Apacheland Movie Ranch

Out where I was the other cold morning, I stopped at the old Apacheland Movie Ranch.  A whole heck of a lot of your favorite Westerns were shot in this area.   That link has a neat 1957 video taken out at Peralta where I've hiked several times.  I didn't know that.  

 The movie set burned down eight years ago this month and the only things left  which were saved were the big barn and this church.  I really liked this photo of it with the snow on the mountain in back.

 

I really like this photo - if I do say so meself!

That link up there also tells about the chapel's history.  I went inside and was greeted with a statue of Elvis Presley at the front where any preacher would be standing.   Go figure.  I guess Elvis made quite a few movies here.

And there's the big barn.

And I loved the snow on the backs of these horses.

Superstition from the back doors of the old barn.

Have no idea is this was real or not.  I didn't even think of opening that door to find out.  Dang.  Now I gotta go back.   See that sign on the door?

It's this:

It's hard to read.  Just for you I'll put the story on at the end of this post.

This was in the barn.  Somebody was being funny.

Just more pictures of Goldfield.

This was from another day when I was out there.   There's just no way those mountains are not beautiful. 

He's an up close and personal of that bordello we were discussing in the previous Goldfield post.  I don't believe it was original.   This town has been built up for the tourist' since then. Goldfield was just a five year project in the 1890's with a post office.  It was all about mining until the gold ran out in a short time and the town died.  Finding gold was probably on their minds more than . . . . you know.....bordello women.  Although knowing men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . !

Photo from the top.   

There's a bordello museum up at the top of those cute stairs, but for three bucks, I didn't go in.

Utility wires always kill a good shot.

Oh!  And here's that poem on that outhouse door entitled. . 'The Little House Behind the Big House".

One of my fondest memories

As I recall the days of yore

Was the little house behind the big house

With the crescent o’er the door.

Twas a place to sit and ponder

With your head all bowed down low;

Knowing that you wouldn’t be there

If you didn’t have to go.

Ours was a multi-holer – THREE!

With a size for every one.

You left there feeling better,

After your job was done.

You had to make those frequent trips

In snow, rain, sleet, or fog---

To that little house where you usually found

The Sears-Roebuck catalog.

'Oft times in dead of winter,

The seat was spread with snow.

'Twas then with much reluctance,

To the little house you’d go.

With a swish you’d clear that wooden seat,

Bend low with dreadful fear

You’d shut your eyes and grit your teeth

As you settled on your rear.

I recall the day 'ol Grandpa

Who stayed with us one summer,

Made a trip out to that little house

Which proved to be a bummer

‘Twas the same day that my dad had

Painted the kitchen green.

He’d just cleaned up the mess he’d made

With rags and gasoline

He tossed the rags down in the hold

And went on his usual way.

Not knowing that by doing so

He’d eventually rue the day.

Now Grandpa had an urgent call.

I never will forget!

This trip he  made to the little house

Stays in my memory yet.

He sat down on the wooden seat,

With both feet on the floor.

He filled his pipe and tapped it down

And struck a match on the door.

He lit the pipe and sure enough

It soon began to glow.

He slowly raised his rear a bit

And tossed the  match below.

The blast that followed, I am told,

Was heard for miles around.

And there was poor ol’ Grandpa

Sprawled out there on the ground.

The smoldering pipe still in his mouth.

His eyes shut real tight.

The celebrated three-holer

Was blown clear out of sight.

We asked him what had happened.

What he said I’ll ne’er forget.

He said he thought it must have been

The pinto beans he 'et!

Next day we had a new one.

Dad put it up with ease.

But this one had a door sign

That read – 'No Smoking Please'.

Now that’s the story’s end my friend,

Of memories long ago.

When we went to the house behind the house

Because we had to go.

For those of you who never had

To go out in the cold. . . .

Just give thanks!

~~~~~~~~~~
Sheesh! I had a lot of trouble with spacing on this post.