The Imaginary Wild West in "Real Imaginary" Situ

Every so often, I like to point out examples of the Imaginary Wild West in what can be called its "real imaginary" situ -- i.e., the American West. There are the theme parks, Olde West towns, SASS meetings, etc.

Here's another example -- a combination dude ranch and theme parklette in Texas, whose description reads almost word for word like the experiences you can have in some of the European (or Asian) places I've mentioned on this blog.

Texas ranch lets you play cowboy

By PAMELA LeBLANC

Cox Newspapers

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Here on the Beaumont Ranch, a combination dude ranch and events center that's a little Old West and a little small-town Disney, you can stay the night in a faux cowboy town, shoot a shotgun, do a little fishing and round up the cattle.

It's not exactly life as it was in the 1800s, but it does give city slickers a chance to get saddle sore without auctioning the family ranch on the courtyard steps.

Family-friendly Beaumont Ranch also comes with a family budget friendly price: rooms start at $175 a night and a pint-sized cattle drive experience the next morning is an additional $35.

We stayed in Chisholm Fork, the ranch's fake Western town. Our room, the Yellow Rose, was outfitted with a pull-chain toilet and claw-foot tub, plus a big comfy bed and a mini-fridge. We felt like we were sacking out in a movie set.

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