My Dad and I wandered through the set a couple of years after the movie was shot. The land owner showed us around before it was turned into road side attraction. Great memory.
Shortly after I returned home to Texas after retiring from the U.S. Navy in Sept.1997, I went on a road trip, drove all over Texas. Alamo Village was one of my stops, it was quiet even then, few tourists but the people there were really friendly and hospitable. I walked the grounds with a retired stunt man who had worked on John Wayne's THE ALAMO and shared his memories of the Duke, the other actors and the making of the film. So many other films have been made there, among them the classic LONESOME DOVE. Sad it's all been shut down. Thanks Adam for sharing this, brought back a lot of memories.
How sad. We visited and stayed there in the early 70s. Stayed in the hotel and room where John Wayne slept while filming. We rode the mail stage coach out to Alamo set. Wonderful memories with our parents and grandparents. Thank you for sharing
Interesting to see it after all these years, I was the Art Director on "Alamo the Price of Freedom" A great deal of the Set had to be rebuilt in 1985 only the Facade, Main Gate and long barracks were still standing... The facade Yabara designed had the upper windows, the profile was incorrect for 1836. We totally rebuilt the interior (the Cross as you caledl it ) good to see it had held up including the gun ramp. The Stewart House was never seen in Wayne's 1960 version, we included it in the rebuild. Hard to believe it's been 37 years. Happy & Virginia are both gone. Thank you for the video, brought back good times.
This brought back a lot of memories to me also. My family worked as extras on Price of Freedom. My Dad , mom, brother and my young son . We were part of a Texas reenactment group at the time and were invited by a co producer we had worked with on the mini series Gone To Texas.We got to play Crockets Tennesseans for the most part and other smaller roles. My son Sean was one of the 2 boys that jumped from the back wall of the chapel as the Mexican Army stormed through the doors. Funny story on the reason he was picked. The stunt coordinator caught him and the other boy jumping from the wall to the airbag earlier that day.He brought them to me and let me know what hey had been up to. Then laughed and ask if it was ok to use them in the scene. He was even payed extra for stunt work. It is good to know you are still around and doing ok.Take care my friend
@@kevenbridges9433 Thanks, we also crossed paths on Gone To Texas aka "Houston the Ledgen of Texas" Ray Herbeck jr. was the co producer you speak of I believe, he was the driving force to recruit reenactors. I worked with him on several shoots. "Ironclads" & "Glory" to name a couple.
@@Majorrogerragland48 Yes it was Ray. Its been so long I was having trouble recalling his name. I do remember that he looked a lot like Grizzly Adams. Great guy. He always treated our group well. We got told they needed us to be Mexican solders for a week or we could take the week off and come back when our next scenes came up. After a day in tight and very hot wool uniforms my Dad talked to Ray and he made us security for the week. So we could get payed .
@@kevenbridges9433 You might remember "Skin and Bones" from Box Ankle, Georgia. Those two HARD CORE reenactors were "on set security" and stayed on the Hot set throughout shooting. Later, they were invited to the wrap party @ Mccalister's New Braunfels ranch. They were arrested as vagrants by ranch security personal, not knowing who they were.
@@Majorrogerragland48 Yea I knew them well. LOL never heard the story of them getting arrested. I got to see Bones again at the premier in San Antonio. Skin was ill if I remember right and couldn't make the trip. We helped them out by watching the parking lot area and making sure no one entered the stars trailers when they were on set. At one point I gifted Skin the antler club ( made from Axis Deer antler from the YO Ranch) he carried. I have a lot of great memories from that shoot. The night scene of Santa Annas camp when the light from the fake moon drew in millions of crickets. The time Santa Annas horse ran off with him and ran thru the food tent before the wranglers could get control of it.Or the night we shot the fandango scene and Steve Sandor ( Bowie ) almost fill in the fire when he jumped up to do his lines. One of the guys sitting next to him had to grab the back of his belt to stop him. What no one knew at the time was that we had made up a jug of apple pie. it was made of pulpy apple juice , cinnamon and everclear. Thing is it masked the taste of the alcohol. Steve wanted to try some so we gave him a little in the bottom of his cup. With a warning that it had a kick like a mule. He laughed and grabbed the jug and filled his cup to the top. So by the time he was to give his lines he was well on his way. But like a pro he nailed his lines. He wasn't to happy the next day .But we had warned him.
Thank you for this. I just watched the Alamo movie when I was in Austin last month. Visited the Alamo with several Army officers and we talked about the history of Texas. We need to preserve our past and learn from it.
A friend and I came upon Alamo Village by accident while living in Texas in the late 1980's - one of my favorite memories! While working at a resort north of San Antonio, when guests asked about seeing the Alamo in San Antonio, I would HIGHLY suggest they also make the trip a couple hours further south to Bracketville and see what it likely looked like back in its' day!
Great little video! I visited Alamo Village back in the mid '70's when it was a fully functioning tourist attraction. It was a neat experience and it's sad to see that it has been abandoned.
I went there a few times when I was younger when it was open. I loved being on that set. I really felt as if I had travelled back in time to the real Alamo. The Cantina was open as a restaurant and I saw the back corner where John Wayne's Crockett and Laurence Harvey's Travis had their talk. I and truly sad that it's closed. I would love to go back again.
Does Mr. Curilla live in Bracketville? My brother and his wife from Wyoming will be visiting us here in north central Texas in October and he is a number one John Wayne/Alamo fan. We'd love to make the drive down if we could find someone to show us around...
Yes, he does. Rich conducts occasional tours for individuals or small groups, provided he gets ample notice and is available. There would be a fee. Tim, if you can figure out a way to contact me, I can put you in touch with him. He's a friend of mine.
Wow the original Alamo movie set still stands somewhere in the desert? I had assumed it was all made of wood & was torn down after the movie. They should preserve it as a part of movie history.
It's still there I road out there to see it but it's abandoned now, gates closed and locked up grass is all grown up, there's a old faded sign you can barely read, its went threw several owners sense the film was made
This video was the very first ATW video I had ever watched. It still holds up after all of these years. 1,364,633 views cannot be wrong. Well done, Adam.
I was so sorry to see this torn down. John Wayne stayed at the Adolphus Hotel on the way to the set and I played with his daughter. We would go to Bracketville on vacation and visit the set and Alamo Village in the 60's and I have it on our old home movies. In 2005 I went to the Alamo thinking I had been there but it was actually this set I remembered.
