Apacheland Movie Ranch (site)

 movie / film / TV location, historical layer / disappeared object, movie ranch

Apacheland Movie Ranch
4369 South Kings Ranch Road
Gold Canyon, AZ

This 13 acre parcel is all that remains of the once 1800 acre Apacheland Movie Ranch.

Located in the Superstition Mountains in central Arizona, and intended to be the "Western Movie Capitol of the World", construction on the Apacheland Studio 'western town' began on February 12, 1959 by Superstition Mountain Enterprises and associates. By June 1960 Apacheland Studio was open for business and filmed its first TV western Stagecoach West and full length movie The Purple Hills.

Actors such as Elvis Presley, Jason Robards, Stella Stevens, Ronald Reagan, Steve McQueen, Clint Eastwood and Audie Murphy filmed western television shows and movies, such as Gambler II, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Death Valley Days, Blind Justice, Charro!, Have Gun, Will Travel and Ballad of Cable Hogue at the western movie studio for some or all of the filming.

The last full length movie to be filmed was the 1994 HBO movie Blind Justice with Armand Assante, Elizabeth Shue and Jack Black.

On May 29, 1969, a suspicious fire destroyed most of the ranch. Only 7 buildings survived. The sets were soon rebuilt but then almost 35 years later on February 14, 2004, 2 days after its 45th anniversary, another suspicious fire destroyed most of the Apacheland. On October 16, 2004 Apacheland closed its doors to the public permanently. The cause of both fires remain a mystery.

An organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of this defunct movie ranch can be found at these sites:

www.facebook.com/Apacheland/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED

Apacheland Owners 1959 - 200:

Apacheland Movie Ranch·Sunday, July 17, 2016
Always known as "APACHELAND" since 1959, this western town has operated under many different names with various owners and managers over the past 6 decades. The list below is according to information I have in my extensive archives. We are sure other names will be added to list as we research further. Some of the people that operated Apacheland throughout the decades were colorful folks that helped bring famous western movie stars to the streets of Apacheland.

1959-1964
SUPERSTITION MOUNTAIN ENTERPRISES (Apacheland Studio)

OWNERS: J.K. Hutchens, Winfield Creighton, John Newman, Cecil Mills, John Harris, Russell Rennick
MANAGERS: Nat Winecoff, Dennis L. Judd, Leland Wainscott


1965-1975
WILDERNESS ENTERPRISES (Apacheland Movie Ranch)

OWNERS: Marie Arnold, Cecil Arnold, Spencer Stewart, Pete Laizure, Dale Keller
MANAGERS: Leland Wainscott, Charlie Aldrich, Ron Nix, Tiny Wells, Joe Valenti


1976-1977
INDEPENDENT SOCIETY of MUSICIANS, ARTISTS & TRADESMEN (I.S.M.A.T.)

OWNERS: Marie Arnold Peyton, Spencer Stewart
MANAGERS: Joe Valenti, Dennis Green, Brenda Donnellan, David Welsh


1977-1978
De GRAZIA SUPERSTITION MOUNTAIN FILM STUDIOS

OWNERS: Sue Schilleman, Martha Olson
MANAGERS: Vern Diehl, Ken McConnell


1978-1983
APACHELAND MOVIE RANCH

OWNERS: Sue Schilleman
MANAGERS: Sue Schilleman


1984-1991
APACHELAND MOVIE RANCH

Closed To The Public


1992-2004
APACHELAND MOVIE RANCH

OWNERS: Sue Birmingham, Ed Birmingham
MANAGERS: Ed Birmingham, Royce O'Donnell