Flames leaped three hundred feet into the night sky near Kings Ranch about 6:30 p.m. on Valentine’s Day, 2004. Some twenty-five patrons in the Apacheland restaurant escaped the fire unharmed. Once again a devastating fire has become a part of this movie set’s history.

Apacheland burned to the ground for the second time in its forty-three year history. The fire left only 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 owners Ed and Sue Birmingham and their employees. They have always prided themselves so much in preserving the movie history of the area. Apacheland was a special place to many people. It was 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 many us. 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 Apache Land.

Apacheland was first planned to be an amusement park and film studio late in 1959. Original construction on the set began on February 12, 1960, and the ground-breaking ceremony was held on March 19, 1960, with Will Rogers Jr 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, then 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 sound stage.

My first involvement with Apacheland was when my wife, Sharon and her friend purchased a hundred 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. We walked the streets of Apacheland and admired our investment in the future. Superstition Mountain Enterprises Inc. once more offered stock for sale on August 4, 1961. The Federal Securities Exchange Commission authorized the sale of two million shares at two dollars and fifty cents a share. I have found no figures on how much of this stock actually sold in the early 1960s.

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 baseball’s Houston Colt 45’s (later, 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 fifty-four 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. 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. At this time Apacheland was renamed Superstition Studios. 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. A bid of $400,000 was turned down for the movie set.

During the spring of 1981, Larry Hedrick and his 7th Confederate States Cavalry did a reenactment of the “Battle of Gettysburg” at Apache Land. A large area was needed for this re-enactment.

Owners 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.

Sadly enough, a lot of historical artifacts and materials were lost in these 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.

The film Charro starring Elvis Presley was made at Apacheland when he was at the peak of his career in 1968. The small white church that still stood after the two fires was actually blown up by canon fire in the film Charro. Actually it was only the steeple that was destroyed in the movie.

The following spring after filming Charro the first fire occurred. Jack McGill and Don Hunt discovered the first fire at Apacheland about 11 p.m. on May 25, 1969. This fire burned into the next morning.

After this devastating fire Apacheland was rebuilt in time to start shooting of Death Valley Days on July 25, 1969. Also Dallas Adair had 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 resturant 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 Birminghams worked closely with the Arizona Film Commission and the Apache Junction Film Commission to promote the film industry in Arizona. It was at this time I chaired the Apache Junction Film Commission for the AJ Chamber of Commerce. 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. Ed and Sue Birmingham were involved in many charitable community events at Apacheland. Ed and Sue did everything at Apacheland with class. Apacheland had found new stars.

Those who have enjoyed working at Apacheland and those who enjoyed visiting there all know how important the values of our silver screen cowboy heroes have always been to us. For just a few minutes Apacheland reminds us of the spirit of the Old West. Apacheland reminded us in films shot there that the good often won and the bad lost. 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.