#1)THANK YOU FOR FILMING,AND SHARING THIS SPOT WITH US!!!And #2)Just knowing The Duke HIMSELF walked that land makes this fanatic(me) love it...LONG LIVE *THE DUKE*
I watched a couple of videos and they were goofy and I couldn't figure out why you had so many subscribers. But I came back and watched a few more. I've watched a couple of dozen in the past week and read the comments and I think I finally understand. You are digging up memories for people. Personal moments from their past, in movies or amusement parks or old stores. They love it and they love you for taking them along on your journeys. It didn't take long, and now I am hooked, too.
Thank you for sharing, Adam. As a young boy, in the early and mid-60's, I visited this place many times. I took stagecoach rides here, you could take horseback rides, and there were lots of visitors during that period. Back then, the saloon was still open for business, including live bands and dancing girls. The first times I visited there, there were separate water fountains and bathrooms for Negroes. That was the first time I remember seeing black people when I was a young boy. Later visits there, all the people used the same bathrooms and water fountains. I have so many childhood memories from this amazing place. Happy Shahan owned and built it. He was quite a colorful character himself. Again, thank you for sharing.
I visited this set in 1998. What was fascinating, was that you got a sense of what the Alamo would have looked like in 1836. The original site is now within the metropolis of bustling San Antonio. It was very quiet and I had the place to myself. I lunched in the village cafeteria. I'm so sorry it has become derelict. I hope someone will restore it to its former glory. It is a wonderful asset.
I took my sons there when I was stationed in Texas. Being in west Texas it is a good spot for a movie set with sunshine most of the year. Although it is not as large as the original Alamo, you get a good sense of how the battle unfolded. You have to use your imagination and read a lot of history to do that in San Antonio. As far as the condition, the desert climate helps, but it is still a movie set. It was built to look good on film and withstand people's weight for the film. It was never intended to be a long term structure. It is mostly wood framing and stucco. John Wayne did a fair amount of research and the set is a reasonably accurate recreation of the 1836 Alamo. As I recall, the place is not that accessible and the public interest started to wane. It takes money to maintain something like this to keep it safe and interesting to visit. Without tourists to visit and rentals for films, the money isn't there to keep it up.
We were out there about 10 years ago. Just a wonderful walk down memory lane. There was a guy working out there near the cantina that had the entire scene where John Wayne was talking about praying to the north star. Even showed us the exact spot where he stood. It really is heartbreaking to see a cinematic icon fall into disrepair. I really hope the businessman from Corpus Christi buys it and restores it....Oh, and thank you for sharing this video. Really enjoyed the memories!
THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing this. I was just today talking with some of my out of state friends about this site and how glad I was that I went before it closed. I went in an off season so other than a couple staff members I had the place to myself. This film maker is right -- the feeling you get of "being there" (and I mean the battle - not the movie) is just something EERIE. Very powerful and moving to anyone from Texas or with an appreciation of its history.
thanks for this video. i showed my dad and it brought back great memories for him. my parents stopped there on a cross country road trip back when they first got married in the 80's.
There was a sale a couple of years ago at Alamo Village. Most of the old props, tables, wagons, signs etc etc etc all gone now. I know that empty stretch of road all too well. I was in 2 Alamo films: IMAX "Alamo The Price of Freedom" and in "Travis" (aka The Cost Of Freedom). Plus a couple of reenactments and living history events there. Knew Happy before he passed. Great guy! The 2nd time I was there to film he remembered me by name!
Fantastic video Adam. Really enjoyed this one. Shame it is shut down. Nice to see though that no one has vandalized the place as so often happens with abandoned places.
I'm glad you podcasted this. You now have a record for the world, of this place and if it gets torn down, we will still be able to go back and see it. It feels sad to look at. Lonely. But it's so awesome that it is still there.
Just watching this gave me goosebumps. Thanx for sharing this piece of history. Totally agree that Texas should be stepping i and maintain this beautiful place!!
I have often wondered how the place looks today. I was there as a kid in 1961 before it became a big attraction, I think. Your tour was excellent but almost seemed like touring a graveyard. One of the original 1960 Alamo movie actors I met back in the 70's, John Hamilton,lives near me in Cuero, TX and I hope to meet him again some day. He and John Wayne were good friends and hunted together many times on Hamilton's ranch.
Back when they still taught real AMERICAN HISTORY! Instead of this PC GARBAGE COMMON CORE! I wish my kids could’ve gotten the same history lessons I got in the 80’s n 90’s! Now they barely have to know all 50 states!
Thanks for providing this. It was a day of horror when I found out about Crockett's death. The Alamo has got to be one of the greatest places on earth. Hopefully this site will be maintained. Please continue to share your adventures!
This set was owned by the late Happy Shahan, The country singer Johnny Rodriguez played Ortho in some of the skits and also sang some there. Happy was Johnny's manager after Johnny got a record deal. I remember when this place was jumping. Sad to see this now.
My brother worked for Happy in 1977 when I was a senior in high school. He played Ortho in the skits for the paying public. Got to see many behind-the-scenes stuff back then. Sad to see it thisaway.
I remember when the movie premiered in San Antonio. I was around 10 or so, it was at the Woodlawn theater not too far from where I lived. On premiere night my Dad took me down, got to see the stars arrive to see the movie in person. I managed to get in to see it myself about a week later. Loooong movie for a 10 year old to sit through!
Such a beautiful place! I remember going there a few times and watching bands while we talked with the owner. All the Longhorn walking free and us drinking while sitting in the Cantina. Love to buy it myself as I live pretty close to B-Ville..
It's amazing how places like this have never been stripped by souvenir hunters. Quite honestly, there's a few things I'd like to have, myself. Nice work juxtaposing the movie stills with the current locale.
My wife and I were there in 04 it was a grand thing for her to see. John Wayne was her hero. My beloved Carol lost her battel with cancer a few months ago. I am reliving memories.
Sad to see this. I toured the compound with my family in 1967 and the place was bustling with activity - shops, tours, restaurants, businesses, movie scene recreations, stage coach rides... Even some of the actors in the movie would stop in from time to time to give lectures and sign autographs. My wife and toured it again in 2007. I could tell it was dying as we walked around; it was almost deserted. But it was still a hauntingly peaceful place to be.
