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Yellowstone’s latest prequel, 1923, premiered on Paramount+ in December 2022, and fans couldn’t be more blown away by Taylor Sheridan’s flair for screenwriting.
1923 comes with a star-studded cast, which includes Harrison Ford (Jacob Dutton), Helen Mirren (Cara Dutton), and Jerome Fynn (Banner Creighton).
But 1923’s talented actors aren’t the only thing exciting fans—most of them are also impressed by the show’s great scene locations that help achieve visual realism.
As Sheridan told Entertainment Weekly in 2021, he doesn’t use visual effects to create a universe he thinks his fans will like; he identifies and explores fascinating parts of the world to truly immerse them in his creations.
“I don’t build a world with visual effects,” the legendary creator said. “I go shoot these corners of the world that people haven’t seen.”
Where is 1923 Filmed?
1923 was mostly filmed in Montana, but other filming locations included South Africa, Tanzania, and Malta.
Most of the scenes in Montana were shot in Butte, on famous streets such as Hamilton Street, Quartz, and Alaska Street.
1923 Filming also took place in the cities of Pony, Anaconda, Whitehall, Dillon, Hamilton, Valier, Deer Lodge, and Park City.
While most members of the Dutton family are in Montana, Spencer is in Africa, where he meets Alexandra.
Sheridan told Deadline that Spencer’s scenes were shot during the pandemic, and they had to explore three countries to find the best locations for the show, which wasn’t the easiest of tasks.
“You know how hard it is to move a crew around in Africa in 2022 with Covid, and all the rules and all the politics?” Sheridan said.
“We were in four countries in Africa. It’s not like we went to one little preserve in South Africa. We were in four different countries. South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, which is actually part of Tanzania, so that doesn’t really count.” The American filmmaker added.
Here’s an in-depth look into each of 1923’s known filming locations.
Use these links to skip to Spencer and Alexandra’s filming locations in Africa and Malta.
1923 Filming Locations in Montana
The beautiful scenery of Montana captivated the audiences of 1923. The Big Sky State was the perfect backdrop for the Western drama.
Many of the landscape shots were filmed along the Highland Mountain range in Montana. The scenery featured the Tobacco Root Mountains outside Whitehall.
Filming in Montana was also a huge boost for the local economy. Butte especially saw the benefits of production taking place on its streets.
Speaking to KXLF-TV, Karen Byrnes, Butte’s Director of Community Development, said, “It’s a big boon for our community in that way, you know, it is disruptive in ways, there will be street closures, there will be redirections of traffic.”
“Services and materials that go into this production are being sourced locally, so we’re seeing a big impact to a lot of our businesses being able to provide these services”, Byrnes added.
Butte
1923’s production crew spent a lot of time in Butte repainting the entire city to transform the already century-old buildings to create the old rustic vibe the show needed.
Uptown Butte doubled as the historical city of Bozeman in 1923. The boxing ring in episode one occurred at the corner of Broadway and Hamilton Streets.
The residents of Butte were ecstatic because their city was finally recognized in Hollywood, and its defining features, like the historic buildings and old coal and copper mines, got the appreciation they deserved.
Streets like Granite and Broadway were carefully repainted to look like they did a century ago, and the community was immensely supportive.
Butte KMBF Radio Station
The film crew utilized the KMBF Radio Station in Carpenter’s Hall in Butte as a filming location. They transformed the interior to fit the vibe of 1923’s town hall, where the Livestock Association meeting takes place.
The outside of the Bozeman Town Hall was shot at Butte-Silver Bow Water Utility at 124 West Granite Street. However, all interior scenes were filmed in the renovated radio station.
The KMBF Radio Station’s staff was extremely happy that filming would take place there.
The general manager told ABC Fox Montana, “The second floor [of our radio station] is now a beautifully restored building. Paramount Productions came through and scouted the place and thought it would be fitting for the ‘1923’ miniseries. So, of course, we were more than happy to have them up there.”
Butte Civic Center
Location: 1340 Harrison Ave, Butte, MT 59701, United States
The Butte Civic Center was one of the important filming locations of 1923. The crew constructed several sets inside, and Paramount Network controlled the Center till January 2023.
The Butte Civic Center opened in 1952 and is a 7500-seat multipurpose arena. The Center is located on Harrison Avenue in Butte and is a popular recreational spot for the locals.
Butte Sherriff’s Department
Location: 225 North Alaska Street, Butte, MT 59701, United States
The Butte Sherriff’s Department served as the filming location for the Bozeman’s Sherriff Department in 1923.
A-GameZ Cards & Collectibles
The exterior of the building where A-GameZ Cards & Collectibles is located was transformed into the Silver Dollar Soda Shop. The soda shop appears in the first episode, as women in favor of prohibition protest outside, warning Jacob Dutton not to go in.
Butte City Court
Location: 155 W Granite St #401, Butte, MT 59701 United States (see here on Google Maps)
The courthouse where Banner Creighton’s trial takes place in “Nothing Left to Lose” is actually the Butte City Court.
