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Two Bit · 07-13-2009, 02:23 PM

After 50 years, a Texas tourist icon has closed it's doors to the general public. Alamo Village, Bracketville TX announced it is closing (see newspaper exert below)
from Uvalde radio.com ......

Two Thousand Nine was to be the year Alamo Village near Bracketville observed the fiftieth anniversary of the filming of the movie that put the famed movie set on the map. It was in 1959 that James T. "Happy " Shahan talked movie legend John Wayne into filming the movie "The Alamo" at the compound owned by the Shahan family.

However, when the 93-year-old widow of Happy passed away a couple of weeks ago, plans for a celebration and daily activities at the tourist spot came to a halt.

Alamo Village management released the following statement on their website.

With the passing of Texas Icon, Virginia F. Webb Shahan, a difficult business decision has been made by family members. Alamo Village is closed to the general public. Our gates have been open to the visiting public and to the movie industry for 50 years ......

I first visited Alamo Village when I was about 10 years old in 1970 and have been there numerous times since. To me, It seemed more authentic than the real Alamo that is now surrounded by downtown San Antonio.

Alamo village had that "frozen in the 1800's" feel about it that reminded me of my heritage of being a "sixth generation Texan". Alamo Village gave thousands of people a glimpse of Texas history as it was in the 1800's.

!Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!.....
and the famous quote by Daniel Boone in 1835 “You may all go to hel*, and I will go to Texas.” He did just that — leaving behind his wife, children, mother and siblings in Tennessee. In March 1836, he was killed at the siege of the Alamo.

So Remember the Alamo, but dont drive out to Alamo Village, cause they done shut the gate !

TXiceman · 07-13-2009, 02:26 PM

It is sad to see this icon of Texas closed.

Two Bit · 07-13-2009, 02:49 PM

Here is a list of productions done at Alamo Village

Movies

1951 Arrowhead - Charlton Heston
1955 The Last Command - Ernest Borgnine
1958 Five Bold Women - Irish McCalla
1959 John Wayne's "The Alamo"
1960 The Spirit of the Alamo (TV) - NBC
1960 Roy Rogers Show (TV)
1960 John Ford's - Two Rode Together - Jimmy Stewart - Shirly Jones
1966 Top Hand (TV)
1967 Aye, That Pancho Villa (TV)
1967 Bandolero - Dean Martin - Rachel Welch - Will Geer - George Kennedy
1968 Children's West (Lon Chaney, Jr.) (TV)
1973 A Death in Tombstone
1974 The Texas Ballad (KLRN-TV)
1978 Adventures of Jody Shanan
1978 James Michener's Centennial, "The Longhorns" (TV) - Dennis Weaver
1979 Code of Josey Wales - Michael Parks - Rafael Campos
1980 Barbarosa - Gary Busey - Willy Nelson
1980 Seguin (American Playhouse) - Edward James Olmos - A Martinez
1981 "Kathleen" Kestrel Films
1982 Tennessee to Texas - A Musical Affair (TV) - Tanya Tucker
1984 Up Hill All The Way -Burt Reynolds - Mel Tillis - Roy Clark
1986 Houston - Legend of Texas (TV) - Sam Elliott - Bo Hopkins
1986 The Alamo - Thirteen Days To Glory (TV) - Alec Baldwin
1986 No Safe Haven - Wings Hauser
1987 Alamo: Price of Freedom - Caser Biggs
1988 Lonesome Dove (TV) - Robert Duvall - Rick Schroder - Diane Lane
1989 Gunsmoke - The Last Apache (TV) - James Arness - Richard Kiley
1991 JCV Japanese Quiz Show (TV)
1991 American Movie Classics (TV - Bob Dorian
1992 Rio Diablo (TV) Travis Tritt, Kenny Rogers - Naomi Judd - Bruce Greenwood
1992 Travis Smith (direct to video)
1993 Bad Girls - Madeleine Stowe - Drew Barrymore - Andy McDow
1994 Gambler V (TV) - Kenny Rogers - Mariska Hargitay - Bruce Boxleitner
1994 James A. Michener's, "Texas" (TV) - John Schneider - Randy Travis
1994 Good Old Boys (TV) - Sam Shephard - Sissy Spacek - Frances McDormand
1995 Streets of Laredo (TV) - James Garner - Wes Studi - George Carlin
1995 A&E History Channel's "The Alamo" (TV)
1995 Discovery Channel's - "The Battes of the Alamo" (TV)
1995 PBS - Ken Burns "The West" (TV)
1995 A&E Biography - "Davy Crockett: American Frontier Legend" (TV)
1995 The Learning Channel's - "Famous Battles" - Alamo Segment (TV)
1995 Discovery Channel's - Buffalo Soldiers" (TV)
1996 Once upon A Time In China and America - Sammo Hung - Jet Li
1999 Alamo... The New Defenders (direct to video)
1999 The Bullfighter - Domineca Scorcese - Mike Parks
1999 The History Channel's - "Haunted San Antonio" (TV)
2000 Jericho - Mark Valley - Leon Coffee - Buck Taylor - R Lee Ermy
2001 The History Channel's "History vs Hollywood" (TV)
2002 "Westown" Sturghill Productions
2006 Blue Eyes - Walker Cable Productions
2006 Mexican Gold - Walker Cable Productions
2007 The Man Who Came Back - Eric Braden - Billy Zane - Sean Young
2007 - Friend of The Devil (TV Pilot)

Music Videos

1980 Willie Nelson - "Tougher Than Leather"
1995 Brooks & Dunn - "You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone"
1996 Gary Hobbs - "Corazon de la Ardiente"
1996 La Tropa F - "The Sheriff"
1996 "Los Palominos"
1999 Shade of Red - "Revolution"

RustyJC · 07-13-2009, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Two Bit

and the famous quote by Daniel Boone in 1835 “You may all go to hel*, and I will go to Texas.” He did just that — leaving behind his wife, children, mother and siblings in Tennessee. In March 1836, he was killed at the siege of the Alamo.

Ummm....Robert, I believe that was Mr. Crockett.

A shame to see it close, nonetheless.

Rusty

Two Bit · 07-13-2009, 03:31 PM

Ummm I knew that, just wanted to see who was awake. Sorta like Noah and the ten commandments. Somebody locked out my edit feature on post #1 so I cant fix it

And if Daniel had been there, he'ed been kilt too!

stubeje · 07-13-2009, 07:28 PM

We stopped there in 2005 on our way to BIG BEND N.P. Sure glad we did as it was a thrill to see where all these great movies were shot and now will never be able to go this way again...