Michael Jackson created a world of his own at his Neverland ranch in California. INSIDE EDITION takes a look at Neverland today, one year after the King of Pop's death.
Michael Jackson's legendary Neverland Ranch is deserted!
What does the King of Pop's famous estate look like today, one year after his death? The sprawling grounds are desolate and dreary. Gone are the gorgeous flowers and that grand gold sign on the gate, welcoming people to Jackson's fantasy playground. Now, orange traffic cones block off an ordinary iron fence.
Tourists had trouble even finding Neverland.
"It's kind of sad," one Neverland tourist told INSIDE EDITION.
The ranch has also been stripped of the iconic rides that filled Jackson's private amusement park. INSIDE EDITION actually tracked down four of them at the California State Fair in Sacramento.
Neverland was also once home to Jackson's private zoo filled with exotic animals. Now, there's nothing roaming the grassy grounds.
So where are the animals? Actress Tippi Hedren took custody of Jackson's tigers, Saboo and Thriller. Two dozen other animals were moved to a huge warehouse in the middle of the Arizona desert. In January, two of Jackson's famous giraffes died.
In the immediate aftermath of Jackson's death, a giant floral wreath adorned the gate and mourning fans left signs and flowers. Now, there's nothing. The only trace that Jackson once lived here are the personal messages written on the stone gate.
Lawyer Thomas Mesereau, who represented Jackson at his 2005 trial that resulted in his acquittal, said he's sad at the current state of Neverland.
"It was a living, breathing work of art. I would think Michael would want Neverland to remain the beautiful, creative, wonderful, magical place that it was," Mesereau said.
Family patriarch Joe Jackson is planning to sue Dr. Conrad Murray for wrongful death. Joe Jackson is alleging that Murray was at a "strip club," "drinking" in the hours before the icon's death. Murray says he doesn't drink and wasn't at the strip club and has denied any wrong doing in Jackson's death.