Is this property for sale. I live for old westerns on Direct Tv channel 538, five bucks a months to watch all these great shows without commercials. It's great to show my grandkids how GOOD these movies are without special effects. Thanks for showing this. U said this is in Texas, where ABOUT??
A real part of history. It gives some idea of scale and what things really looked like. The real Alamo is a great monument but when you visit it is hard to get a feel as the city has grown up around it.
Thanks for the video. It brought back many memories of the summers we worked out there, played in the bands, did the gunfights , watched movies get filmed there and just basically did some growing up in that dusty, hot and amazing place. Still have contacts with the friends I made out there. Hats off to you Richard for this too. I guess now we can't put your Blue Ford Fiesta in the wagon room anymore. :)
@@bradsmack1 I'd think it would be worthwhile to taggers (even if it's wrong) when bare walls, etc., are within walking distance, and in a more urban location.
@@azmike3572 It's a shame Hollywood producers, in this case, had to fail so miserably in making vandalism so inconvenient for potential hoods. Oh, well.
@@bradsmack1 Still a nice place. I visited it many times before it closed. Was able to meet "Happy" Shahan and his wife. In the 80s you could carefully walk up and be on top of the chapel. Everyone who worked there were in the "town".
I visited this place twice, once as a child and once as an adult.. Thanks for allowing me to revisit this place through watching this video.. Great memories.. Thanks for sharing..
As a native Texan, and from San Antonio to book, I think you did this proud. My grandfather worked on the film and I like to think he'd have been touched by the respect you showed. Keep up the good work!
I'm from Bath in England and went there on a road trip in 1984 with a freind from Fort Worth who had been an extra in the film The Alamo in 1960. It was still quite up together then.....really great to see it again. Thanks so much for the memories.
What do you expect when a portion of a major landmark is all that is left and surrounded by tall buildings. More so since the texas historians didn't try to preserve the Alamo until much later, like almost the 20th century.
John Wayne is my favorite actor, always watched his movies with my dad growing up, sad to see even his movie history sets fall to ruins, I would have enjoyed this when it was a road side attraction
I was there in the early 90's. They allowed me to go anywhere I wanted and climb the walls. Went into the town of Bejar and had a ball. In the cantina, everything was still there. In the back room where Crockett and Travis talked, there was pottery on shelves still from the movie. They let me have one which I still have today. In a building, there were a couple of cannons used in the movie. It was so cool to see. Even that big cannon, parts of it was there also.
Hey Adam, love your vids. This one is one of my favs. Hoping maybe once you start your new adventures, maybe on day you can revisit this place again. Also Maybe a stop in DFW as well. Look forward to more vids. Keep up the great work as always!
Thanks so much for making this film and sharing. The 1960 Alamo movie is probably my favorite. I've always wanted to see the set, but never close enough to go. Your video will be my visit - Thanks!
Hi Adam, I’m a recent subscriber, and really appreciate your work. Love all the ones I’ve seen so far, but you did a extra great job on this one. Keep up the good work!
Amazing place! I can't believe all that stuff is still there, props, etc. Also, in Bandolero Dean Martin was the one they were trying to hang and Jimmy Stewart rescued him. Fyi.. ; )
A couple of interesting facts: The set took 2yrs. to build at a cost of 1.5 million dollars. I'm shocked that people haven't stolen all those movie props.
Just started following your channel and this is the second video I watched today. Being a native of San Antonio, thank you for providing an insightful look into our past but also a wonderful Texas based film landmark. Thanks also for extending the reverence to the location deserves and what it was built originally to represent. Hopefully someone will bring it back to its former glory one day soon.
Thank you for such an awesome video. I used to watch all the old John Wayne films and Paul Newman. Used to love a cowboy film. I seen in the movies that Alamo Village. I can imagine that exploring that sight was fantastic. Brilliant video. Thanks for going there, filming and sharing. Wonderful.
I visited this site in 1996 while on a business trip from Bogota, Colombia. Had a drink in the cantina and watched a staged gunfight in the main street. What a great pity it has been left to decay.
That’s awesome that you could feel how much history was created there in recreating our nations history. You can immediately tell this is 1 of your 1st or much older vids. So funny. You don’t even have a clue what you are doing yet. Def gotten a lot better bro bro.
You never disappoint on your locations. I have seen the movie quite a few times. Never knew this place existed. Should be preserved. Thanks for sharing.
Used to go to Alamo Village quite often when I was a kid. My family owns land not too far from there and since I loved visiting the Alamo in San Antonio we had to go to Alamo Village. Gunfights in the streets, bank robberies...it was heaven for a kid who loved John Wayne.
Don't know how I've missed this video so long. I've been there twice, and the first time I actually felt more reverent than when I visited the Alamo in San Antonio. I sure do miss this place, even tho' now they are giving the Alamo the respect it deserves. Thanks, man.
If you are gunna tell the story of John Wayne`s death at the Alamo get it right first time....he did NOT die by a "Bayonet to the chest"...it was a Lance with a wooden shaft, which, when he snapped it off with the torch he was carrying, was left in the door as he moved away to throw the torch into the gunpowder store.
First visited this set near Brackettville in the summer of 1977 when it was still in original, well taken care of condition and a fun place! Of course, the movie was still recent (17 years) enough to still be well known. As time went on, it became less a part of our collective memory and eventually (with release of the new version The Alamo in 2004) ... out of sight/out of mind. I revisited in 2002 and was astounded at its decline at that time, so your pictures since then truly don't get to show its real glory. It was quite a place to visit! Thank you for this revisit!
Sometimes your camera work is a bit shakey, but you do throw in lots of fun tidbits, and your personality more than makes up for the lack of a camera crew... if you keep making these urbex vids, I guess I don't want you to change anything, because it's fun to watch, and it works! Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing your exploration!
In the video nothing was said about the huge amount of buildings that were added over the years, as they shot other Movies and TV Shows after the John Wayne's Alamo. But i believe most of the light Tan adobe looking buildings are the original buildings built for the Alamo Village in 1960!! My first visit there was 1959 as the contractors were putting the finishing touches on the set, prior to the start of filming!!! My last visit was in the 1980's and the attraction had changed a lot over the years. I believe i visited one other time. It is sad that it is not being used and has sat for 7 years decaying in SouthWest texas!!!
