OCALA, Fl. (352today.com) – Once hailed as Florida’s answer to the Wild West, Six Gun Territory opened in 1963 just east of Ocala and quickly became one of the state’s most beloved tourist attractions. The 200-acre Western-themed amusement park transported visitors to a frontier filled town with steam trains, shootouts, saloons and cowboy stunts – years before the Florida tourism scene was redefined.

Six Gun Territory was the brainchild of R. B. Coburn of Western Heritage U.S.A. Corporation. He drew inspiration from and sought to capitalize on the popularity of television’s golden age of Western. The park was part of a mid-century tourist boom in Marion County, designed to lure travelers heading to nearby Silver Springs. The park’s charm relied heavily on costumed performers and immersive experiences. Guests could board the Southern Railway Shortline or explore mock jailhouses, Native American encampments and a bustling main street filled with live-action gunfights and theatrical flair.

A steam locomotive, the Southern Railway Shortline, on the move while cowboys and horses gather around the train during a staged train robbery scene.
The Southern Railway Shortline at Six Gun Territory took guests around the park and offered an immersive experience including staged robberies and Western-themed theatrics. Courtesy: The Collection of P. Bell
A black building with signage advertising the Southern Railway states "Trains every 15 minutes." Cowboys gather around the entrance of the station.
The Southern Railway Shortline dispatched trains every 15 minutes. Courtesy: The Collection of P. Bell

At its peak in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Six Gun Territory welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. In 1970, Coburn sold Six Gun Territory and its sister parks, Ghost Town in the Sky and Frontier Land. During its time under multiple new owners, the park’s success began to fade. The opening of Walt Disney World in 1971, followed by a wave of mega-theme park openings in the state drastically changed the state’s tourism landscape. While Six Gun Territory remained popular with locals and travelers along U.S. 301 and State Road 40, it could not compete with the marketing power, innovation or infrastructure of Orlando’s attractions. Attendance steadily declined and maintenance costs for the aging park mounted.

Throughout the early 1980s, park management attempted to revive interest with updated signage and new seasonal events, but attendance continued to drop, and maintenance costs on the aging property mounted. By 1984, the once-vibrant streets of Six Gun Territory had fallen silent. The land was sold off for commercial development and, today, nothing remains of the once-thriving site – except for memories, archival photos and a shopping plaza that still bears its name.

A mock Western shootout occurring in a open-air field of gravel and is surrounded by themed architecture. Four cowboys are holding various models of firearms with branches in the foreground.
Mock Western gunfights, one of the many entertainment offerings at Six Gun Territory, were among the most popular at the park and saw huge crowds. Courtesy: The Collection of P. Bell
Courtesy: The Collection of P. Bell
The courthouse at Six Gun Territory was home to a four-face clock that was originally donated by the company that demolished the original Ocala courthouse. After the park closed in 1984, the clock was donated back to the city of Ocala.
Courtesy: The Collection of P. Bell

Despite its disappearance, Six Gun Territory remains a vivid chapter in Ocala’s cultural memory. For many, it represents a time when Florida’s tourism industry offered intimate, interactive experiences – when train whistles echoed across pine forests and saloon doors swung open to the sound of choreographed gunfire.

In the years since its closure, former employees, local historians and longtime residents have preserved photos, costumes and memorabilia, ensuring that the story of Ocala’s Wild West lives – even in the original park itself exists only in memory.

A brick building donning a sign that reads, "Bank of Six Gun Territory" is housed on a street corner next to Jim-Boe's Pizza.
Six Gun Territory was filled with many buildings, including the depicted bank. All of the park’s buildings were built on-site in five months. Courtesy: The Collection of P. Bell
A horse-drawn carriage sits in front of the Frontier Hotel, a two-story building sitting on a street corner in the park.
The Frontier Hotel was another themed building that helped establish Six Gun’s immersive experience. Courtesy: The Collection of P. Bell
Two log cabin buildings, one being the Marshall's Office at the park, is sat behind a wooden water trough and fencing.
The Marshall’s Office, simply signed “Territorial Marshall” was home to the Marshalls of Six Gun Territory. Courtesy: The Collection of P. Bell