Scale Model Old West Town Page-4

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Cactus Creek ~

This is my scale model old west town. At the present time, Cactus Creek is set up on tables in my basement. Soon I plan to do the landscaping, adding dirt streets, trees, bushes, rocks, etc.

I have hand-built all of the buildings in town. The only things in the church that I did not make is the organ and the bell.

The Continuing Saga ~

The Continuing Saga ~

Around 1885, Cactus Creek was a lawless town. Ike the Bounty Hunter was kept busy rounding up bad guys. The townspeople got the idea that if they built a church, the town just might settle down. They were wrong! But on a happier note, after a Saturday night of gambling, womanizing, shootings, fighting and drinking, the town had somewhere to go on Sunday to ask for forgiveness. Who knows if it worked?

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Hello, I'm Mr. Ed

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About Me

Mr. Ed: I'm 65 years old and have lived in the Akron-Tallmadge, Ohio area all of my life. For 10-years (1957-1967) I lived most summers at our home in Cook Forest, Pa. I'm a U.S. Army veteran (1971-1973). I collect many things such as: antique cars, antique firearms, movies, movie props, old newspapers and posters, Wyatt Earp items, Civil War items, John Wayne items, items from the old west including Native American items, just about anything historical. I've been married for 42-years. My wife and I have a son and a daughter and four granddaughters.

View my complete profile

On this page you will see:

The Church

The Box and Barrel Works

Cactus Creek Presbyterian Church ~

Cactus Creek Presbyterian Church ~

This is the Church that sits right next to the graveyard and school.

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It's not the biggest building in town, (the hotel is bigger by square footage), but it's the tallest.

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The town's name is etched in the front window.

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Sometimes, Ike the Bounty Hunter hides in the bell tower and keeps an eye or two on the streets.

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At the rear of the church is the rectory addition. This is where the minister, Rev. Osiah Felcher lives.

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The cellar doors. Rev. Felcher keeps them locked because teenagers where going down there to make out. Some things never change.

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Yea, it's pretty tall.

The Rectory ~

The Rectory ~

First off, we'll go into the rectory and have a look around.

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The rectory isn't very big. But Rev. Felcher only needs a place to eat and sleep. Plus there a woodburning stove for chilly days.

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This door leeds into the sanctuary.

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The living quarters is cozy. The reverand can sit at his table and read his newspaper.

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At the back of the room is Rev. Felcher's bed and lamp.

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Artwork by his bed helps keep his spirits up.

Inside of the Church ~

Inside of the Church ~

So, I guess it's time to go into the church.

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Inside the front doors, on one side is the stairs to the balcony and the large cask of wine that is used at communion.

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On the other side is a table with stacks of Bibles and Hymn Books.

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The sanctuary area is four stories high.

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The second floor is the balcony where there is benches for additional people. The third floor, where the small window is, is a storage attic.

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The stairs goes up to the balcony, (see arrow).

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At the other end of the balcony is a ladder that leeds up to the third floor storage attic.

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The storage attic is where Rev. Felcher stores all sorts of "stuff" for the church.

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Cases of Bibles are keep up there. The Reverand hands these out to folks who may not have a bible. Also there's a case of hymn books if they start running low on them. The white crate on top are candles. The church goes through a lot of candles.

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There's a small window in the attic so that Rev. Felcher can see who comes into the church.

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View from the little window.

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The stage at the other end of the sanctuary. The door leeds back into the rectory.

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In front of the stage is the communion table. There's a pewter plate there that is used to collect the cash offerings on Sunday.

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On one side of the stage is the benches for the choir. They're hymn books lay where they left them.

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The other side of the stage is the pipe organ. Ike the Bounty Hunter got the organ for the church. He was playing poker in a saloon in Dodge City and beat Pastor Williamson with four Aces. When Williamson couldn't come up with the $40.00 cash, Ike settled for the good Pastor's pipe organ.

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From the paulpet.

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The stained glass windows are two stories tall. Nothing but the best for our church.

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The church is heated with two wood stoves back to back. The pile of firewood is between them.

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A little fancy molding at the top of the walls.

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So, that's our church. Say a prayer and let's head back out.

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The cemetery is between the church and the school house.

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If any churchgoers need the outhouse, it's behind the school.

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Tanner's Box & Barrel Works ~

The Box and Barrel Works is an important business in Cactus Creek. Wallace Obadia Tanner came to the area a few years before Cactus Creek was built. Tanner was a barrel maker for a large barrel and keg company back in Cleveland, Ohio. He hated the winter with all the snow and ice so he decided to "Go West!" Wallace decided to sell his wares to the Indians since they were the only people there at that time. But the chief told him, "Me not need'um barrels." But Tanner kept after them untill finally the chief thought there was only two ways to get rid of him. Kill him or tell him about a small group of settlers that was starting a town a few miles from there. Lucky for Wallace that the Indians decided to tell him about the town.

It wasn't much when he arrived. Only a few tents and about two or three small shacks. But Wallace managed to buy an old building from a settler who needed money and Tanner started his barrel business there. Now that Cactus Creek is a rising town, Wallace still runs his box and barrel company from that same little building. He has put up a lean-to shed for a blacksmith to make his barrel rings. The building is old and run down, and it's still pretty small. But Wallace has a good business going and is making good money.

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Wallace Tanner makes barrels for beer, wine and a host of other things. He also makes kegs for beer and for gun powder, boxes for shipping and small boxes for some of the local stores. He also makes custom order boxs and crates.

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One end of the building is open to make it easier to get the finished barrels in and out. Actually, when Wallace bought the place, the end wall had fallen in, so he decided to leave it like that.

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I think Wallace is gone to the cafe for lunch, let's go in and check out the place.

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Looks kind of dark in there.

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Looking through the window I don't see anyone.

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Come on in!

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Man! It sure is small in here. Not a lot of room to work. It's a good thing that Tanner is skinny.

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The building sure isn't very wide.

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The workbench looks pretty used.

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I see he's got a board in the vise ready to cut. He must be making another barrel.

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He's got a woodburning stove in the corner for heat.

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Instead of logs or coal, I see that Tanner burns old barrel wood in the stove. Free heat!

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Barrel and keg ends on the floor.

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He's got a lot of stuff to sell.

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There's an overhang at the open end of the building where new barrels sit.

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There's a barrel with a "W" and a drinking mug on it. That's a water barrel for when a worker wants a drink.

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Let's take a walk over the Tanner's blacksmith shed.

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I see that someone is in the yard making fruit crates.

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Good sized fire pit.

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Steel rods lay on the bench to be heated and turned into barrel rings.

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An old rusted and broken barrel ring hangs from a peg on the wall. Also, horseshoes hang on pegs. When the blacksmith isn't doing Tanner's barrel rings, he performs other jobs for the locals.

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There's the bellows in the back that you step on and pump air into the fire.

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So, that's the box and barrel works.

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There's Tanner's axe stuck in the stump.

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So, we had better get going before Tanner get back. He really looks down on people snooping around when he's away. We may have to buy a barrel or something. Like the Indian said, "I don't need'um no barrels!"

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