Actor Dick Curtis started up the town in 1946 as an 1880s themed live-in Old West living breathing motion-picture set. The town was designed to provide a place for production companies to enjoy while also using their businesses and homes in movies. Hundreds of Westerns and early television shows were filmed in Pioneertown, including The Cisco Kid and Edgar Buchanan’s Judge Roy Bean.

Dick Curtis, Roy Rogers and Russell Hayden were some of the original developers and investors, and Gene Autry filmed every episode of his show at the six-lane Pioneer Bowl bowling alley. The Pioneer Bowl’s construction was credited to Tommy Thompson in 1947 and Rogers himself rolled out the first ball in 1949. School-age children were hired as pinsetters until the installation of automatic pinsetting equipment in the 1950s. According to the Morongo Basin Historical Society, the bowling alley was one of the oldest in continuous use in California until they closed their doors for good in 2010 (Wikipedia)

You can walk through the main dusty street. The buildings are not facades but actual homes and shops. We were there on a Sunday morning and guitars were strumming and singers singing at a church service in a barn

Living in this town has its obstacles but also has many advantages like desert scenery, birds, quiet, dark. Sitting on the porch is a major pastime.

In July 2006, parts of Pioneertown were burned in the Sawtooth Complex fire, which also burned into Yucca Valley and Morongo Valley.[3] Firefighters managed to save the historic movie-set buildings, but much of the surrounding desert habitat was damaged.

Among the buildings saved was Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, a longtime local club and landmark built within the town’s original and only gas station, which counts among its regular patrons notable musicians, including Eric Burdon and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin fame.
And one of the best parts – you can visit Pappy & Harriets.

Early this year Paul McCartney played there – a well-kept secret until the night of the show.

Cerro Gordo is a privately owned Mining Town located in the Owens Valley near Lone Pine, California. The town was the silver thread to Los Angeles, being partially responsible for its growth and economic development. It features original buildings and artifacts relevant to the town and is open for guided tours, photography groups, mineral and rock groups, schools and historical groups.

The ride up from the Valley Floor to the Cerro Gordo ridge is breathtaking – which means I couldn’t breathe! Steep drop offs, windy, steep. It takes you by the cable and buckets used to lower ore from the mine to the valley floor.

Once at the town, a groundskeeper will offer a tour complete with the history of the area and a look at the hotel and outbuildings. Many years ago we stayed in the bunk house and partied in the hotel. This was suspended with the death of the owner, Jody, but there are plans the new owners will offer overnight stays again. The town is picturesque.

FROM CERRO GORDO YOU CAN SEE THE TOWN OF KEELER AT THE VALLEY FLOOR ON THE SHORE OF OWENS LAKE (what is left of it), TO THE SIERRAS LOOMING ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE VALLEY.

THE TOWN OF KEELER IS FUN TO EXPLORE. IT SEEMS LIKE A GHOST TOWN BUT IF YOU WANDER THROUGH YOU WILL NOTICE CURTAINS PARTING AND EYES WATCHING YOU.

Keeler was a terminal for the steamer ships that traversed Owens Lake from Keeler to Cartago. The town was bustling at one time, and even had a plunge for recreation. It is a short ride from Lone Pine and fun to explore. From there you can catch the road up the mountain to Cerro Gordo.

From Highway 395 in Lone Pine it is about 125 mile scenic route through Panamint Springs and Stove Pipe Wells to Furnace Creek where for the past some 69 years the DEATH VALLEY 49ER ENCAMPMENT celebrates gathers. There are many strange sights to see, miles of lovely desert and if you are lucky a burro or two..

THE 49er PARADE IS SMALL BUT MIGHTY AND MOSTLY FEATURES THE FEARSOME E CLAMPUS VITUS CONTINGENT SUCKING ON THEIR FLASKS AND SINGING OFF KEY. AND WHO IS THAT LADY AMONG THEM? NONE OTHER THAN MISS KITTY.

THE WAGON TRAIN ARRIVES TO AN APPRECIATIVE CROWD. THE HORSE PATROL ARRIVED EARLIER.

AND THEN CAME ALONG THIS ASS.

One of our favorite things about camping is meeting new friends. At Texas Spring campground we noticed a young woman camped alone with practically no camping gear. We invited her to join our campfire. Her name is Marielle Bouma and she is traveling solo from her home in Amsterdam. A 43 year old professional in the medical field, she got tired of working so hard and having no time to enjoy life so she packed up her backpack and came to the US. Marielle rented a car and is seeing the country. When she returns the car in San Diego she will walk through Mexico so she only has what fits into her pack. We became good friends and I look forward to following her on Facebook.

Leaving Furnace Creek we stayed a night in Shoshone and as always enjoyed their spring fed pool. Of course we paid a visit to the Amargosa Opera House and paid our respect at the memorial for Marta Becket.