Places in the Old West
An unfinished, totally idiosyncratic list
To contribute reviews of places for this page, email the publisher.
Places to visit
Places to visit
Arizona
Bisbee, Arizona
An authentic and strangely beautiful old mining town, only moderately yuppified. The mining museum is excellent, with both technical and historical exhibits, showing a surprisingly truthful image of the town, the mines, and the labor disputes. The architecture is essentially unchanged since 1910, as are some of the residents.
The town itself is built on hills, at 5,300 feet up in the Mule Mountains, so bring good shoes and money.
Tombstone, Arizona
Not exactly a pristine time capsule of the era of the Gunfight at the OK Corral. While an overwrought tourist attraction, there are bits and pieces of the Old West still visible.
Several museums of interest, though the actual OK Corral site charges admission to an inaccurate representation of the event.
A great gun store or two; other than that, you'll have to wade through the t-shirt shops and the postcard stands.
Cañon de Chelly, Arizona
Located in the middle of the Navajo Nation, this is a spiritual place not only for the Diné people, but anyone of discernment. I recommend the Night Tour, if you can find it. Use the local guides, not only because you have to, but because only they can truly explain the history and resonance of the place.
Jerome
Should have bought half the town when I first went through, just like Sedona. A haunting and haunted old mining town.
Prescott
Bucky O'Neill's home town. A nice old town square, now yuppified, like anyplace nice within a thousand miles of California, but still worth a trip.
California
Donner Pass
Go in the winter. Park your car and walk for a ways back into the trees. Now imagine being there without a car. For days on end. Then drive into Truckee and have a big drink and thank your lucky stars you didn't really live in the Old West.
Gonzales, California
A picturesque, if squalid, little agricultural town in Northern California. However, it has the only eating establishments near to the Swiss Rifle Club shooting range, located six miles to the east. There are bi-monthly cowboy action shoots of the Faultline Shootist Society at Swiss Rifle at the SRC. When you go, especially to their annual Adobe Walls shoot, tell them Rico sent you.
Colorado
Nevada
Mustang Ranch
Not exactly how it was in the Old West, but you can pay extra and do it with your boots on.
New Mexico
Chaco Cañon, New Mexico
A truly haunting place, last stronghold of the Anasazi. While my visit was marred by an argument over the consistency of the orbit of the moon with Shirley MacLaine, yours should help you understand the impermanence of civilization and the amazing ingenuity and skill of its builders.
There are stone buildings here the size of a football field, laid without the modern aids of scaffolding and concrete.
Go and stand in awe.
Santa Fe
One of the most wonderful places I've ever been. Should have bought a piece of it twenty years ago, like a lot of the New West. The plaza is what I call a 'money extraction machine', but there is an incredible collection of shops selling a wide variety of mostly authentic Southwest Native American stuff.
Old Mexico
Take the train through the WHAT Canyon, I'm told.
Texas
Austin
The state capital. History up the yingyang, if you can find it. Rapidly becoming the Silicon Valley of Texas.
San Antonio
The Alamo. Enough said.
San Jacinto
The site where they beat Santa Anna is now a parking lot next to the Houston Ship Channel, but if you close your eyes...
Waco
The Texas Rangers have their headquarters, and an excellent museum, here. There's not much else.
Utah
Provo
Visit Sundance. It doesn't have much to do with the real Old West, but the inn is very pretty, it's a nice place to enjoy the outdoors [summer or winter], and the decor is vintage LA designer Old West. Oh, yeah, and you might see that Redford character lurking about.
Salt Lake City
Mormons. Genealogy. The salt flats.
Places to stay
Places to stay
The Bisbee Grand Hotel, Bisbee, Arizona
61 Main Street
{520} 432-5900 or {800} 421-1909
A quirky, quaint b&b-style hotel, located above a high-ceilinged bar, the Grand Western Saloon. {The back bar is out of the Pony Saloon in Tombstone, circa 1880.} You'll be expecting The Man With No Name to saunter in for a drink at any moment.
When last there, the manager was Frank Morales, a good man and a native-born Bisbeean. Say hello and ask about places to eat.
Alexander's Inn, Santa Fe, New Mexico
A delightful bed & breakfast, located a short walk from the Plaza. Comfortable accomodations and a hearty breakfast. Bring money.
Inn on the Alameda, Santa Fe, New Mexico
George Lucas stayed there the same time I did, which should give you a good idea of the ambience. Bring money.
Places to eat
Places to eat
The Broken Spoke, Austin, Texas
If you get lost, consult the map of this site
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