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Originally Posted by Detector  Also, it was Dodge City that made Gunsmoke famous. |
Although I respect what you said, I have to disagree with. Granted there would be no Gunsmoke if there was no Dodge City. But there would have been no Boot Hill tourist trade if there was no Gunsmoke. Once Gunsmoke went off the air, then people slowed down in wanting to come to see it.
I remember when that parking lot was packed every night and people hung over the fence just to see the gunfights. It still is full, but only because Applebees and the tourism bureau is taking up parking spots. And still not like it was 20 some years ago.
Here is a similar example away from Dodge... In the 1990's one of the bigger tours in NYC was called Kramers Reality Tour. Then a little show called Seinfeld went off the air. Although the tour still is going on, the show it is based on is not. And now it does not have the customers it did.
It is all related to the media and how they publicise something. Unfortunately, the old west is not something that most people romantisize. In todays society I think people associate it with gunfights and saloons. Not something a lot of parents with the money to spend want their kids to be a part of.