set, complete with rusted vehicles and the new reproduction of the famous signpost placed there in 2008. The photographs were uploaded on November 6th.

Thanks to T Hoffarth for making this great photographs available. I stumbled upon them yesterday morning but for the life of me cannot remember what I was searching for at the time.

The Los Angeles Times has a wonderful article (you might need to register) about yesterday’s restoration site unveiling. According to the article, some 300 people showed up at the M*A*S*H site in Malibu Creek State Park. Actors Mike Farrell, Loretta Swit, William Christopher and Jeff Maxwell as well as producers Gene Reynolds and Burt Metcalfe, plus director Charles Dubin were on hand to address the crowd.

Brian Rooney deserves much of the credit for getting the M*A*S*H site cleaned up. I hope to have a feature on the restoration site unveiling written up in the next few weeks, hopefully with photographs of the celebration.

According to Brian Rooney, M*A*S*H Restoration Project Manager for California State Parks, M*A*S*H cast members Mike Farrell, Loretta Swit and William Christopher, along with Charles Dubin (who directed more episodes of the series than any other person) will be at the February 23rd, 2008 unveiling of the restored M*A*S*H site at the Malibu Creek State Park.

Also, here is a nice article about the restoration from the Los Angeles Times. And here is a post from Ken Levine’s blog about the restoration. Levine wrote quite a few episodes of M*A*S*H, including “Point of View” and “Out of Sight, Out of Mind.”

The full press release for the M*A*S*H set restoration is now available here, in PDF format. Included is information on when the public celebration will take place on February 23rd, 2008:

“The celebratory gathering will run from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM with officials of California State Parks addressing the public at 11:00 AM. 1,000 – 2,000 visitors are expected at the M*A*S*H set that day.”

Hollywood Escapes has more information, including directions to the site and a behind-the-scenes photograph from production of M*A*S*H.

California State Parks has announced a “long overdue” restoration of the historic M*A*S*H site at Malibu Creek State Park (external scenes for M*A*S*H were filmed there). A full press release is expected shortly, but until then here is a statement from Brian Rooney, M*A*S*H Restoration Project Manager for California State Parks:

“The heavy brush has been cleared away, the iconic signpost is now rebuilt, markers will show where the tents were during filming and more. California State Parks is inviting the public to the historic set on February 23rd for a grand gathering to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the finale of M*A*S*H.”

Mr. Rooney was kind enough to send along a photograph showing the new signpost as well as the remains of an ambulance and a jeep used in filming the series. In the background is the helipad.

More information on the February 23rd unveiling can be found at Hollywood Escapes.