Fascinating. With all the interest on movie memorabilia & the number of artifacts in that location, its amazing that someone hasn't rescued that place.
small point of order - Wayne's Crockett was impaled with a lance, not a bayonet. still an impressive place. must be what the original compound looked like for 50 years after the battle.
In the latest book by Brian Kilmeade, "Sam Houston and the Alamo Avengers" , he describes the scene where the regular Mexican soldiers refuse to kill Crockett and the other survivors out of respect for their bravery but instead Crockett and the other survivors are hacked to death by the Staff Officers of Santa Anna using their swords.
Wow Adam. Although I haven't watched all of your clips, I have watched a lot. I have got to say out of all that I have watched, this is the best. You kept this serious and professional. Keep up the good work.
It's too bad that it's closed, I would love to have gone there and seen it. I live about 20 miles north of San Antonio and have seen the real Alamo several times. This place looks more like what I imagine the Alamo to have looked like back then than the real deal down town.
My father and uncle took my brother and I to that location when it was up and running as a tourist site. There was a band playing in the saloon, and they served soda etc., there was also a gun fight show,(the actors showed us the props too)there was also a gift shop, it was awesome! I still have all the photos we took from that day. It is so sad that it is now falling apart.
Many times through the years, starting in the 70's, variously living in San Antonio and later Houston, I would work and visit in the Del Rio area. I recall the yellow signs with red lettering advertising Alamo Village. The signs were numerous along Highway 90. I just never took the time to get off of the highway and visit Alamo Village. Thank you for this video.
Adam this is very cool. You always manage to see some really cool places and this is no exception! I was going to ask you some questions regarding this Set, but figured I would go do some digging because I had a few. So I'm posting that info here in case anyone else was curious. Thanks for sharing your experience! Wayne and producer Robert Fellows formed their own production company, Batjac. As Wayne developed his vision of what a movie about the Alamo should be, he concluded he did not want to risk seeing that vision changed; he would produce and direct the movie himself, though not act in it. However, he was unable to enlist financial support for the project without the presumptive box-office guarantee his on-screen appearance would provide. In 1956, he signed with United Artists; UA would contribute $2.5 million to the movie's development and serve as distributor. In exchange, Batjac was to contribute an additional $1.5-2.5 million, and Wayne would star in the movie. Wayne secured the remainder of the financing from wealthy Texans who insisted the movie be shot in Texas. The movie set, later known as Alamo Village, was constructed near Brackettville, Texas, on the ranch of James T. Shahan. Chatto Rodriquez, the general contractor of the set, built 14 miles (23 km) of tarred roads for access to the set from Brackettville. His men sank six wells to provide 12,000 gallons of water each day, and laid miles of sewage and water lines. They also built 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) of horse corrals. Rodriquez worked with art designer Alfred Ybarra to create the set. Historians Randy Roberts and James Olson describe it as "the most authentic set in the history of the movies".Over a million and a quarter adobe bricks were formed by hand to create the walls of the former Alamo Mission. The set was an extensive three quarter-scale replica of the mission, and has since been used in 100 other westerns, including other depictions of the battle. It took more than two years to construct.
My Dad and I wandered through the set a couple of years after the movie was shot. The land owner showed us around before it was turned into road side attraction. Great memory.
Shortly after I returned home to Texas after retiring from the U.S. Navy in Sept.1997, I went on a road trip, drove all over Texas. Alamo Village was one of my stops, it was quiet even then, few tourists but the people there were really friendly and hospitable. I walked the grounds with a retired stunt man who had worked on John Wayne's THE ALAMO and shared his memories of the Duke, the other actors and the making of the film. So many other films have been made there, among them the classic LONESOME DOVE.
Sad it's all been shut down. Thanks Adam for sharing this, brought back a lot of memories.
You retired a few months before I was born!
Time flows like a river
Brian Bois Gilbert. And fruit flies like a banana.
Yeah, guess I was making an obvious point but it wasn't meant to be snarky
Brian Bois Gilbert I was just making a joke.
How sad. We visited and stayed there in the early 70s. Stayed in the hotel and room where John Wayne slept while filming. We rode the mail stage coach out to Alamo set. Wonderful memories with our parents and grandparents.
Thank you for sharing
Interesting to see it after all these years, I was the Art Director on "Alamo the Price of Freedom"
A great deal of the Set had to be rebuilt in 1985 only the Facade, Main Gate and long barracks
were still standing... The facade Yabara designed had the upper windows, the profile was incorrect for 1836. We totally rebuilt the interior (the Cross as you caledl it ) good to see it had held up including the gun ramp.
The Stewart House was never seen in Wayne's 1960 version, we included it in the rebuild.
Hard to believe it's been 37 years.
Happy & Virginia are both gone. Thank you for the video, brought back good times.
This brought back a lot of memories to me also. My family worked as extras on Price of Freedom. My Dad , mom, brother and my young son . We were part of a Texas reenactment group at the time and were invited by a co producer we had worked with on the mini series Gone To Texas.We got to play Crockets Tennesseans for the most part and other smaller roles. My son Sean was one of the 2 boys that jumped from the back wall of the chapel as the Mexican Army stormed through the doors. Funny story on the reason he was picked. The stunt coordinator caught him and the other boy jumping from the wall to the airbag earlier that day.He brought them to me and let me know what hey had been up to. Then laughed and ask if it was ok to use them in the scene. He was even payed extra for stunt work. It is good to know you are still around and doing ok.Take care my friend
@@kevenbridges9433
Thanks, we also crossed paths on Gone To Texas aka "Houston the Ledgen of Texas"
Ray Herbeck jr. was the co producer you speak of I believe, he was the driving force to recruit reenactors.
I worked with him on several shoots.
"Ironclads" & "Glory" to name a couple.
@@Majorrogerragland48 Yes it was Ray. Its been so long I was having trouble recalling his name. I do remember that he looked a lot like Grizzly Adams. Great guy. He always treated our group well. We got told they needed us to be Mexican solders for a week or we could take the week off and come back when our next scenes came up. After a day in tight and very hot wool uniforms my Dad talked to Ray and he made us security for the week. So we could get payed .
@@kevenbridges9433
You might remember "Skin and Bones" from Box Ankle, Georgia.
