-Land of Oz (Beech Mountain, NC) Strange little Wizard of Oz theme park. The unique thing was that it was situated on the top of a mountain, in a somewhat Ghost Town-ish fashion. Had a very succesful opening in 1970, but slipped over the years due to mismanagement and closed in 1981. Most of the park is still intact as part of a private community.
-Ghost Town in the Sky (Maggie Valley, NC) Well, not really gone yet, but SBNO with a grim future.
-Frontierland (Cherokee, NC) Wild-West theme park. It was built by the same people behind Ghost Town in the Sky and Six Gun Territory in Florida. Opened in '68 or so, closed by 1985.
-Magic World (Pigeon Forge, TN) This was an excellent example of southern tourist trap. This little park was located on the Pigeon Forge strip across from the Grand Hotel. (Where "Lost Treasure Golf" is now) It had a few amusement rides, and lots of concrete dinosaur sculptures as "theming". It opened in the late 1960s, and closed in '95.
-Ogle's Water Park (Pigeon Forge, TN) A waterpark on the Pigeon Forge strip, where the Walden's Landing shopping center is now. It opened in 1977(?) and did very well until Splash Country opened. Last season was 2001, but remain SBNO until 2003.
YoshiFan said:
I live somewhat near where Willow Grove Park was in PA. It opened in 1896 and closed in 1975 so I never got to experience it.It really upsets me that it closed because there is absolutely nothing fun to do in the area and it would have been great to have a park so close. The land is now occupied with a mall of the same name and the food court has tables with pictures of the old rides and scenery. Every time I look at the tables I wish the park was still there since the mall has no fun stores and is kind of boring and I would take an amusement park there over the mall any day.
YoshiFan, you're forgetting that the mall does have a small carousel (not the same, I know) and has the horses from the original Carousel from the park hanging up as decorations in the center of the one end (I forget which side since it's not a mall I frequent, but I've been there a couple times when in the area).
West View Park, White Swan Park, Rainbow Gardens, Olympia Park, Cascade Park, National Park, Exposition Park, Luna Park, Calhoun Park, Homestead Park, Dream City, Burkes Glenn...to name just a few.
Now, only Kennywood and Idlewild remain...
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