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High Noon  movie cover Movie Locations Guide

Where was High Noon filmed?

1952

City Locations

Northern California: Columbia State Park, Railtown State Historic Park, Columbia, Tuolumne County; St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Columbia, Tuolumne County, Warnerville, Stanislaus County

Location Types

Country, desert, police station, hotel

Location Styles

Country, desert, police station, hotel

About High Noon

The opening High Noon filming location is Hadleyville, a small village found in New Mexico (spoiler alert!) Marshal Will Kane (Cooper) has just married Amy Fowler (Kelly), a highly religious Quaker, and is getting ready to retire. The couple’s goals include a move to a place where they can raise children and purchase and run a store. Rumor spreads that Frank Miller, a violent outlaw who was arrested and jailed by Kane, is at the train station with Ben, his brother, Jack Colby, and Jim Pierce, waiting to enact revenge on him.

Amy, a pacificist, feels the answer is to simply leave the city, but Kane feels he has a responsibility to stay. Amy tells Kane that she will leave at noon on the train, and he can join her or remain behind by himself.

Kane meets with several friends and can find no one willing or able to help him. The judge responsible for sentencing Miller, leaves the city on horseback and encourages Miller to follow suit. Miller’s youthful deputy Harvey Pell agrees to stand with Kane, but only if he provides a recommendation for him to succeed him in his role as town marshal. Kane refuses to comply, and in return, Pell resigns.

Kane’s next attempts to find a posse take him to Ramirez’s Saloon. Left with no success, he then goes to the church where he is also rebuffed. The town’s residents, concerned about the effects a gunfight would have on the town, tell Kane it is best to avoid any confrontation with Miller and his crew.

Amy waits for the train at her hotel. During her wait, she comes across Helen Ramirez, the former lover of Miller, Kane, and Pell. She is also leaving town. Helen informs Amy that she would stand by her man if Kane was still hers.

Pell tries to convince Kane to take his horse and ride out of town. The two begin to argue and then fight. Kane knocks out Pell and goes to his office to write his will.

At close to noon, Kane goes to meet Miller and his crew by himself. Amy and Ramirez pass by on their way to the train station. The gunfight starts. As the train is about to leave, Amy jumps off and returns to Kane. Kane shoots Ben Miller and Colby but suffers an injury when Miller sets a barn he is hiding in ablaze. Amy grabs the gun found in Kane’s office and shoots Pierce. Miller takes hold of Amy and tries to use her as a shield. Amy claws at him, and he shoves her to the ground. Kane shoots him, killing him.

In one of the best scenes in High Noon, Amy and Kane embrace then the two climb in Amy’s wagon and leave town together.

High Noon Locations

Filmed in 1952, High Noon is a beloved Western that stands the test of time. Directed by Fred Zinneman, the cast of High Noon includes such revered actors as Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly. The film’s main theme focuses on a town marshal who faces the unenviable choice of either standing up to a group of murderers on his own or to leave the city permanently with his new bride.

The High Noon filming locations are all found in Northern California and include such cities as Columbia and Warnerville. Several public parks feature prominently in the landscape of this classic Western.

If classic Westerns top your list of the best movies of all time, why not consider a trip to visit the filming locations for High Noon? You’re sure to have an amazing time!

Fun Fact:

A film that was the subject of much controversy for its political views, High Noon received seven Academy Award nominations and was awarded four.

Kane finds out about Miller and his posse scene in High Noon

St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 18473 Gardner Avenue, Tuolumne City, California

In this High Noon production scene, Kane and Amy are wed. Many of the town’s residents are in attendance for the joyful celebration. After the couple is announced as man and wife, Kane and Amy retire to a nearby room where Kane promises her he will do his best in their new life together as store owner, family man, and husband. The new marshal is set to assume his role the next day.

The station master arrives on the scene with a telegram that bears bad news. Frank Miller, an outlaw sentenced to jail during Miller’s years on the job, has been released and is returning with a posse to exact revenge on Kane. He is expected to arrive in Hadleyville at noon. Though the others encourage Kane and his new bridge to fee the city, Kane says, “I thought I ought to stay,” much to the distress of his new wife, a Quaker and a pacificist.

To access this High Noon location, travel a few miles outside Columbia into the small berg known as Tuolumne City. The church is found just off Route 108 on Gardner Road.

Amy tells Kane she is leaving scene in High Noon

Columbia Ranch, “Western Street,” 411 North Hollywood Way, Burbank, California

In this High Noon scene, Kane is hoping to find some of his former deputies and friends to assist him in standing against Miller and his men. He is well aware that by choosing to accept his role in the gunfight with Miller that he will upset his new wife Amy. Amy tells him that either he leaves with her, or she will leave without him. She informs him that she will leave town on the noon train with or without him.

Kane: Look Amy, this is my town. I've got friends here. I'll swear in a bunch of special deputies and with a posse behind me, maybe there won't even be any trouble.

Amy: You know there'll be trouble.

Kane: Then, it's better to have it here. I'm sorry, honey, I know how you feel about it.

Amy: Do you?

Kane: Of course, I do. I know it's against your religion and all. Sure, I know how you feel.