Those two HARD CORE reenactors were "on set security" and stayed on the Hot set throughout shooting.
Later, they were invited to the wrap party @ Mccalister's New Braunfels ranch.
They were arrested as vagrants by ranch
security personal, not knowing who they were.
@@Majorrogerragland48 Yea I knew them well. LOL never heard the story of them getting arrested. I got to see Bones again at the premier in San Antonio. Skin was ill if I remember right and couldn't make the trip. We helped them out by watching the parking lot area and making sure no one entered the stars trailers when they were on set. At one point I gifted Skin the antler club ( made from Axis Deer antler from the YO Ranch) he carried. I have a lot of great memories from that shoot. The night scene of Santa Annas camp when the light from the fake moon drew in millions of crickets. The time Santa Annas horse ran off with him and ran thru the food tent before the wranglers could get control of it.Or the night we shot the fandango scene and Steve Sandor ( Bowie ) almost fill in the fire when he jumped up to do his lines. One of the guys sitting next to him had to grab the back of his belt to stop him. What no one knew at the time was that we had made up a jug of apple pie. it was made of pulpy apple juice , cinnamon and everclear. Thing is it masked the taste of the alcohol. Steve wanted to try some so we gave him a little in the bottom of his cup. With a warning that it had a kick like a mule. He laughed and grabbed the jug and filled his cup to the top. So by the time he was to give his lines he was well on his way. But like a pro he nailed his lines. He wasn't to happy the next day .But we had warned him.
Thank you for this. I just watched the Alamo movie when I was in Austin last month. Visited the Alamo with several Army officers and we talked about the history of Texas. We need to preserve our past and learn from it.
A friend and I came upon Alamo Village by accident while living in Texas in the late 1980's - one of my favorite memories! While working at a resort north of San Antonio, when guests asked about seeing the Alamo in San Antonio, I would HIGHLY suggest they also make the trip a couple hours further south to Bracketville and see what it likely looked like back in its' day!
Great little video! I visited Alamo Village back in the mid '70's when it was a fully functioning tourist attraction. It was a neat experience and it's sad to see that it has been abandoned.
I went there a few times when I was younger when it was open. I loved being on that set. I really felt as if I had travelled back in time to the real Alamo. The Cantina was open as a restaurant and I saw the back corner where John Wayne's Crockett and Laurence Harvey's Travis had their talk. I and truly sad that it's closed. I would love to go back again.
A visit can be arranged. You'd have to contact Rich Curilla.
Does Mr. Curilla live in Bracketville? My brother and his wife from Wyoming will be visiting us here in north central Texas in October and he is a number one John Wayne/Alamo fan. We'd love to make the drive down if we could find someone to show us around...
Yes, he does. Rich conducts occasional tours for individuals or small groups, provided he gets ample notice and is available. There would be a fee.
Tim, if you can figure out a way to contact me, I can put you in touch with him. He's a friend of mine.
Are you on Facebook? I'll send you a friend request.
You could go to the real alamo too 🙀
Wow the original Alamo movie set still stands somewhere in the desert? I had assumed it was all made of wood & was torn down after the movie. They should preserve it as a part of movie history.
It's in Bracketville.
The set was a theme park for a lot of years afterward and used again in Young Guns (1988) and Lonesome Dove (1989).
That is for sure totally agree
It's still there I road out there to see it but it's abandoned now, gates closed and locked up grass is all grown up, there's a old faded sign you can barely read, its went threw several owners sense the film was made
This video was the very first ATW video I had ever watched. It still holds up after all of these years. 1,364,633 views cannot be wrong. Well done, Adam.
I was so sorry to see this torn down. John Wayne stayed at the Adolphus Hotel on the way to the set and I played with his daughter. We would go to Bracketville on vacation and visit the set and Alamo Village in the 60's and I have it on our old home movies. In 2005 I went to the Alamo thinking I had been there but it was actually this set I remembered.
#1)THANK YOU FOR FILMING,AND SHARING THIS SPOT WITH US!!!And #2)Just knowing The Duke HIMSELF walked that land makes this fanatic(me) love it...LONG LIVE *THE DUKE*
"FILM", OR VIDEO????
I watched a couple of videos and they were goofy and I couldn't figure out why you had so many subscribers. But I came back and watched a few more. I've watched a couple of dozen in the past week and read the comments and I think I finally understand. You are digging up memories for people. Personal moments from their past, in movies or amusement parks or old stores. They love it and they love you for taking them along on your journeys. It didn't take long, and now I am hooked, too.
Thanks so much, I born , raised in Houston. My family went there on vacation about 5 years after movie was made, thanks again. I am 67.
Thank you for sharing, Adam. As a young boy, in the early and mid-60's, I visited this place many times. I took stagecoach rides here, you could take horseback rides, and there were lots of visitors during that period. Back then, the saloon was still open for business, including live bands and dancing girls. The first times I visited there, there were separate water fountains and bathrooms for Negroes. That was the first time I remember seeing black people when I was a young boy. Later visits there, all the people used the same bathrooms and water fountains. I have so many childhood memories from this amazing place. Happy Shahan owned and built it. He was quite a colorful character himself. Again, thank you for sharing.
I’m from England, I’d love to visit this site one day, god bless the Duke
I visited this set in 1998. What was fascinating, was that you got a sense of what the Alamo would have looked like in 1836. The original site is now within the metropolis of bustling San Antonio. It was very quiet and I had the place to myself. I lunched in the village cafeteria. I'm so sorry it has become derelict. I hope someone will restore it to its former glory. It is a wonderful asset.
I took my sons there when I was stationed in Texas. Being in west Texas it is a good spot for a movie set with sunshine most of the year. Although it is not as large as the original Alamo, you get a good sense of how the battle unfolded. You have to use your imagination and read a lot of history to do that in San Antonio.
As far as the condition, the desert climate helps, but it is still a movie set. It was built to look good on film and withstand people's weight for the film. It was never intended to be a long term structure. It is mostly wood framing and stucco. John Wayne did a fair amount of research and the set is a reasonably accurate recreation of the 1836 Alamo. As I recall, the place is not that accessible and the public interest started to wane. It takes money to maintain something like this to keep it safe and interesting to visit. Without tourists to visit and rentals for films, the money isn't there to keep it up.
