John Wayne in Texas

This photo of the chapel designed by Al Ybarra was taken during the

Alamo Reunion in May 1998. Alamo Village, north of Brackettville, was originally constructed as the set for Wayne's magnum opus The Alamo  and was then turned into a tourist attraction.  The last time the site was open was in January 2018, for the liquidation sale of remaining props. 

Invitation to the World premiere at the Woodlawn Theatre in San Antonio which was especially equipped to show the Todd-AO format. The landmark moviehouse today: https://www.woodlawntheatre.org/ 

Batjac built their own interior sets on the grounds of Fort Clark. This scene in Flaca's hotel room was actually created in the makeshift sound stage at the airport hangar, built in 1921 in the southwest corner. The Fort Clark Resort today: https://fortclark.com/

Directing the Mexican cavalry, arriving at the town set. Carlos Arruza, to Wayne's right, was one of the most prominent bullfighters of the 20th century.  As a tourist attraction, "Alamo Village" finally closed its doors in 2018. 

Rudy Robbins ("It Do" in the movie) and Pilar Wayne on the Cantina porch, during the 1998 reunion. During the filming in 1959, the Wayne family lived at the Wainwright House at Ford Clark. Pilar occupied it again in 1998.

Even though "Alamo Village" is no longer open to the public, several of the locations around Brackettville can still be visited. Behind the stables of Clark Springs Horse Club, a small road bridge leads over Las Moras Creek. This is where the Tennesseans knock the sentries over the railing. Follow the creek and you'll find the brick wall where the Mexican dancers entertained the troops. Across from the golf course, about four hundred yards upstream of Las Moras Creek, is where they put Houston’s tent camp. Wayne directing Richard Boone as Sam Huston. 

Davy Crockett’s speech about “right and wrong” was filmed on the banks of the Sabinal River, eight miles below the town of Utopia. Wayne personally asked for permission from the McCullough family to film on their lands.

Davy Crockett arrives: the scene in which the Tennesseans approach San Antonio and startle deer and birds was filmed on Leona Ranch, north of Brackettville. It was known for its abundance of wild game. 

John Wayne returned to the Lone Star state eight years later for Hellfighters. Goose Creek Oil Field in Baytown provided views of a multitude of derricks next to onshore and offshore wells right at Tabbs Bay. 

The headquarters of Wayne’s outfit in the film, The Buckman Company, was located just off Interstate 45 in Houston. The windows looked out over the skyline of sixties-era Houston.