|
 Flames
leaped 300 feet into the night sky near King’s Ranch
about 6:30 p.m. on Valentine’s Day, 2004. Some 25
patrons in the Apacheland restaurant escaped the
fire unharmed, but Apacheland Movie Ranch burned to
the ground for the second time in its 43-year
history.
The fire only left a few buildings standing.
Ironically, the little white chapel used in Elvis
Presley’s film “Charro” survived for the second
time. Other buildings survived the fire at the west
end of the movie set. The fire reportedly began
somewhere near the restaurant in an electrical box.
The Apache Junction Fire District was still putting
out hot spots on Sunday morning.
The fire was devastating to Ed and Sue Birmingham
and their employees. They always prided themselves
in preserving the movie history of the area.
Apacheland was a special place to many people, a
place were memories of our silver screen cowboy
heroes came alive and reminded us of how important
their impact was on our lives.
Television series such as Wyatt Earp with Hugh
O’Brien, Wanted Dead or Alive with Steve McQueen,
Have Gun Will Travel with Richard Boone, The
Virginian, Rawhide, and several episodes of Little
House on the Prairie produced television heroes for
us. John Wayne, Audie Murphy, Ronald Reagan, Kenny
Rogers, Elvis Presley and Jason Robards were just
some of the silver screen feature length stars that
performed for the cameras at Apacheland.
Sadly enough, a lot of historical artifacts and
materials were lost in the two fires. The first
fire, in 1969, claimed Levis Brown’s collection of
early medical instruments that belonged to Dr. L. M.
Tompkins of Gilbert. Many of the instruments dated
back to 1910. Many photographs autographed by
Hollywood stars were lost in both fires. Ben Cole,
Apacheland’s official Dutchman for several years,
possessed one of the finest collections of
photographs autographed by Hollywood stars.
Apacheland was first planned to be an amusement park
and film studio late in 1959. Original construction
began on February 12, 1960, and the ground- breaking
ceremony was held on March 19, 1960, with Will
Rogers Jr. being on hand.
William W. Creighton was the man behind the dream
when he came to Apache Junction in the late 1950s.
Spencer D. Stewart helped make this dream come true
by providing the financial backing for Apacheland.
The movie set was originally constructed for Dick
Powell’s Death Valley Days and originally starred
Robert Taylor, than Ronald Reagan. A large sound
studio was constructed on the western end of the
lot. The walls of this studio were about forty feet
high. Winds have since toppled this massive
building.
 My
first involvement with Apache Land was when my wife,
Sharon and her friend purchased 100 shares each of
the first stock options offered for sale to the
public by Superstition Mountain Enterprises Inc. in
July of 1960.
We all sat in the Cowboy Steak House at Apacheland
and signed the papers for the stock. We walked the
streets of Apacheland and admired our investment in
the future. Stock was once more offered for sale on
August 4, 1961. The Federal Securities Exchange
Commission authorized the sale of two million shares
at $2.50 a share. William W. Creighton had dreams of
a large hotel for the stars in Apache Junction. This
idea became a reality when the Superstition Ho Hotel
was completed in 1960. Creighton also brought the
Houston Colt 45’s baseball team (now the Houston
Astros) to Apache Junction for spring training at
Geronimo Park in 1961 and 1962. An economic slump in
1964 brought the development of Apache Junction and
Apacheland to a halt.
The 54-acre western town Apacheland was sold at
sheriff’s auction on January 29, 1965, to satisfy a
loan held against the movie set by Home Savings and
Loan. The Superstition Mountain Enterprise had
finally failed, and Apacheland had gone into
receivership. John Porter Manufacturing Co. took
over Apacheland after purchasing it at the sheriff’s
auction. Spencer D. Stewart owned the John Porter
Manufacturing Company.
On July 13, 1977, Vernon Piehl purchased the studio,
according to local newspapers and renamed it
Superstition Studios. Artist Ted DeGrazia was
involved with the studio for a short time, but later
opted to do his own gallery near the base of
Superstition Mountain east of Apache Junction.
On Labor Day 1977, Vernon Piehl planned a big, new
grand opening for the Superstition Studios. Piehl
could never make Apacheland go as Superstition
Studio so the property remained in the hands of
Stewart Spencer’s daughter, Sue Schilleman (later
Birmingham). In January of 1981 the old movie set
was put up for auction, but an offer of $400,000 was
turned down.
Ed and Sue Birmingham closed Apacheland in 1984.
There was another attempt to open Apacheland on
January 3, 1990 by a group called Apacheland Tours
and Chuck Wagon Dinners. Charlie Graves came down
from Colorado looking for a new place for his chuck
wagon dinners and theater. This venture failed after
a season or so.
The film Charro, starring Elvis Presley was made at
Apacheland when he was at the peak of his career in
1968. The following spring after the filming of
Charro the first fire occurred on May 25, 1969. This
fire burned into the morning of May 26, 1969. After
this devastating fire Apacheland was rebuilt in time
to start shooting of Death Valley Days on July 25,
1969. Also at the same time Dallas Adair moved his
riding stable down to Apacheland from Lake City,
Colo., to help out during the filming of Death
Valley Days. Dallas told me one day he had moved
down just in time for the fire.
Early in 1993, Ed and Sue Birmingham began to
restore Apacheland to its original movie set
condition. Hard work, sweat and tears helped to
build the movie set again. They opened a restaurant
and saloon on April 16, 1994, that became very
popular in the Apache Junction- Gold Canyon area. Ed
Birmingham revitalized an old movie set and found
filming companies interested in it. HBO filmed Blind
Justice starring Armand Assante.
The Birmingham's worked closely with the Arizona
Film Commission and the Apache Junction Film
Commission to promote the film industry in Arizona.
Ed and Sue helped sponsor the “Elvis Lives” festival
with the Apache Junction Chamber of Commerce for two
years in row. The restaurant and streets of
Apacheland once again attracted people from around
the country and the world. The Birmingham's were
involved in many charitable community events at
Apacheland and did everything with class. Apacheland
had found new stars.
Those who have enjoyed working at Apacheland and
those who enjoyed visiting at Apacheland all know
how important the values of our silver screen cowboy
heroes have always been to us. Apacheland, for just
a few minutes, reminded us of the past and the
spirit of the Old West. Apacheland films reminded us
that the good often won. This was part of the value
of this wonderful place called Apacheland.
As a foot note, the Superstition Mountain Inn (Grand
Hotel) was razed in 2007 ending forever the physical
legacy of motion picture industry in the Apache
Junction area. Apacheland created a lot of dreams in
the minds of men. Today, both museums along the
Apache Trail are making an effort to preserve this
film history in our community. Visit them and enjoy
the film history of the Superstition Mountain
region. |
