Such a dry, sandy,
scorched place but what a storied past it holds.
Pioneertown,
California was created in 1947 by Roy Rodgers and the Sons of The Pioneers as a
movie/TV set. Its streets teemed with
Hollywood cowboys that gave a post WWII audience all the glitz, glitter and
‘the good guys always win’ stories they craved after living through a war that
brought the entire world to its knees.
Today its shine has
dulled significantly, reminding me of a flickering florescent bulb, not dead
yet but the moments of darkness are becoming more frequent and last a bit
longer each time.
Folks still travel
here to walk the dusty streets, peer into vacant replicas of old west shops,
take photos while posing beside decaying old-west style wagons and browse
through a few refurbished stores offering leather ware, pottery, snacks and
souvenirs. I fear in a not so distant
future only a Wikipedia page with a few dated pictures will remain to tell people
of a town called Pioneertown, California that was built by Hollywood cowboys in
1947 as a stage from which to entertain a generation that is also beginning to
return to dust.
Me? I love the place!
When I walk the empty Mane Street (no, I
didn’t misspell it) as the sun is just beginning to think about peeking over the
horizon, before others arrive and locals awaken, I see the Pioneertown ghosts
and gladly walk among them. I hear the
cowboy ballads being sung by Roy and the Sons of The Pioneers and the steady clip-clop
of the horses they ride. I feel the excitement
of creativity being put into motion by the directors, producers, make-up artists, costume designers, camera and sound
crews and I can even smell the meals being made in the on-set kitchen.
It’s all still here
and always will be.
Just because
something isn’t seen all the time, in the manner we’re ‘taught’ it ‘should’ be
seen, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.
HA! As I type this, I hear a coyote’s howl! A fitting “yes, we’re still here” message
don’t you think?
Happy Trails to You!
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