Hey I remember watching F-Troop years ago and when a photographer friend of mine asked if I wanted to see the fort I jumped at the chance.

Here are some of the pictures from Fort Courage.

A wide shot of the fort.
http://www.rulison.com/images/daily3/04102004/courage/04102004_0046.jpg

The main gate.
http://www.rulison.com/images/daily3/04102004/courage/04102004_0042.jpg

Inside with my friend Peter in the background so you can get an idea of how big this place really is.
http://www.rulison.com/images/daily3/04102004/courage/04102004_0057.jpg

The right side guard tower.
http://www.rulison.com/images/daily3/04102004/courage/04102004_0074.jpg

The back left guard tower the front left and back right guard towers have either been burned or fell down.
http://www.rulison.com/images/daily3/04102004/courage/04102004_0077.jpg

How you enjoyed seeing this piece of TV history today.

Best,
James

Love your photos of Fort Courage but you forgot, I believe, to tell us the location of the shots. I worked for Frank de Kova when F Troop was in the second half of the first season and I never knew where this fort was as it was never used in my time. Everything was shot on sound stages 6 and 19 at Warner Brothers in Burbank. Stage six was the Fort and 19 was the Indian Village and a bunkhouse.

I really had no idea that it was used so little. Needless to say I left it out on purpose I didn't want anyone to vandalize the site. It's a 5 mile hike 2.5 miles in and 2.5 miles out. If you want you can contact me and I would be more then willing to take you there if you are up for the hike.

The only path in takes you through a gated community but I was given permission to trek in there and have already been given permission for a second visit.

If you are interested in contacting me you can reach me at jrulison at hotmail.com.

Best,
James

Sorry I didn't realize you were in Florida. The location is in Southern California outside of LA County....at least now anyways it might have been part of LA County back then.

Best,
James

Was this place ever a real-life US or Spanish or Mexican military fort? Probably not any of the above three but you could you say for sure, j?

Nope this was made out of telephone poles. You can track the power back up to places where it fead into the fort for hooking up lights and what not.

Just made for the movies.

Best,
James

The place looks so green and lush for So Cal! Very pretty. I saw a film Warners shot of F Troop bloopers and it seemed that a few times when they tried to shoot there a plane of one kind or another went over and ruined their scene.LOL

Yes that happend a few times while we were out there. John Wayne is not too far away. Also back then this place was in the flight path to a weapons testing range. So military aircraft could have been the culprit.

I would love to see that bloopers video where cna I locate a copy?

Best,
James