Gammons Gulch

"Gammons Gulch is located north of Benson, Arizona, in the High Desert of Cochise County." (Highlighted info from their website)

"Owner and founder Jay Gammons moved with his family to Tombstone when he was 3 years old. His father served as Chief of Police in Tombstone from 1954-1956. Later he worked as a Range Deputy where he would also serve as Security for movies when they were filmed in the area, eventually becoming John Wayne's personal body guard." 

"As a boy, Jay would accompany his dad and occasionally be an extra in the movies."

"These experiences stirred young Jays’ interest in film production and coupled with his blooming love of the history of the Old West prompted Jay’s dreams of owning and operating his own movie location set."

"In the early 1970’s Jay Gammons was exploring the high desert of Cochise County and found himself on an old dusty road North of Benson." 

"Jay promptly bought the 10 acre site and set forth to build this old-west town movie set and museum."

"Gammons Gulch is set in a time between the 1880’s and the early 1930’s and is open to the public for tours, a location for movie productions, and events such as weddings and other large corporate theme parties." http://www.gammonsgulch.com

Left to right: Ginger, me, Beth. 

This building was originally the town's saloon until a larger one was built.

This is where we signed in and paid the $8 tour fee. Well worth it.

Bring your own water and lunch. This picnic area is provided, but there is no restaurant here. No gift shop either.

The main street of the town is "wide enough for two stage coaches to pass." Main street is built to resemble an old west town in the late 1800s.

Old vehicles are kept out of sight or on side streets and are used when the set requires early 1900s up to the 1930s.

Our tour started in the Barbershop. Film makers said they couldn't film in here because of the large mirror. Jay brought in a ladder and had the cameraman climb up to the top of the cabinet behind him and lay on the quilt. That worked.

This is an original Edison light bulb that still works. There are other similar Chinese reproductions around the sets.

Barbershop prices....note the last one.

An old shoe-shine stand.

Jay described how he made the old barber pole with a 4X4 from Home Depot.

The new saloon is on the left.

The old piano still works and Jay knows how to play it.

Want to hear it? Click on the video.

He can play the banjo too.

He has a collection of antique rifles and several movie prop rifles too.

This is where he displays photos of different actors who have been in movies filmed here. He'll let you know which ones are easy to work with...or not.

His sets are outfitted with authentic period tools and furnishings. Note the lamp in the Blacksmith shop.

He's pointing to the same lamp that appeared in a movie filmed here.

Next we headed to the Mercantile.

This is an unusual Italian round icebox.

Some things he purchased, and many of the props were donated to the museum.

A little humor...

Jay has a collection of antique cars. Most of them run, and some are being restored.

New tires are the biggest expense it seems.

This old Model-T truck will not be restored.

There are a few movie prop coffins here. The open one is for photo ops.

Original telegraph pole.

The owners live on site in the "Hotel."

After the tour we walked across the wash to the "gulch," where there's an old mine set.

Lots of old rusty mining equipment and a furnished mine-worker's cabin in this area.

Of course we had to do this photo op in the jail.

No one volunteered to pose in the gallows though. The "church" can be transformed into a school by removing the Cross.

This tour was a lot of fun. I recommend it if you are in the area.