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The structures remaining in Perkinsville are all old Railroad buildings, including the section or bunkhouse. The base of the old water tower also remains. The Railroad stationmaster’s home and original Perkinsville depot, which was converted to a schoolhouse, are still standing, as well.

At its peak, the community of Perkinsville had 10 to 12 families living there. The ranch, over 22 miles wide and 35 miles long, is at an elevation of 2,600 feet; 600 feet below the elevation of Clarkdale. The remote settlement once had a small school, general store and even a post office. When the railroad switched to diesel locomotives, crews no longer needed to stop for water and Perkinsville evolved into a ghost town.

In the 1960s, a few scenes from the classic Western film “How the West Was Won” were filmed in Perkinsville. The old depot building was in a scene featuring George Peppard, Debbie Reynolds and Eli Wallach. Rumor has it the water tower was blown up during the shooting of one scene, only to have the footage end up on the cutting room floor.

"While the train and the experience of riding the rails are a big part of the attraction of the Verde Canyon Railroad, the tour itself is the star of the show. Each mile brings a different geologic and ecological scene."

—Steven King, Tri-Valley Dispatch

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