Courthouse Square, Filming set at Universal Studios backlot, California.
Courthouse Square is a filming set on the Universal Studios backlot in California, designed as a town square with a classic American courthouse. The wooden courthouse facade stands in the center, surrounded by storefronts, offices, and low commercial buildings that recreate a typical small-town setting.
The set was built in 1948 for the film An Act of Murder and has served hundreds of productions since then. Fires in 1957, 1990, and 2008 damaged or destroyed parts of the lot, which was rebuilt each time afterward.
The square appears as Hill Valley in Back to the Future and as Kingston Falls in Gremlins, two films that many visitors recognize immediately. Several generations know these backdrops from their childhood or youth, which makes the location a popular photo spot.
Access is through the theme park admission, which includes guided tours of the studio grounds. Visits take place in groups because the square continues to be used as an active filming location.
The facades can be moved and reshaped, allowing production crews to adapt the square for different eras and storylines. A film crew can transform the space from a 1950s small town into a modern city center within a few hours.
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