Story and Photos by Allen Lawrence

For more Allen Lawrence photos of Pioneertown, click here.
 
Do you miss the wild west? Remember those movies where the hero, the guy in the white ten-gallon hat, rode into town and shoot it out with the bad guy, the guy wearing the black ten-gallon hat?

Well the shoots have long faded away to silence. The good and bad guys are gone, at least they no longer wear ten gallon hats. But the town is still there. It is Pioneertown, located in Yucca, California just north of Palm Springs. Pioneertown was built in 1946 as a movie set for western movies, including the movies of such good guys as Gene Autry (who filmed parts of The Gene Autry Show from 1950-55), The Cisco Kid (Duncan Renaldo), and the good gal, Annie Oakley (Gail Davis). In this town Judge Roy Bean (Edgar Buchanan) served up justice, the Range Rider (Jock O. Mahoney), and Buffalo Bill Jr. (Dick Jones) could be found at the local saloon or protecting the honor of the pretty young thing of the week. In the 40's and 50's you could well have seen Trigger rise up, whinny and unfurl his golden main.

Pioneertown was unique as it also provided a place where the actors could live and where they could even use their homes as part of the movie set. One of the original investors in Pioneertown was Roy Rogers, and it was Rogers built the Pioneer Bowl, best bowling ally west of the Pecos.

Pioneertown was named after the Sons of the Pioneers by Dick Curtis a professional villain in the western old movies. Other movie greats such as Bud Abbott, Russell Hayden (who played Lucky on the Hopalong Cassidy series), Louella Parsons (the Hollywood gossip columnist), and Philip N. Krasne (The Man Who Saved Pioneertown) either worked or lived in Pioneertown.

Take a nostalgic walk down Mane Street (this is truly its name) it is always open to courteous pedestrians. Enjoy the peace and quite, except when there is gun fight in progress and see what the old west really looked like.  The buildings you will see are not sets or false fronts as most movie towns the buildings and  “Western streets” are simply building fronts or facades usually referred to as “sets.” In Pioneertown they are real buildings and people actually live in them. Most were built in later 1940’s and early 1950's and they were designed to last and to survive the harsh, desert environment. And they have lasted and are still occupied.

During the day you can take a walk up Mane Street to the OK Corral. From there you can turn your gaze toward the Sawtooth Mountains, you can shop at the General Store, look for bullet holes in the sings, walls and buildings.

Besides the general store, Pioneertown comes complete with a saloon, a blacksmith shop, its own hotel and bathhouse, a stable and livery, a bank, a post office (in fact the oldest post office in the area), a gun shop, a law office, the Pioneer Bowl, and an assortment of homes and other businesses as well as a hoosegow (jail) and of course, a sound stage, for what would any old western town be without a sound stage.

One of the high points of Pioneertown is Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneer Palace. After you have walked around and have seen the movie set, and checked out the hundreds of little touches that give Pioneertown its charm you can stop off at Pappy and Harriet’s and enjoy a cold one or a wee shot of the hard stuff, or maybe a great meal. Pappy and Harriet’s are known for their great ½ lb burgers, their world famous chili, Tex Mex burritos and their other delicious taste treats from deliciiiioooous mesquite barbeque steaks and ribs to their succulent mesquite grilled ahi steaks. Oh yea, they have salads and sandwiches too for you Easterners and tenderfoots, as well as Buckaroo plates for the kiddies.

Pappy and Harriet’s has been located in Pioneertown since 1982 and not only is it a landmark but it is a local center for music, entertainment and fun. Whether you just want to eat or shoot pool or listen to music greats like Leon Russell, Eric Burdon, the Shadow Mountain Band, Paul Chesne, Rick Shea, Peaches', Rickie Lee Jones, The Donnas, Robert Plant, Toby Keith, Donovan, Victoria Williams, and Eddie Veddor of Pearl Jam, The Sadies and many other great music groups. Pappy and Harriet’s in Pioneertown is the place to go.

If you are looking for a few days away from the maddening crowd then stay at the Pioneertown Lodge and Stables. Their quaint rooms and a rustic and even romantic setting are the order of the day. Stay in the John Wayne Cowboy Room, Sons of the Pioneers Room, Annie Oakley Room, Gene Autry's "Barbed Wire" Room, , or in the Roy Rogers Room. Live where the stars lived and enjoy Pioneertown and Pappy and Harriet’s intimately and close up. The Pioneertown Lodge and Stables was built in 1946 as a bunkhouse for western film and TV stars shooting in Pioneertown and it still sticks close to its roots. Each room, from the Cowboy Room to the Twilight Zone Room, has a theme that matches its name. All are clean and neat and ready for you. Thee are hiking trails near by in the desert. You can bring your horse, as there are corrals just for visiting animals. There are 18 rooms some with kitchenettes, there is cable TV’s in-room VCRs and AE, Diners, MC, Visa are accepted for reservations you can call 760-365-4879

Nearby is the famous Candlewood Stables Equestrian Center. It is located on 40 acres just off of scenic Pipes Canyon Road approximately 2 miles from Old Woman's Spring Road (Route 247) in Yucca Valley. At an elevation of 4000 feet the views are awesome and we have milder summer temps than the neighboring Coachella Valley or even in the lower elevations in the hi-desert of Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree, Morongo Valley, and Apple Valley.

As leave Highway 62 there are two things you have to do: 1) Drive slowly because you will see some of the most amazing rock formation you have ever seen, and 2), bring a camera because you will want to photograph the landscape, and of course, of Pioneertown itself.

Pioneertown is located in Yucca California at Pioneertown Road. From the I10 Freeway take Highway 62 northeast. You will go through Morongo Valley then into Yucca. Once in Yucca look for Pioneertown Road. When you find it turn left off of Highway 62 Pioneertown is about 5 miles off of Highway 62 on Pioneertown Road. As you come near to Pioneertown you will see a sign “Pioneertown 1946”. Just a few up the road on your right you will see Pappy & Harriet's Pioneertown Palace. The Pioneertown Lodge and Stables is located just behind Pappy & Harriet’s.

If you are looking for a day of fun, abit of nostalgy, the romance of the old westand some grat food then Pioneertown is a great place to find it all.

For more photos of Pioneertown taken by Allen Lawrence, click here.

For more information about Pioneertown, click here.

For more information about Pappy and Harriet’s food and coming attractions, click here.

For more information about the Pioneertown Lodge and Stables, click here.