As a kid growing up in Southern California in the Late 1950's and 60's things were a bit more civilized on the West than just 100 years ago when things were a bit more wild.
I was first exposed to the History of the West from the Western themed streakhouses my parents used to take us to as kids . On the walls were colorful paintings of Western Scenes of covered wagons, gunslingers and cowboys with some pretty cool relics from the Old West adorning the Restaurant such as saddles, rifles, etc. One such Restaurant that sticks in my mind was Westward Ho located in Pasadena, CA.. The Westward Ho along with many popular Western Themed Restaurants have for the most part disappeared. Recently I heard of another of legendary Western Themed Steakhouse The Golden Spur, an Iconic Restaurant located on old Route 66 in Glendora, CA closing its doors.
Another experience I recall that brought the Old West and Wild West as it was known to my mind was visiting the Apple Valley Inn in the early 60s. The inn was located in Apply Valley Ca . We stayed at Inn /Resort on several occasions with my parents . The Apple Valley Inn was founded by Newton Bass & Bud Westlund and his Cowboy Texas Real Estate partners who promoted Apple Valley as the next boom town. It was advertised as America's favorite vacationland. That dream of a boom town busted in the 70s as Las Vegas stole the thunder and the Apple Valley Inn later purchased by Famous Cowboy Roy Rogers closed it doors in the 80s and became a Rehab Center until finally falling in disrepair and was vacant for years. In its glory days the the Apple Valley Inn Western Themed Restaurant entrance was lined with paintings of famous outlaws from the Wild West . The Western themed Steakhouse served amazing steak. The highlight of the weekend stays at the Apple Valley Inn in addition to swimming in the resort pool and playing shuffleboard was taking evening hayrides in wagons pulled by horses for an old fashioned western cookout in the hills surrounding the Inn. with a campfire and Western Songs as entertainment just like the old west.
