Old West Town Roll Call!

[Black Burt]

I like the sound of Devils Canyon it sounds ideal for a whole host of gaming scenarios

Canyon Diablo, Arizona originated as a railroad town in 1880 when construction was halted until a bridge could be built over the canyon. A further delay was caused by financial difficulties and it wasn’t until 1890 that the railroad bridge was completed. The canyon had earlier been given its name by a soldier named Lieutenant Whipple in 1853 when it presented such an obstacle to his thirty-fifth parallel survey party. Having to go miles out of their way to get across, he appropriately named it Devil’s Canyon. When the town was born, it took the canyon's name, which ended up being extremely appropriate for the reputation that the town would soon earn.

There being no law enforcement in the settlement, it quickly became a wild and lawless place as drifters, gamblers, and outlaws made their way to town. With the closest law enforcement being some 100 miles away, the settlement earned a reputation of being meaner than Tombstone and Dodge City combined, with many of it "citizens” winding up in the local cemetery. The saloons, gambling dens and brothels never closed, running 24 hours a day. The town comprised mostly of shacks with two lines of buildings facing each other across the rocky road on the north side of the railroad right-of-way. The "street,” aptly referred to as Hell Street, included fourteen saloons, ten gambling houses, four brothels and two dance halls. Wedged between these businesses were a couple of eating counters, a grocery and a dry goods store.

With a population of nearly 2,000, a regular stage operated between Flagstaff and Canyon Diablo that ended up being the target of many robberies. When Canyon Diablo finally got a peace officer, the first one pinned on a badge at 3:00 p.m. and was laid out for burial at 8:00 p.m. Five more foolish men also tried their hands at marshalling in this God forsaken town. None of them lasted more than a month in the position before they too were killed.
Boot Hill cemetery filled up fast, where at one time 35 graves could be seen with wooden markers and stone covered mounds. All are gone today, but that of Herman Wolf, a trader who passed away in 1899 and the only one to have died peacefully.
Once the railroad bridge was built over the canyon, the town began to die. Still wild, the remaining residents requested that the army take over law enforcement, but before they arrived the town was pretty much dried up and the lawless drifters had moved on.

[Mason]

I forgot about this thread.
Considering I got so much inspiration from it, that is quite deplorable...

I had better offer up my own small, but growing, town of Upsheet Creek:




This is a photo taken a while ago, there has been a small amount added since and plenty still to add to this one.

[Lowtardog]

Mine has been resurrected from some 16 years ago, figures ar ebeing painted, the ghost town is being dusted off and spruced up and some MDF buildings acquired...DMH is rules of choice for ease of use. Will get some piccies up of figures in a while or two. Likely planning on doing this with Paleskin as he is buying up real estate on ebay as if he is Sweringen

[NickNascati]

A couple views down the main street of Purgatory, AZ Territory.





                                                                         Nick

[Old Guy]

I had an opportunity to lay out my full collection for a local paper who wanted to do a piece on wargaming for a club page. I tried to explain that Gettysburg or Jutland or Bannockburn could not be set up in fifteen minutes and the unannounced photographer would have to come back. They liked the idea of my 'cowboy town' and here it is.

Carefree, Arizona, where the only thing that flies is bullets!

[Elbows]

Beautiful town you have there...and this thread should have about a half dozen new members considering all the projects I've seen being thrown around!

[Elk101]

Beautiful town you have there...and this thread should have about a half dozen new members considering all the projects I've seen being thrown around!

In that case I should add Hopkirk's Crossing, my Dakota Territory town.

[Too Bo Coo]

Why are so many of these places in AZ??  Having lived there, I think there are more gaming towns in AZ, than real towns!

That said, seething with jealousy with all your tables/towns.  Smashing stuff Mates!

[Too Bo Coo]

I forgot about this thread.
Considering I got so much inspiration from it, thanks is quite deplorable...

I had better offer up my own small, but growing, town of Upsheet Creek:




This is a photo taken a while ago, there has been a small amount added since and plenty still to add to this one.

I lived there once, after losing my paddle...

[Too Bo Coo]

Hickory Flat

I needed a name so I googled "old west town names" and one of the first hits was a site with a name randomizer. Hickory Flat caught my eye. So here is in short the story of the birth of name of my town   



Regards,
Za

I've been here too!  A den of lawlessness and vice, I can vouch because I brought a bit with me when I visited!

[Black Burt]

Beautiful town you have there...and this thread should have about a half dozen new members considering all the projects I've seen being thrown around!

I will post some pictures when my town Devils Canyon is more established, I only started building it a month ago.
I should have about 7 or 8 buildings finished in a couple of weeks.
Its a bit of a ghost town at present as I haven't finished painting any figures yet.
That's if I can work out how to post pictures.

[Constable Bertrand]

New Silverton in rural New South Wales is the local I'm creating, but I only have one building up at the moment. Its got 2 trains and a host of people though.

[philhendry]

Second Chance City is coming along quite nicely:

[m4jumbo]

A bit late to the party, but for our local convention, Con of the North (or COTN) we have named out town Cotton Gultch.





(Need to get some better pics with the new camera.)

More town pics here.

[Cholly]

Nice town M4jumbo, a great addition to the growing list.