Trail Dust Town

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Trail Dust Town's sign on Tanque Verde Road, in Tucson, Arizona
Trail Dust Town's sign on Tanque Verde Road, in Tucson, Arizona
A view of the interior of Trail Dust Town
A view of the interior of Trail Dust Town
The 1920s Allan Herschell carousel within the complex
The 1920s Allan Herschell carousel within the complex
Slim-gauge railway with a picture of the Museum of the Horse Soldier in the far left background
Slim-gauge railway with a picture of the Museum of the Horse Soldier in the far left background

Trail Dust Town is a historical outdoor shopping center located in Tucson, Arizona.

Although Trail Dust Town operates as a for-profit shopping mall, on its grounds exists a great number of historical artifacts, including an Allan Herschell merry-go-round, the Fiesta del Presidio carousel, which was manufactured in the 1920s that still contains its original wooden horses and benches.

Trail Dust Town also features a historical museum, the Museum of the Horse Soldier, which chronicles the history of Western cavalry and dragoon units. It is notable for its large display of Western history and military history, including original period costumes, uniforms, weapons, firearms, and ephemera.

Contents

[edit] History

The shopping mall was built from remnants of a Glenn Ford western movie set that was left abandoned outside of the populated area of Tucson in the 1950s.

[edit] Constituent attractions

[edit] Trail Dust Town Railroad

The Trail Dust Town Railroad is a narrow-gauge, motorized train that runs on a looped 24" track. The railroad loads patrons at Trail Dust Town's train depot, which is modeled after the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western station located in Wallace, New York. The engine, named "C. P. Huntington", and numbered 287, pulls two passenger cars around the town and passes through several theme areas, two tunnels, and across several working, but miniature crossings.

[edit] Dragoon Street Wild, Wild West Stunt Show

Generally performed three or four times an evening, Trail Dust Town's stunt show is a slapstick comedy homage to the wild west. The shows, which vary from twenty to thirty minutes in length, are performed adjacent to the Trail Dust Town depot, in an area that seats around 125 patrons. There is no charge for admission, however, performers are not paid by Trail Dust Town, so they ask for donations upon exiting.

The performers often use black powder blanks in their replica firearms, which are loud, and those with sensitive hearing should prepare accordingly.

[edit] External links