Amy: But you're doing it just the same. Oh, Will, we were married just a few minutes ago. We've got our whole lives ahead of us. Doesn't that mean anything to you?

Kane: You know I've only got an hour and I've got lots to do. Stay at the hotel until it's over.

Amy: No, I won't be here when it's over. You're asking me to wait an hour to find out if I'm going to be a wife or a widow. I say it's too long to wait. I won't do it...I mean it. If you won't go with me now, I'll be on that train when it leaves here.

Kane: (resolutely) I've got to stay.

Though the famed Columbia Ranch has long been demolished, it is still possible to visit this famed film set and street where many of the most beloved Westerns of all time were filmed. To visit this High Noon location from downtown Burbank, follow W Alameda Avenue to W Oak Street, making a right onto North Hollywood Way.

Amy arrives and waits at the train station scene in High Noon

Railtown 1897 State Historic Park, Jamestown, California

At 11:05 am, Amy enters the hotel lobby where she will wait for the arrival of the noon train. She is greeted by a hotel clerk who is excited at the opportunity to observe the gunfight. He says to Amy, “You're leaving on the noon train...but your husband ain't?...It's mighty interesting. Now, me, I wouldn't leave this town at noon for all the tea in China. No sir, it's going to be quite a sight to see.”

To find this High Noon film location, travel three miles past Sonora, taking the entrance to the park found at 5th Avenue and Reservoir Road.

Kane tries to gather support at the church scene in High Noon

St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 18473 Gardner Avenue, Tuolumne City, California

In an effort to garner support, Kane visits Hadleyville’s church. He asks several people to join his posse but is rejected because he does not consider himself to be a church-going man and his wife is a Quaker. He tries to appeal to the church members’ sympathy saying,"It looks like Frank Miller's comin' back on the noon train. I need all the special deputies I can get." A few men step forward to volunteer but are cut short by Cooper who says:

“Before we go rushing out into something that ain't gonna be so pleasant, let's be sure we know what this is all about. What I want to know is this. Ain't it true that Kane ain't no longer Marshal? And ain't it true there's personal trouble between him and Miller?”

The children are rushed outside the church building while the men discuss this matter. Ultimately, Kane finds no support amongst the church members.

You can visit this High Noon filming location in Tuolumne City off Route 108. Though the outside of this area was featured in several different film scenes in High Noon, this is the first opportunity for fans of this movie to catch a glimpse of the inside.

Kane visits his mentor scene in High Noon

Wilson/McConnell House, Main Street, Columbia State Park, California

Dispirited, Kane pays a visit to his predecessor Sam Howe. Howe is disenfranchised with these years of work as the town marshal, sharing these words of wisdom with Kane: “It's a great life. You risk your skin catchin' killers and the juries turn 'em loose so they can come back and shoot at ya again. If you're honest, you're poor your whole life, and in the end you wind up dyin' all alone on some dirty street. For what? For nothin'. For a tin star.”

The two men further discuss Kane’s plight with Sam offering Kane this advice: “Get out, Will, get out...You know how I feel about you, but I ain't goin' with ya. Seems like a man with busted knuckles didn't need arthritis too, don't it? Naw, I couldn't do nothin' for ya. You'd be worried about me. You'd get yourself killed worryin' about me. It's too one-sided like it is...It's all for nothin', Will, it's all for nothin'.”

This High Noon action scene takes place in the heart of Columbia State Park in Tuolumne County just off highway 49 outside Sonora.

The final battle scene in High Noon

Main Street, Columbia State Historic Park, Columbia, California

In this final High Noon film scene, Kane waits in the heart of town for Miller and his posse to arrive. A gunfight begins.

Amy flees the train and races to Kane’s side. Upon her arrival, she discovers a man dead in the middle of the street. She walks past the body and goes into the marshal’s office.

Kane hides in a nearby barn while the fighting continues. He kills one of Miller’s men and continues to hide in the barn. Miller throws a lit lantern into the barn to try to smoke Kane out. The barn catches fire, and Kane is forced out into the street on horseback, first letting loose all of the horses in the barn. Kane is injured during the escape.

The gunfight continues. Amy shoots one of the men from behind, killing him. Miller grabs Amy, holding her in front of him like a human shield.

Miller: Come on, Kane. Come on out. Or your friend here’ll get it the way Pierce did.

Kane: I’ll come out; let her go.

Miller: As soon as you walk through that door. Come on, I’ll hold my fire.

Kane walks through the door and on to the street. Amy tries to scratch at Miller’s face, and as she turns her back and the two begin to struggle, Kane shoots Miller, killing him. The townspeople run to Amy and Kane. Kane throws his badge in the street, gets in the wagon, and rides off to a new life with Amy.

To visit this iconic High Noon film set, travel three miles outside the town of Sonora, and you will find the entrance to Columbia State Historic Park just off Highway 49

Conclusion

A movie that is jam-packed with adventure and intrigue, High Noon is a classic Western that is much beloved by people of all ages. Though the majority of its filming locations are found in Southern California, a few select scenes were shot at a Columbia Pictures Studios in Burbank, California. If you’re thinking you’d like to visit High Noon locations, our guide is an excellent starting point for planning your itinerary.