BARKLEY CATTLE RANCH
QUARTER CIRCLE U RANCH

William Augustus "Tex" Barkley was the owner of the Barkley Cattle Company, which held the grazing rights to much of the Superstition Mountains. He owned three ranches: the Quarter Circle U Ranch, which was Tex's home; First Water Ranch, which was the home of Tex's son, William T. (Bill) Barkely; and the Three R's Ranch. Tex died in 1955. Bill in 1967. The ranch was begun in 1876. In 1977, Chuck and Judy Backus purchased the ranch.

The ranch set was built for Pardners at a reported cost of $75,000 (according to the New York Herald Tribune newspaper). It was located a short ways to the west of the current ranch buildings.

COMEDIANS TURN EXPLORERS
It has been announced that Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis have done something no other actors can claim-they've founded a town. It may well become one of the most photographed towns in the world, too.

Located about thirty-five miles from Phoenix, Arizona, the town at pre-sent consists of only six buildings erected for Paramount's forth-coming "Pardners". But part of the Martin and Lewis deal with Arizona officials is that the buildings be left standing for use by other producers who, in turn, must add other buildings.

Next to use the site will probably be Hal Wallis for "Gunfight at the OK Corral" which starts production this month. Other films will follow, for Phoenix is becoming a popular location site for Hollywood companies.

The result will ultimately be a full-size western town with buildings built strong enough to withstand bad weather and last many years. It will have a name, too.

The town will be known as Marlew-in respect to its founders, Martin and Lewis, those intrepid explorers who have opened up new vistas in the west.

[Petersburg Progress Index, January 15, 1956]

Only four films used the location before a new western town set further down the canyon and closer to civilization arose--Apacheland. The sets were still there in 1962 but long gone by 1992 (based on aerial photographs).


A scene from "Pardners"


A scene from "Three Violent People"


A scene from "Gunfight At the O.K. Corral"

DIRECTIONS: From Apache Junction (about 36 miles east of Phoenix), head east on Highway 60 about nine miles. Turn left at East Peralta Road. Travel about 5 ½ miles until you reach East Gold Rush Road. Turn right and you are near the ranch. The official address is 20765 East Gold Rush Road in Gold Canyon.

SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY:

"Texas Rangers Ride Again" (Paramount 1940) Directed by: James P. Hogan. Cast: John Howard, Broderick Crawford, Ellen Drew.

"Pardners" (Paramount 1956) Directed by: Norman Taurog. Cast: Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin.

"Three Violent People" (Paramount 1956) Directed by: Rudolph Mate. Cast: Charlton Heston.

"Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" (Paramount 1957) Directed by: John Sturges. Cast: Burt Lancaster.