Long before streaming turned Montana into the world’s most desirable postcode, Taylor Sheridan’s 1923 unfolded across the gilded valleys of Montana, the sunburnt savannahs of Africa, and the timeworn porticoes of Mediterranean Europe — a lavish showcase of scenery as textured as the Dutton family legacy itself.
From Montana to Texas and everywhere in-between, here’s your insider’s guide to the filming locations of 1923.
Chief Joseph Ranch, Darby, Montana
Let’s start where the legend lives and breathes: the famed Chief Joseph Ranch in Darby, Montana. Built between 1914 and 1917, the ranch — ringed by forests in the Bitterroot Valley, just beneath snow-dipped Trapper Peak — is where the Dutton dynasty makes its home. On-screen, its timber-framed lodges and vast acres are every bit as stately as they appear. Off-camera, this spot is a real-life working ranch, with fans able to book stays in two of the cabins when cameras aren’t rolling (fancy a morning coffee on the Dutton’s front porch?)
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Butte, Montana
Butte is responsible for much of the show’s pulse: period facades, gold rush saloons, and a main street made for drama. The production team transformed Uptown Butte into 1923’s Bozeman — complete with horses, vintage storefronts, and the kind of sepia-toned grit we've come to expect from the Wild West.
- Butte Civic Centre: Serving everything from bank interiors to lavish dance halls.
- Butte City Court: Recast as the stage for Banner Creighton’s infamous trial.
- Butte-Silver Bow Water Utility: The neoclassical exterior doubled as Bozeman’s Town Hall.
- KMBF Radio Station (Carpenter’s Hall): Hosted the Livestock Association meeting.
- Broadway Street: Repurposed into entire rows of old-world shops, pawn stores, and more.
Butte isn’t just window dressing, though. Producer and creator Taylor Sheridan famously told Entertainment Weekly, 'I don’t build a world with visual effects. I go shoot these corners of the world that people haven’t seen.' This means locals might have spotted a contemporary vape shop turned into the Silver Dollar Soda Shop, or the Thornton Building’s entrance reimagined as the First Bank of Montana.
A whole collection of Montana towns, from Anaconda to Whitehall, Valier, Hamilton, Dillon, and Park City, also lent the series some serious period authenticity.
Africa
1923 also went global with sweeping, dust-rich shots filmed across the real savannahs of Africa for Spencer Dutton’s dramatic storyline. Shooting unfolded on-location in South Africa, Tanzania (notably Zanzibar), and Kenya — meaning perilous elephant encounters and steam-train journeys truly were that wild.
Truly eagle-eyed fans will recognise Nairobi’s Stanley Hotel (actually the historic Kearsney Manor in South Africa) as a meeting point from the series, too.
Malta And The Mediterranean
As 1923’s story crosses oceans, Malta’s centuries-old stone fortresses and cinematic Mediterranean light became the perfect stand-ins for harbours and ship decks. Malta Film Studios’ water tanks and period ships were central to the Duttons’ maritime episodes. Small moments and sweeping crises — all splashed with just the right saltwater hue.
Texas
If the second season feels tinged with southern heat, thank Austin, Texas, as well as coastal Lockhart and Bartlett. In 2024, production set up shop around the University of Texas campus, and historic streets in Bartlett and Lockhart were meticulously converted into 1920s-era Montana, proof that Sheridan’s search for 'the right look' knows no boundary.
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Naomi May is a seasoned culture journalist and editor with over ten years’ worth of experience in shaping stories and building digital communities. After graduating with a First Class Honours from City University's prestigious Journalism course, Naomi joined the Evening Standard, where she worked across both the newspaper and website. She is now the Digital Editor at ELLE Magazine and has written features for the likes of The Guardian, Vogue, Vice and Refinery29, among many others. Naomi is also the host of the ELLE Collective book club.
