TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Everyone knows about Tucson's pedigree in motion pictures. The Western was practically invented here in Arizona.
Today, I discover a spot that might not even be on the radar when it comes to shooting locations for local filmmakers. But it should be.
High noon in a dusty town along the trail. The cowboys and crooks; shady ladies and lawmen,
all stake their claim in the long shadow of an era that still influences our modern run-and-gun society.
"My wife said I needed to build a place to put these pieces. And that's how Harker's got built."
Real collectors will tell you to only keep what you love, what inspires you, and Rick Harker loves the Old West.
"You get fascinated. Especially if you go to places like Old Tucson, Mescal, Tombstone. It kind of draws you in.
Back in 1990 you could say Rick and his wife committed to collecting and creating this slice of life on the frontier.
"This kind of became a fluke," Rick said.
Located on an acre just north of Tucson International Airport, Rick told me "I thought, well, I think I'll build me something unique."
So he drew off of decades of experience in the movie business.
"I did a lot of writing, a lot of shooting, I played a bad guy," Rick said.
On this sunny autumn day, Rick is playing tour guide for this unique space to a group in town for the Wild Bunch Film Festival.
These storytellers might as well be location scouts for their next project.
"I've always catered to independent filmmakers," Rick explained to the group.
Harker's Museum and Movie Set says it all.
"If you follow me I'll take you right on in," Rick said.
"Ok, let's liven this up, I've got a bunch of people for you!"
Moe Headrick has seen more than a few film sets.
"I did stunts where I'd roll off a roof or get kicked through a window or something like that," Moe told me.
His most recent big film credit was playing the sheriff in Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon."
"I was working with some big time stars, Leo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro," Moe said.
His opinion of this bonus boom town set in Tucson?
"A town like this is great for independent films."
"My family's been involved in several movies."
Lila Trimmer also has experience in the business working with the biggest of western stars, John Wayne, when she was a little girl.
She even made a documentary about filming with The Duke.
"At 11 years old who gets to get paid to go and play?"
She sees the classic Western as the best example of family entertainment.
"They are wholesome films and the whole family can watch it."
Moe agrees.
"I think people like those period movies. They're tired of this sci-fi stuff and explosions. They want something they can take the kids to," Moe said.
From the facades to the shops and realistic representation of a territorial era saloon, Harker's harkins back to another time which is what filmmakers and the audience are looking to not just see, but they want to feel it, too.
"You're not only dealing with everything that will stick you, bite you, stab you, you had to deal with robbers... Just a number of things that you had to overcome."
Rick hopes that more creatives decide to use this set he cobbled together to tell the stories that made southern Arizona famous on the frontier.
They always leave here with a little bit of the old west."
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Dan Spindle co-anchors Good Morning Tucson on KGUN 9 and is an award-winning storyteller whose work has earned him honors from the Rocky Mountain Southwest Emmys, the Associated Press and the Utah Society of Professional Journalists for both anchoring and reporting. Dan is passionate about history and loves to explore the Grand Canyon State. Share your story ideas with Dan by emailing dan.spindle@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, or X.