We were out there about 10 years ago. Just a wonderful walk down memory lane. There was a guy working out there near the cantina that had the entire scene where John Wayne was talking about praying to the north star. Even showed us the exact spot where he stood. It really is heartbreaking to see a cinematic icon fall into disrepair. I really hope the businessman from Corpus Christi buys it and restores it....Oh, and thank you for sharing this video. Really enjoyed the memories!
THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing this. I was just today talking with some of my out of state friends about this site and how glad I was that I went before it closed. I went in an off season so other than a couple staff members I had the place to myself. This film maker is right -- the feeling you get of "being there" (and I mean the battle - not the movie) is just something EERIE. Very powerful and moving to anyone from Texas or with an appreciation of its history.
thanks for this video. i showed my dad and it brought back great memories for him. my parents stopped there on a cross country road trip back when they first got married in the 80's.
It was great to see this place in 1969...they had stage coach rides and for a kid it was amazing running around all that old west scenery!
There was a sale a couple of years ago at Alamo Village. Most of the old props, tables, wagons, signs etc etc etc all gone now. I know that empty stretch of road all too well. I was in 2 Alamo films: IMAX "Alamo The Price of Freedom" and in "Travis" (aka The Cost Of Freedom). Plus a couple of reenactments and living history events there. Knew Happy before he passed. Great guy! The 2nd time I was there to film he remembered me by name!
Great job on this one Adam, thank you for helping to preserve a piece of movie history before the desert and time take it away from us!
Was there in 65 as a 10 yr old. I’ll be 65 this yr. It was cool!
Brilliant to see...I worked here in the Indian Store in 1984...wonderful memories..thank you
Nice that there is no graffiti.The place looks cool.
j.d. thompson
Yea and I really hope no one ever defiles it.
It helps being out in the middle of nowhere.
Very interesting! I'm a huge John Wayne fan, loved the movie. Thanks for the update on the location.
Fantastic video Adam. Really enjoyed this one. Shame it is shut down. Nice to see though that no one has vandalized the place as so often happens with abandoned places.
Thank you for sharing! The government of Texas should acquire and maintain this landmark.
Been there when i was a kid
+Luis Gonzalez Sure a waste of money for another historic sight no one will visit let the desert reclaim it.
+max Payne YOUR an idoit . Its part of history now
Ok idiot
Maybe moron would fit you better
I'm glad you podcasted this. You now have a record for the world, of this place and if it gets torn down, we will still be able to go back and see it. It feels sad to look at. Lonely. But it's so awesome that it is still there.
Just watching this gave me goosebumps. Thanx for sharing this piece of history. Totally agree that Texas should be stepping i and maintain this beautiful place!!
Frank Gravel fake Alamo. Real Alamo is in San Antonio
I have often wondered how the place looks today. I was there as a kid in 1961 before it became a big attraction, I think. Your tour was excellent but almost seemed like touring a graveyard. One of the original 1960 Alamo movie actors I met back in the 70's, John Hamilton,lives near me in Cuero, TX and I hope to meet him again some day. He and John Wayne were good friends and hunted together many times on Hamilton's ranch.
I remember going to see this movie when I was in the 2nd grade. The whole class went.. ( Gotta remember I'm in Texas)
Back when they still taught real AMERICAN HISTORY! Instead of this PC GARBAGE COMMON CORE! I wish my kids could’ve gotten the same history lessons I got in the 80’s n 90’s! Now they barely have to know all 50 states!
Thanks for providing this. It was a day of horror when I found out about Crockett's death. The Alamo has got to be one of the greatest places on earth. Hopefully this site will be maintained. Please continue to share your adventures!
This set was owned by the late Happy Shahan, The country singer Johnny Rodriguez played Ortho in some of the skits and also sang some there. Happy was Johnny's manager after Johnny got a record deal. I remember when this place was jumping. Sad to see this now.
My brother worked for Happy in 1977 when I was a senior in high school. He played Ortho in the skits for the paying public. Got to see many behind-the-scenes stuff back then. Sad to see it thisaway.
Certainly gives a great feel of a real old western town/village. The stark reality of how tough times were back then hits home. Remarkable. Thanks.
VERY COOL...One of your best videos thus far...Love it, THANK YOU!
That last battle scene is the best in movie history, bar none. The cinematography is incredible
Try the film Waterloo 1970 for battle scenes
Try the film 🎥 Waterloo 1970 for battle scenes
That's amazing. What's crazy is that the saloon is still intact with even the napkin dispensers from 4 years ago.
I remember when the movie premiered in San Antonio. I was around 10 or so, it was at the Woodlawn theater not too far from where I lived. On premiere night my Dad took me down, got to see the stars arrive to see the movie in person. I managed to get in to see it myself about a week later. Loooong movie for a 10 year old to sit through!
Such a beautiful place! I remember going there a few times and watching bands while we talked with the owner. All the Longhorn walking free and us drinking while sitting in the Cantina. Love to buy it myself as I live pretty close to B-Ville..
TIME TO TEXIT......the ALAMO is on the SJW's hit list....as wellas everything TEXAS......
One of your better videos! thanks for actually giving some background details on this historic abandoned attraction.
Thank you for showing us the Alamo set. I never knew it wasn't filmed in California.
It's amazing how places like this have never been stripped by souvenir hunters. Quite honestly, there's a few things I'd like to have, myself.
Nice work juxtaposing the movie stills with the current locale.
One of the best videos I'm seen yet on RUclips. thank you for sharing your experience with us. :-)
Funny how we become drawn to the same things..... Huggles from Laura O aka Zolwena
id like to walk down there in my cowboy clothes and make out. id take my dog Charlie Cowboy Pants hes a real wild one
My wife and I were there in 04 it was a grand thing for her to see. John Wayne was her hero. My beloved Carol lost her battel with cancer a few months ago. I am reliving memories.
I do like these videos over your standard, weird fare.
Well done on capturing the experience as much as possible :)
Sad to see this. I toured the compound with my family in 1967 and the place was bustling with activity - shops, tours, restaurants, businesses, movie scene recreations, stage coach rides... Even some of the actors in the movie would stop in from time to time to give lectures and sign autographs. My wife and toured it again in 2007. I could tell it was dying as we walked around; it was almost deserted. But it was still a hauntingly peaceful place to be.
