As the sun sets, the jangle of tarnished silver spurs mix with a parade of sweat stained ten-gallon hats on Dragoon Street. In the deepening shadow at the corner of the undertaker’s storefront, a villain’s’ lips snarl while twirling his thick, black mustache. Marshal Dillon, Doc and Miss Kitty’s empty and vacant eyes are watchful through the dusty saloon windows. The ghosts of the past are rising from the graveyard…..it’s almost time. Trail Dust Town in Tucson comes alive around dusk.
Built in the 1950″, this abandoned movie set for an unfinished Glenn Ford western was purchased, renovated and painted to rival the Victorian ladies of San Francisco. Dedicated to the pioneer spirits who crossed the wide prairies, this modern ghost town packs a punch as well as the crack of gunfire. Ride a gallant steed on the vintage Allan Herschell merry-go-round; follow the conductor’s call of “all aboard” as the motorized train chugs from the depot; absorb the history on display in Museum of the Horse Soldier; and watch the pistoleros fly from the second story in choreographed fights featuring dynamite explosions and lots of “rough and tumble”. Oh, and then there is the Pinnacle Peak Steakhouse…watch your tie!
Sam, another armature photographer and I walked the ghost town early in the morning to catch the best light. She decided to edit her images in color, while I opted to enhance the age and texture of the buildings edited in black and white.