Thornton Building
Location: 65 E Broadway St, Butte, MT 59701, United States (see here on Google Maps)
The location for the First Bank of Montana where Jacob Dutton tried to get a loan to feed his cattle was filmed at the Thornton Building. The Thornton Building is a former hotel that is now available for office space.
Chief Joseph Ranch, Darby
Like in Yellowstone, the historical Dutton ranch in 1923 is filmed at the renowned Chief Joseph Ranch in Darby, Montana. The landmark was erected between 1914 and 1917, so it fits into Sheridan’s show, which is set after the end of World War I.
It wasn’t surprising that the creator decided to use the ranch as a shooting location for 1923 since it’s Yellowstone’s origin story.
Chief Joseph Ranch is owned and operated by passionate rancher Shane Libel and his family.
In early 2022, they shared a picture of the iconic ranch in 1935 to honor 1923.
“In honor of the new Yellowstone origin story “1923”, enjoy this #throwback picture of the ranch from 1935!” the caption read.
Anaconda Rifle and Pistol Club, Anaconda
Location: 1106 Heather Drive, Anaconda, MT 59711, United States
Some of the filming for the government boarding school Teonna was forced to attend took place in Anaconda, Montana. The sheds seen at the boarding were filmed on the grounds of the Anaconda Rifle and Pistol Club.
Daly Mansion
This Daly Mansion in Montana is the filming location for Donald Whitfield’s house in 1923. We first catch a glimpse of it in the show’s episode four when Banner Creighton approaches the wealthy businessman to help bring the Duttons to their knees.
The large 19th-century Victorian manor is a whopping 24,000-square-foot. The lavish three-story home includes 50 rooms, with 25 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, and 7 fireplaces.
Notably, in Yellowstone, this building is the Governor’s mansion.
Rock City, Valier
After Teonna escapes from the abusive boarding school, she spends the night hiding from a wolf in a remote location. In the morning, she wakes up surrounded by sheep and meets Hank, who vows to help her reunite with her family.
The location of filming took place in Rock City near Valier, Montana. The unique geological structures Teonna seeks refuge on are water-eroded sandstone pillars and hoodoos.
And yes, they used real sheep!
1923 Filming Locations in Africa
A large majority of Spencer and Alexandra’s storyline was filmed in South Africa. Filming took place all throughout the country.
Below is an interesting embed of the filming for Spencer and Alexandra in Africa:
Tanzania & Serengeti National Park
As Spencer Dutton is a big game hunter in Africa, a large part of his storyline is filmed in Tanzania and South Africa. Some of the shots at safari camps as well as b-roll footage were shot in Tanzania.
Serengeti National Park served as the backdrop for many wildlife scenes in Africa. The beautiful park is a protected area that is home to some of the most incredible animals in the world including zebras, giraffes, elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, and much more.
Umgeni Steam Railway
The Umgeni Steam Railway, also known as the Inchanga Choo Choo, served as the filming location for Spencer’s train ride in episode 2. The railway is the home of steam locomotive preservation in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa
Kearsney Manor, KwaZulu Natal North Coast
Filming for the spectacular Stanely Hotel where Spencer and Alexandra first met took place at Kearsney Manor. The lavish manor is an old English mansion built in the late 1800s by Sir James Leige Hulett. The recently renovated property is listed as a Heritage Site.
Kalk Bay
The harbor in Mombasa where Spencer and Alexandra depart from Africa on an outdated tugboat is the real-life Kalk Bay. Kalk Bay is a fishing village located along the coast of False Bay in South Africa.
1923 Filming Locations in Malta
The small yet stunning country of Malta served as the filming location for Spencer and Alexandra’s time in Sicily.
In episode 7, “The Rule of Five Hundred”, Spencer and Alex arrive in Sicily. These scenes in Sicily were filmed around Valletta, a harbor in Malta.
During the couple’s arrival to Siciliy, the building in the top left, Palazzo della Gran Guardia in Verona, Italy, was actually CGI inserted into the background of the shot.
Fort Manoel, Gżira
After booking passage to London, Spencer and Alexandra dine at a romantic outdoor cafe. Filming for the scene took place in Fort Manoel in Gżira, which was built in the 18th century by the Order of Saint John.
Grand Harbor in Valletta
In the season finale of 1923, Spencer and Alexandra board the ship Majestic to begin their voyage to London. Filming of the dock took place at Grand Harbor in Valletta, Malta.
RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, California
Many of the scenes on The Majestic cruise ship Spencer and Alexandra travel on in episode 8 were filmed on the RMS Queen Mary which is moored in Long Beach, California (see here on Google Maps).
The RMS Queen Mary is an old decommissioned British ocean cruise liner that sailed in the North Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to 1967.
Today, the RMS Queen Mary is a historical museum and tourist attraction.
Leita
Saturday 11th of March 2023
We were in those places in Valletta, Malta and rented an apartment in Birgu, the place in the background. Gorgeous place and so wonderful to know that I saw where these scenes were filmed, especially since these are my favorite characters.