Is this property for sale. I live for old westerns on Direct Tv channel 538, five bucks a months to watch all these great shows without commercials. It's great to show my grandkids how GOOD these movies are without special effects. Thanks for showing this. U said this is in Texas, where ABOUT??
Andy Elwood comment made a year ago said Bracketville, Tx
A real part of history. It gives some idea of scale and what things really looked like. The real Alamo is a great monument but when you visit it is hard to get a feel as the city has grown up around it.
Nice one, man! Really is just as they left it after blowing the crap out of everything in the final reel. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the video. It brought back many memories of the summers we worked out there, played in the bands, did the gunfights , watched movies get filmed there and just basically did some growing up in that dusty, hot and amazing place. Still have contacts with the friends I made out there. Hats off to you Richard for this too. I guess now we can't put your Blue Ford Fiesta in the wagon room anymore. :)
It's amazing how most of the stuff there hasn't been stolen.
Thank you so much for filming and sharing this awesome video!
Cool place! Hope I get to see and feel this place one day.
Even though its sad that no one takes care about the site anymore I am at least happy it hasnt been vandalized or sprayed full of graffiti
@Ricky Carey It's also too far off the highway to make tagging worthwhile.
@@azmike3572 You mean, there are places that actually make tagging worthwhile?
@@bradsmack1 I'd think it would be worthwhile to taggers (even if it's wrong) when bare walls, etc., are within walking distance, and in a more urban location.
@@azmike3572 It's a shame Hollywood producers, in this case, had to fail so miserably in making vandalism so inconvenient for potential hoods. Oh, well.
@@bradsmack1 Still a nice place. I visited it many times before it closed. Was able to meet "Happy" Shahan and his wife. In the 80s you could carefully walk up and be on top of the chapel. Everyone who worked there were in the "town".
thanks a lot for these beautiful pictures. the Duke remembrance ...
Right on ! very good job on this video,and a Great ! place too. It's a shame it is being left to decay
I visited this place twice, once as a child and once as an adult.. Thanks for allowing me to revisit this place through watching this video.. Great memories.. Thanks for sharing..
As a native Texan, and from San Antonio to book, I think you did this proud. My grandfather worked on the film and I like to think he'd have been touched by the respect you showed. Keep up the good work!
I'm from Bath in England and went there on a road trip in 1984 with a freind from Fort Worth who had been an extra in the film The Alamo in 1960.
It was still quite up together then.....really great to see it again. Thanks so much for the memories.
That place got so much more atmosphere than the real Alamo Plaza in San Antonio. Thanks Duke!
What do you expect when a portion of a major landmark is all that is left and surrounded by tall buildings. More so since the texas historians didn't try to preserve the Alamo until much later, like almost the 20th century.
Alamo YTC Germany, have you seen my riddle?
A Germany One?
Figure this and you get a smile on your face.
John Wayne is my favorite actor, always watched his movies with my dad growing up, sad to see even his movie history sets fall to ruins, I would have enjoyed this when it was a road side attraction
I was there in the early 90's. They allowed me to go anywhere I wanted and climb the walls. Went into the town of Bejar and had a ball. In the cantina, everything was still there. In the back room where Crockett and Travis talked, there was pottery on shelves still from the movie. They let me have one which I still have today. In a building, there were a couple of cannons used in the movie. It was so cool to see. Even that big cannon, parts of it was there also.
Hey Adam, love your vids. This one is one of my favs. Hoping maybe once you start your new adventures, maybe on day you can revisit this place again. Also Maybe a stop in DFW as well. Look forward to more vids. Keep up the great work as always!
Interesting place thanks for sharing with us.
Thanks so much for making this film and sharing. The 1960 Alamo movie is probably my favorite. I've always wanted to see the set, but never close enough to go. Your video will be my visit - Thanks!
Your respect and reverence say a lot!
Hi Adam, I’m a recent subscriber, and really appreciate your work. Love all the ones I’ve seen so far, but you did a extra great job on this one. Keep up the good work!
Amazing place! I can't believe all that stuff is still there, props, etc. Also, in Bandolero Dean Martin was the one they were trying to hang and Jimmy Stewart rescued him. Fyi.. ; )
Quite right, after the outlaws escaped, Stewart robbed the bank.
Not any more though, after the auction
Wow! Awesome! Thanks for sharing this bit of history. Looks like there is a lot of great memorabilia still hanging around there.
A couple of interesting facts: The set took 2yrs. to build at a cost of 1.5 million dollars.
I'm shocked that people haven't stolen all those movie props.
That is _very_ interesting; I was wondering about that. Thank you for filling everyone in with the information.
Just started following your channel and this is the second video I watched today. Being a native of San Antonio, thank you for providing an insightful look into our past but also a wonderful Texas based film landmark. Thanks also for extending the reverence to the location deserves and what it was built originally to represent. Hopefully someone will bring it back to its former glory one day soon.
Having been to the real Alamo a couple of times, I am pleased to see what it was like before all the urban development that currently surrounds it.
Thank you for such an awesome video. I used to watch all the old John Wayne films and Paul Newman. Used to love a cowboy film. I seen in the movies that Alamo Village. I can imagine that exploring that sight was fantastic. Brilliant video. Thanks for going there, filming and sharing. Wonderful.
this place needs to be revisited, great video
I visited this site in 1996 while on a business trip from Bogota, Colombia. Had a drink in the cantina and watched a staged gunfight in the main street. What a great pity it has been left to decay.
I remembered going here on a field trip, I was amazed by it. Its so sad to see our history rotting away now.
Thanks for sharing.
you do know this is not the REAL Alamo right?
@@trianarodriguez7762 He said that in the video 📹. It's a movie set.
Very exciting stuff, thank you for sharing! Did you see the BASEMENT in the Alamo???
Its not the real alamo
I grew up in San Antonio, believe me this is way better than the real Alamo.
That’s awesome that you could feel how much history was created there in recreating our nations history.
You can immediately tell this is 1 of your 1st or much older vids.
So funny.
You don’t even have a clue what you are doing yet.
Def gotten a lot better bro bro.
That's in Bracketville, Texas my dad told me about this place, I'm a San Antonio, Texas native
Jonathan Graham used to visit as a kid and check out the cowboy shoot outs!
