On Set in Brackettville

Most have never heard of a little burg called Brackettville, Texas, but movie producers and hallmark Western actors like John Wayne and Tommy Lee Jones clearly have. That's because they've chosen a sprawling ranch near this 1,800-soul town to film more than 200 productions on the most extensive outdoor set in the country. Since 1959, films from The Good Old Boys (starring Jones and Frances McDormand) to Bad Girls (starring Drew Barrymore and Andie McDowell) have captured the beautifully maintained ersatz glory of the ranch and set.

Among a long list is John Wayne's 1960 flick The Alamo, which also featured Frankie Avalon and Laurence Harvey; and Barbarosa, a film about feuding families starring Willie Nelson and Gary Busey. Creators of the incredibly popular TV miniseries "Lonesome Dove" also chose the ranch to weave their tale of cowboys trying to drive their herd through the state despite various challenges.

The $12 million set was worked on by as many as 400 workers at once. Many of them roamed the huge ranch, collecting cow and horse manure to make the adobe-style dwellings in the traditional way. Apparently, the dirty work paid off; more than a million bricks were made, more than 200,000 square feet were lofted, and the film became an icon. These days, strollers don't find a single false front among the buildings on the monumental set. They find a John Wayne museum, a mariachi band and folklorico dancers, line dancing, and even cattle drives. Live entertainment is served up alongside cheeseburgers and barbecue in the Alamo Village Cantina, and a stagecoach carries riders on a careening ride through the streets.

Surrounding the Alamo set is almost 30 mi of working ranch, complete with longhorns, horses, and goats. The ranch is still used for filming. For about 11 bucks the public can tour the famous full-scale Alamo Village set or take in the periodic horse races and the gunslinger competitions, where contenders try for the fastest draw.

—Jennifer Edwards