Six Gun Territory
Ocala's legendary Western-themed amusement park — a Florida institution from 1963 to 1984 that lives on in the memories of generations of Floridians
The Story of Six Gun Territory
Six Gun Territory opened in 1963 along the US-27/SR-200 corridor near Ocala, Florida, arriving at a moment when roadside Florida tourism was thriving. The park spanned roughly 50 acres and was built around an immersive Western frontier town concept — when guests entered, they stepped into the American West, complete with dusty streets, saloons, a livery stable, and the constant anticipation of something dramatic happening just around the corner.
The park became an immediate draw for families traveling up and down Florida's interior corridor. Long before the Interstate system rerouted traffic and long before Central Florida became a global tourism destination, US-27 was a primary north-south artery for Florida visitors, and Six Gun Territory sat squarely in their path.
For nearly two decades, Six Gun Territory was one of those uniquely Florida experiences — equal parts roadside attraction, live entertainment venue, and family amusement park — that defined an era of American leisure travel that no longer exists in quite the same form.
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What Made Six Gun Territory Special
The park offered a full slate of Western-themed entertainment that was genuinely immersive for its time — far more than a static display.
Train Robbery Re-Enactments
The park's narrow-gauge steam train was a centerpiece attraction — and periodically, a staged train robbery would unfold as costumed bandits held up the train to the delight of passengers. It was live theater and theme park rolled into one.
Cowboy Shoot-Outs
Staged gunfights in the frontier town streets were a recurring spectacle — cowboys would square off in the dusty main street while crowds gathered to watch the drama unfold. These live shows were a signature of the Six Gun Territory experience.
Gold Panning
Guests could try their hand at gold panning in a stream — a hands-on Western activity that gave kids a tangible connection to frontier mythology. Many visitors left with small vials of gold flake as souvenirs.
Frontier Town Atmosphere
The park was built as a complete Western frontier town — saloons, a general store, a livery, and other period-appropriate structures created an immersive environment that transported visitors to the American West of the 1800s.
Live Animals
Like many parks of its era, Six Gun Territory featured live animal exhibits that complemented the Western theme. Animals associated with frontier and ranch life added another layer to the immersive experience.
Rides & Attractions
Beyond the live entertainment, the park offered rides and amusements suited for families, making it a full-day destination for tourists traveling through central Florida during the park's two-decade run.
Six Gun Territory: A Timeline
Park Opens
Six Gun Territory opens along the US-27/SR-200 corridor near Ocala. The Western frontier theme park immediately attracts Florida tourists traveling the interior corridor, establishing itself as a must-stop roadside attraction.
Peak Years
The park enjoys its most successful era, drawing tourists from across the Southeast. Staged shoot-outs, train robberies, gold panning, and Western shows make it a signature Florida experience during the golden age of roadside tourism.
Walt Disney World Opens
Disney World opens in Orlando, fundamentally reshaping Florida's tourism landscape. Visitors who once traveled the US-27 corridor increasingly divert to I-4 and Orlando. Smaller regional attractions begin losing ground to the newly dominant Central Florida resort industry.
Declining Attendance
As the Central Florida theme park ecosystem expands with EPCOT (1982) and other attractions, attendance at smaller independent parks like Six Gun Territory falls sharply. The once-thriving US-27 tourism corridor grows quieter.
Park Closes
Six Gun Territory closes after approximately 21 years of operation. The rides are removed, the frontier town dismantled. What remains is a piece of Florida nostalgia — a park that a generation of Floridians remembers with genuine affection.
Six Gun Plaza
The site on the SR-200 corridor is now home to Six Gun Plaza, a strip shopping center that carries the name forward. The plaza name is the lasting legacy of the park's presence at the location.
Why Did Six Gun Territory Close?
When Walt Disney World opened in Orlando in October 1971, it created a gravitational pull on Florida tourism that independent regional parks couldn't escape. Families who once explored Florida's interior roadside attractions now planned their entire trip around the Disney resort — and spent their tourism dollars there.
The US-27 corridor, once a primary tourist route through Florida, saw traffic patterns shift as I-4 became the dominant path to Central Florida. Six Gun Territory, like many similar parks of its era, found its audience shrinking year after year through the 1970s and early 1980s.
Six Gun Territory was not alone. Dozens of beloved Florida roadside attractions — from exotic animal parks to Weeki Wachee mermaids to scenic railways — faced the same competitive pressure in the 1970s and 1980s. The era of the independent Florida roadside attraction gave way to the corporate theme park era.
What makes Six Gun Territory's closure feel particularly poignant to many Floridians is that the park was genuinely beloved — not just a tourist trap, but a place with real showmanship, craft, and community connection that simply couldn't survive the economics of the new era.
What's at the Six Gun Territory Site Today?
Today, the site of Six Gun Territory on the SR-200/SW College Road corridor in southwest Ocala is occupied by Six Gun Plaza — a strip shopping center that deliberately preserves the historic name of the beloved park that once stood there.
Six Gun Plaza is a working commercial strip center with a variety of retailers and restaurants serving the southwest Ocala community. The name is its primary connection to the amusement park legacy — no rides, no frontier town, no train — but the name itself is a nod to what came before.
For nostalgia hunters and Florida history enthusiasts, visiting Six Gun Plaza is a way to stand at the site where one of Florida's classic roadside attractions once thrilled generations of visitors. There's something quietly moving about that, even if the cowboys are long gone.
Six Gun Plaza
SR-200 / SW College Road corridor, Ocala, FL — southwest Ocala
The Legacy of Six Gun Territory
More than four decades after its closure, Six Gun Territory occupies a special place in Florida's collective memory — particularly among those who grew up in central Florida or who traveled US-27 during the park's heyday.
Florida Nostalgia
The park represents a specific era of Florida tourism — pre-Disney, road-trip era Florida, when the state's interior was dotted with independent family attractions that competed for the tourist dollar through ingenuity and showmanship rather than corporate scale.
Community Memory
For Marion County residents and central Floridians, Six Gun Territory is one of those shared touchstones that defines generational memory — the "remember when" conversations that bind communities across time.
The Name Lives On
Six Gun Plaza keeps the name alive at the original site. There is also persistent interest in the park's history through Florida history communities, vintage postcard collectors, and retro-Florida enthusiasts online.
The Broader Story
The rise and fall of Six Gun Territory mirrors the broader story of mid-century Florida tourism — the golden age of roadside America giving way to the age of the mega-resort. It's a story worth knowing.
Frequently Asked Questions
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More Ocala History & Things to Do
Six Gun Territory history compiled by the Only In Ocala team from Florida historical records and local archives. Updated April 2026.