Gammons Gulch

St Davis, Arizona High 75 Low 45

Today we had a reservation to see Gammons Gulch. We got there a little early and Jay Gammon had already started the tour with some other people. He asked us to join them and that we could see what we had missed later, and he did start the tour over.

In the early 1970′s Jay Gammons was exploring the high desert of Cochise County and found himself on an old dusty road North of Benson when his found the ideal piece of land where he would make his dream come true of owning his Old West Town. Turning to his companion, in a state of excitement, he proclaimed “ wouldn’t that be a great place to build a ghost town?”. Jay promptly bought the 10 acre site and set forth to build this now infamous location and museum.

The town was where Jay lived and built his town, his accommodations were rather basic in the beginning but slowly and surely the town started to rise from the beautiful desert floor as Jay spent many years constructing and traveling all over the country collecting items for the buildings and town.

On Valentine’s day 1992 Jay met his now wife Joanne and together with the help from friends and donations of artifacts, built an impressive town, movie set and museum attraction. Gammons Gulch is set in a time between the 1880′s and the early 1930′s and is open to the public for tours, a location for movie productions, and events such as weddings and other large corporate theme parties.

Gammons Gulch has an complied and impressive list of events, films, tours and special parties from visitors all over the world since they opened their gates in 1994.

Gammons Gulch has become part Ghost Town, part Movie Set and full time home to Jay and wife Joanne. They have watched the Gulch grow from a Ghost town into a Living Town straight out of the Old West. But as Joanne says, “We ain’ t no Dodge City”, just a quaint little town you would have found as you came over the Mountains. This impressive location and attraction is full of hometown charm and hospitality complete with a Saloon with a honky-tonk piano! The only kind of beer you’re going to find in this Saloon is Root Beer, so the little ones can enjoy it along with the Adults.

Jay had stories about everything in the town.

Jay said the bellows behind him worked.

This mine shaft is for show.

Jay told us this Dodge Brothers car had the star of David because the Dodge Brothers were Jewish.

He also played the piano for us.

You can see how barren it is.

Jay told us when they take the cross off, the building becomes a school.

Cindy especially liked this photo with the noose behind the jail.

Jay told everyone that if they didn't like the tour, we didn't have to pay anything. If we did like it, the price was $7.00 each. I am sure everyone was happy with the tour. At the end of the tour there was a jar and he asked that we put in whatever we wanted.

On the way there my GPS got me lost, and I had to call his wife to get directions, which she was happy to do. During the tour she came out and I thanked her for the directions. They are a little way away from the town, and someone else told me they also got lost.

Jay is quite the character, and had lots of good stories to tell about various actors he had worked with and told us about some of the movies he had been in when he was younger.

Yesterday they had a movie company there and that was why we didn't get to go see it then. Jay told us that the town has been pretty busy with movies and TV for the last while, and one building that we normally could go in was closed because of the movie equipment.

Jay told us that some of the buildings were moved there and some built by the movie companies, and then left in place.

He also had lots of old trucks and cars, several which he said run, and others are partially restored.

It was well worth the $7.00 and if you are ever in the area of Benson, I highly recommend seeing Gammons Gulch.

Thanks for visiting.