It’s a tale that sounds like something out of an old Western: A big-moneyed city dweller descends on a small Texas town with nefarious plans to turn the community into a new development, and the town bands together to run him out. But this story isn’t in Texas. It takes place more than 5,000 miles away in a suburb of Berlin.
A pretend Western town in Spandau, Germany, is being forced to close up shop due to a dispute with its landlord, according to numerousGermannewspapers. Old Texas Town, a sprawling social club run by German hobbyists who simulate life in the Wild West, are being forced from the land to turn the plot into a data center as property values in Berlin skyrocket and investors decide to cash in.
Appearing almost like the town from Blazing Saddles, Old Texas Town has a saloon, a bank, a church, a courtroom and even a replica of the Alamo, all enclosed by a fort-like exterior. But it’s also surrounded by the comforts found in suburban Texas: the town sits between a Burger King, a Gold’s Gym and parking lots as far as the eye can see. Looking at satellite views, it’s almost as if Germans decided to recreate Conroe from first principles.
For the hobbyists who run Old Texas Town, it’s a way to unwind and escape from the stresses of modern life. The town is a place where “it’s possible to switch off, have fun, enjoy a dance or two, and simply forget all the worries and struggles of the day,” Ralf Keber, the mayor of Old Texas Town, told The New York Times. (When he’s in town, Keber goes by Jack Hunter, his cowboy name.)…