Pioneertown: Celebrating the culture of the American West for 75 years

PIONEERTOWN, Calif. (KABC) -- Pioneertown, a real town with around 300 residents, is celebrating its diamond jubilee. Many call the small town, a modern-day Mayberry.

"It is a working Hollywood movie set built by the old film cowboys," said Greg Herring, an actor and gunfighter for Pioneertown.

"A town that's rich in history. And amazingly unique and eclectic people to part of Americana and the American West," said Paden Blackwell, the president of Pioneertown.

"Designed and built in 1946 by 18 founders, primarily Dick Curtis, who was a western movie star," said Curt Sautter, the curator for Pioneertown.

There are shops, restaurants, a museum and fun family-friendly shows that celebrate the Old West.

"The fact that we could just stand around and have 150 people in our audience from all over the planet and it's just a wonderful adventure," said Blackwell.

"We've been here 75 years and we're still going strong," said Kenneth Gentry, a historian.