Years ago I remember passing the sign on I-10 "Rex Allen Museum". Willcox is the boyhood home and location of the museum bearing his name. So, though we didn't plan on it, we had to stop and check it out.
We were with Paul and Bobbi, who were glad to 'highlight' my photo of the entrance to the museum:
Paul and Bobbi are friends from years ago whom we met at a Habitat for Humanity Care-A-Vanner build in Santa Fe. They travel months at a time from there home in California. We saw them in Quartzsite a few weeks ago and knew they were going to be in Benson AZ for a few weeks and got to spend the day with them.
Rex Allen was a movie star, cowboy singer and the Voice (narrator) or some Walt Disney films. To be honest, I barely remember him. I remember Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, but very little about him. But I love Westerns. And he made quite a few of those.
So off we went into the museum.
I was very impressed - lots of information, and good displays - like the giant painting of him aboard his horse "Koko".
I can't remember a seeing a single movie of his, but he was in 19 of them.
He also had his own radio show for a while.
But I don't remember that either. Maybe that was where I first heard of the 'Sons of the Pioneers'. Or maybe I heard about them from their association with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans?
I probably first heard of Rex Allen when he narrated Walt Disney's "Incredible Journey".
Back to the museum...
I liked the layout and 'small town' feeling of it. It was full of displays that I thought was very well done.
Though his movie career was relatively short (making most of his movies in the early 1950's), he had a long singing/entertainment career. Along the way he worked with some well known people
I could have stayed in the museum a couple of hours
But it was getting near lunch time and we had a lot to do. Down the street was the Dining Car
restaurant.
It was worth the wait for the Special of the Day -pulled pork BBQ sandwich- it was great!
Then a couple of photos back near where we parked the car
We had a good time and I'm glad we stopped in Willcox to learn more about Rex Allen.
Thanks for joining us today on the Roadrunner Chronicles! Until next time...
We've been to Wilcox a few times & ate in that diner once. Know where the museum is but we've never been in. One of Wyatt Earp's Brothers is buried in the Wilcox cemetery not far from the museum. Think he might have met his demise right there in Wilcox. Stout's Cider Mill is a popular attraction on the north side of I-10. They are known for their apple pies & especially 10 pound ones:))
ReplyDeleteBeing bone in 1946, I grew up watching the Saturday morning cowboys as well as going to their movies and I remember Rex Allen well. I'm sure I would have enjoyed the museum.
ReplyDeleteWe thoroughly enjoyed this museum a couple of years ago. I remember Rex Allen even though I was really really really young (ha). My Dad was a fan. Al - Stout's is no longer there. Somebody bought them out and I don't know anything about them.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tour of the museum and the information on Rex Allen. I will have to confess, though, that I don't believe I've ever seen any of his movies.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tour. We spent some time n Wilcox, but failed to visit that museum:(
ReplyDeleteThat Pam. She's so crazy.
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