“Pioneertown is a unique Old West locale, just a short drive from the Coachella Valley. You can stroll the dusty streets of a vintage Western movie set, see a staged shoot-out—and escape the valley’s heat. Just 4 1/2 miles from Highway 62 in Yucca Valley, Pioneertown is at an elevation of 4,000 feet, and typically about 10 degrees cooler than it is in the Coachella Valley.
Pioneertown was established back in 1946, an idea fulfilled by actor Dick Curtis. Curtis shared his dream for a real Western town, not far away from the Hollywood studios, that could also serve as a movie set. Curtis initially signed up 17 investors, including top stars like “King of the Cowboys” Roy Rogers, and his actress/singer wife, Dale Evans; Rogers’ singing group, Sons of the Pioneers; and Russell Hayden, Frank McDonald, Bud Abbott, among others. Each investor contributed $500, and the group incorporated as a business, purchasing 32,000 acres of land in the desert northwest of Yucca Valley. The goal was not only to build a Western set where movies would be shot, but to also develop a real town where they would be among friends, family and co-workers…”
[Read the full article at cvindependent.com]