Just north. The locals use to have horse races up the main drag. I was born in Del Rio
You never disappoint on your locations. I have seen the movie quite a few times. Never knew this place existed. Should be preserved. Thanks for sharing.
Used to go to Alamo Village quite often when I was a kid. My family owns land not too far from there and since I loved visiting the Alamo in San Antonio we had to go to Alamo Village. Gunfights in the streets, bank robberies...it was heaven for a kid who loved John Wayne.
Great video and thank you for sharing.
Don't know how I've missed this video so long. I've been there twice, and the first time I actually felt more reverent than when I visited the Alamo in San Antonio. I sure do miss this place, even tho' now they are giving the Alamo the respect it deserves. Thanks, man.
If you are gunna tell the story of John Wayne`s death at the Alamo get it right first time....he did NOT die by a "Bayonet to the chest"...it was a Lance with a wooden shaft, which, when he snapped it off with the torch he was carrying, was left in the door as he moved away to throw the torch into the gunpowder store.
Very good !!!! Nice job - did not know that part of the building was a cross - they said John Wayne gave a good part of his life making this movie
Was a pretty big financial anchor for Wayne and the studio. John Wayne put I think around 250K of his own money to make this movie.
First visited this set near Brackettville in the summer of 1977 when it was still in original, well taken care of condition and a fun place! Of course, the movie was still recent (17 years) enough to still be well known. As time went on, it became less a part of our collective memory and eventually (with release of the new version The Alamo in 2004) ... out of sight/out of mind. I revisited in 2002 and was astounded at its decline at that time, so your pictures since then truly don't get to show its real glory. It was quite a place to visit! Thank you for this revisit!
"The Alamo" was the First Live Action Movie I ever saw in a Cinema! .... I was just about 8 years old!
I've often wanted to visit the Alamo, but I'll probably never make it in my lifetime. Thanks for this armchair trip.
Sometimes your camera work is a bit shakey, but you do throw in lots of fun tidbits, and your personality more than makes up for the lack of a camera crew... if you keep making these urbex vids, I guess I don't want you to change anything, because it's fun to watch, and it works! Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing your exploration!
Coolest video to watch on today 4th of July. I hope someone preserves those buckboards & wagons. I hope someone preserves ALL OF IT!
In the video nothing was said about the huge amount of buildings that were added over the years, as they shot other Movies and TV Shows after the John Wayne's Alamo. But i believe most of the light Tan adobe looking buildings are the original buildings built for the Alamo Village in 1960!! My first visit there was 1959 as the contractors were putting the finishing touches on the set, prior to the start of filming!!! My last visit was in the 1980's and the attraction had changed a lot over the years. I believe i visited one other time. It is sad that it is not being used and has sat for 7 years decaying in SouthWest texas!!!
Arthur Hohensee
It will be used again.
That green screen technology is so Good now days though that maybe that real look isn’t as good. YEESH!
Fascinating. With all the interest on movie memorabilia & the number of artifacts in that location, its amazing that someone hasn't rescued that place.
small point of order - Wayne's Crockett was impaled with a lance, not a bayonet. still an impressive place. must be what the original compound looked like for 50 years after the battle.
John Smith THAT'S RIGHT. IT WAS A LANCE THAT'S WHAT I SAID.
In the latest book by Brian Kilmeade, "Sam Houston and the Alamo Avengers" , he describes the scene where the regular Mexican soldiers refuse to kill Crockett and the other survivors out of respect for their bravery but instead Crockett and the other survivors are hacked to death by the Staff Officers of Santa Anna using their swords.
Walter Lord wrote the definitive history in "A Time To Stand". Kilmeade is wrong.
Wow Adam.
Although I haven't watched all of your clips, I have
watched a lot. I have got to say out of all that I
have watched, this is the best.
You kept this serious and professional.
Keep up the good work.
It's too bad that it's closed, I would love to have gone there and seen it. I live about 20 miles north of San Antonio and have seen the real Alamo several times. This place looks more like what I imagine the Alamo to have looked like back then than the real deal down town.
That place would've been an awesome John Wayne Muesem
My father and uncle took my brother and I to that location when it was up and running as a tourist site. There was a band playing in the saloon, and they served soda etc., there was also a gun fight show,(the actors showed us the props too)there was also a gift shop, it was awesome! I still have all the photos we took from that day. It is so sad that it is now falling apart.
I remember having a one of the best BBQ sandwiches when I visited Alamo Village back in the 1980's.
Many times through the years, starting in the 70's, variously living in San Antonio and later Houston, I would work and visit in the Del Rio area. I recall the yellow signs with red lettering advertising Alamo Village. The signs were numerous along Highway 90. I just never took the time to get off of the highway and visit Alamo Village. Thank you for this video.
Adam this is very cool. You always manage to see some really cool places and this is no exception! I was going to ask you some questions regarding this Set, but figured I would go do some digging because I had a few. So I'm posting that info here in case anyone else was curious. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Wayne and producer Robert Fellows formed their own production company, Batjac. As Wayne developed his vision of what a movie about the Alamo should be, he concluded he did not want to risk seeing that vision changed; he would produce and direct the movie himself, though not act in it. However, he was unable to enlist financial support for the project without the presumptive box-office guarantee his on-screen appearance would provide. In 1956, he signed with United Artists; UA would contribute $2.5 million to the movie's development and serve as distributor. In exchange, Batjac was to contribute an additional $1.5-2.5 million, and Wayne would star in the movie. Wayne secured the remainder of the financing from wealthy Texans who insisted the movie be shot in Texas.
The movie set, later known as Alamo Village, was constructed near Brackettville, Texas, on the ranch of James T. Shahan. Chatto Rodriquez, the general contractor of the set, built 14 miles (23 km) of tarred roads for access to the set from Brackettville. His men sank six wells to provide 12,000 gallons of water each day, and laid miles of sewage and water lines. They also built 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) of horse corrals.
Rodriquez worked with art designer Alfred Ybarra to create the set. Historians Randy Roberts and James Olson describe it as "the most authentic set in the history of the movies".Over a million and a quarter adobe bricks were formed by hand to create the walls of the former Alamo Mission. The set was an extensive three quarter-scale replica of the mission, and has since been used in 100 other westerns, including other depictions of the battle. It took more than two years to construct.
Arnz- Creicher 👍
Thanks! Very interesting.