Bracketville, Texas - Alamo Village - John Wayne's Movie Set

Alamo Village was the first movie location built in the state of Texas; visitors are welcome to watch filming and walk around the Village where crews are not filming. Alamo Village features the world's only replica of the 1836 Alamo mission/fortress. The movie set built for John Wayne’s epic movie "The Alamo," the authentically replicated adobe mission and town took almost two years to complete. It’s like you’ve stepped back in time.

Within a seven mile radius many ”real" and "reel" heroes have lived, died and played: Richard Widmark, James Stewart, Dean Martin, Drew Barrymore, Shirley Jones, and Raquel Welch, etc.

Alamo Village features the John Wayne Museum, Country & Wagon Museum, and 27 other buildings and interiors that have been used in films. Alamo Village is a complete town with jail, church, bank, blacksmith shop, stables, 2 stores (Indian store and trading post). Take home a souvenir picture or book on John Wayne or the Old West, or a coonskin cap or cap gun.

Several “in character” people wander the streets to greet you and talk about Alamo Village and just answer your questions.

Four shows a day (10:30, 12:30, 2:30, 4:30) include a live tribute to Cowboy Music show in the Cantina, followed by a rip-roaring gunfight in the street. [Virginia Shahan, 07/23/2008]

The set for the movie The Alamo, starring John Wayne, was built in the 1950's by Wayne. It was also used for the filming of Lonesome Dove. There are shows from Memorial Day until Labor Day, including old west shootouts, etc. It is well worth the 125 miles (or so) from San Antonio to see this attraction. 72 movies, 6 documentaries, 6 music videos and 13 commercials have been filmed here so far. Some of the movies include "Arrowhead" - Charleton Heston, "Two Rode Together" - Jimmy Stewart and Richard Widmark, and "Bandolero" - Raquel Welch. One side of the town was created specifically for John Wayne and his movies, and the other side was created for other filming endeavors. [Lindy Housson, 03/29/2005]

[RA: Known for a long time as "Alamo Village Vacationland" (we dug this old logo out of our files), the movie set is on the Shahan HV Ranch, about two hours west of the real Alamo, 40 miles or so from the Mexican border. It was built in 1957-59 and used in the John Wayne epic version of The Alamo -- the battle-battered facade is easily recognized. Today Alamo Village continues to operate as a tourist attraction and occasional movie set. On July 4th weekend, "Re-enactors, Living History, Cowboy Shooters, And Plain Old Bad Guys And Gals Will Be Shooting It Out On The Streets Of Alamo Village In The Annual Gunfighters Competition. Don't Worry -- Only Blanks Are Used."]