Six Flags St. Louis history
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This is my Six Flags St. Louis timeline.
1971:
· 132 acre park(497 acres) opens on June 5 as the 3rd Six Flags park, with six sections - Missouri, Spain, England, Illinois, France and USA. Park costs $55 million to build.·
Major rides – The River King Mine Train(Arrow Dynamics mine train with 2 sides/ tracks), The Moon Antique Cars(antique cars), The Hoo Hoo Log Flume(Arrow Dynamics log flume), Injun Joe’s Cave(dark ride) and Six Flags Railroad.· Other rides/attractions since removed – Mississippi Adventure(boat ride), Super Sports Car Ride, The Hannibarrels(spinning barrels), Mule-Go-Round, The Sky-Way, Angle Tangle/Tiltmore Hotel(crooked fun house) and Pet-A-Pet(petting zoo).
1972:
· Grand Ole Carousel(1915 PTC Carousel) opens in England section.
1972-1984:
· Rides added during these years – Tom’s Twister(rotor ride) in 1972? in Missouri section. The Space Scrambler(scrambler ride) in 1972? in USA section. Aero Flyer(Chance Yo-Yo) in 1982? added in England section.
· Injun Joe’s Cave becomes Time Tunnel in 1979?
· The Sky-Way removed in the early 1980’s(before 1984).
1973:
· Dodge City(bumper cars) and Mo-Mo The Monster(octopus ride) open in the Illinois section.
· Old Glory Amphitheater opens.
1975:
· Goodtime Hollow(kiddie area) opens? with Rock Candy Express(Herschell Little Dipper kiddie coaster), name changed to Little Eagle in late 1970’s or in 1980/1981.
1976:
· Screamin’ Eagle(John Allen wooden roller coaster) opens in Illinois section.
1977:
· Highland Fling(Schwarzkopf enterprise) opens in England section.
1978:
· Sky Chuter(Intamin 250ft. tall parachute ride) opens in England section.
1981:
· Jet Scream(Schwarzkopf looping star, one loop roller coaster) opens in USA section.
1982: Bally Corporation purchases Six Flags.
· The Buccaneer(swinging ship) opens in USA section.
· Mississippi Adventure, Angle Tangle/Tiltmore Hotel and Sky Chuter removed?
1983:
· Thunder River(Intamin river rapids ride) opens in Missouri section.
1984: Six Flags signs licensing deal to use Looney Tunes characters at parks.
· Arrow stand-up cars added to current side of River King Mine Train, some track changes made and side renamed Rail Blazer, changed back to normal after accident.
1985:
· Looney Tunes Town(kiddie area) opens, rides include – Acme Gravity Powered Roller Ride was Rock Candy Express, Daffy Duck Airways, Merry Melodies Go-Round, Tweety’s Flying Cages, Cat Climb, Bugs Bunny Burrow, Yosemite Sam’s Summit, Porky Pig’s BBB Ball Park, Tasmanian Devil Taxi Company, Elmer Fudd’s Construction Company and Foghorn Leghorn’s Funasium.
1986:
· Colossus(Ferris wheel) replaces Petting Zoo in Missouri section.
1986-1988:
· Rush Street Flyer(pendulum ride) opens in 1987? in Illinois section.
· Buccaneer name changed to Yankee Clipper.
1987: Wesray Corporation buys Six Flags.
· One side/track of River King Mine Train removed.
1988:
· Jet Scream roller coaster removed, moved to Six Flags Astroworld renamed Viper.
· Scrambler moved to Spain section and renamed El Toro Bravo.
· The Condor(Huss spinning ride) opens and is removed at season end in USA section.
· Fright Fest Halloween special event begins(known as Fright Nights for a few years).
1989:
· Ninja(Vekoma four loop roller coaster) opens in USA section.
· Legends Of The Dark Castle replaces Time Tunnel.
· Dance Pavilion opens where Jet Scream was located.
1990:
· Three new kiddie rides in Looney Tunes Town – Tasmanian Devil Twister replaces Tasmanian Devil Taxi Company, Speedy Gonzales Speedway replaces Elmer Fudd’s Construction Company, Road Runner Rally opens and Yosemite Sam’s Summit is closed/removed.
· Screamin’ Eagle gets new trains.
1991: Time Warner purchases one half of Six Flags. Blackstone Group and Wertheim Schroder & Company purchase the other half.
· Tidal Wave(Intamin shoot-the-chutes water ride) opens in Illinois section.
· Dodge City name changed to Water Street Cab Company.
1992:
· Castaway Kids Jungle Adventure replaces Legends of the Dark Castle.
1993: Time Warner buys the rest of Six Flags.
· Missouri section split into 1904 World’s Fair and Gateway To The West sections. England section changed to Great Britain section.
· Carrot Club replaces the Dance Pavilion.
1994:
· Great Britain section changed to Britannia section. USA section changed to USA/ Movietown section.
· Mo-Mo The Monster removed at end of season.
1995: Time Warner sells 51% of Six Flags to Boston Ventures.
· Batman: The Ride(B & M inverted roller coaster) opens where Carrot Club was in Time Warner Studios section which replaces the USA section.
· French section changed to Choteau’s Market section.
· Yankee Clipper name changed to Gotham Harbor.
· Grand Ole Carousel name changed to Enchanted Carousel.
1996:
· 25th Anniversary of the park, name changed to Six Flags St. Louis during season.
· Warner Bros. Backlot section replaces Time Warner Studios.
· Hannibarrels name changed to Powder Keg.
· Gotham Harbor name changed to The Joker, Inc.
· Aero Flyer moved to former Mo-Mo The Monster location in Illinois section and renamed Riverview Racer.
· Dragon’s Wing(skycoaster extra charge attraction) opens where Aero Racer was.
1997:
·Mr. Freeze(Premier LIM roller coaster) is built, but fails to open in DC Comics Plaza which replaces the Spain section.
· El Toro Bravo name changed to Shazam!
· Castaway Kids Jungle Adventure name changed to Castaway Kids Comic Book Adventure.
· Looney Tooter replaces Speedy Gonzales Speedway and Foghorn Leghorn’s Funasium in Looney Tunes Town.
· Powder Keg is closed.
1998: Premier Parks purchases all of Six Flags on April 1.
· Mr. Freeze(Premier LIM roller coaster) opens.
· Enchanted Carousel name changed back to Grand Ole Carousel.
· Eagle’s Bluff(extra charge rock wall) opens in Choteau’s Market section.
· Ninja repainted with black track and grayish supports.
1999:
· Hurricane Harbor(12 acre water park) opens in parking lot, takes over catered picnic facility, rides include – Big Kahuna(family raft ride), Gulley Washer Creek (lazy river), 3 speed slides - Jurhanimo Falls(green straight speed slide), Kontiki Falls and Washin’ Falls(red and blue twisting speed slides), 4 tube slides – Piranha (red) and Man of War(yellow) partially enclosed, Hammerhead(dark green) and Stingray(teal) completely enclosed, Hook’s Lagoon, Hurricane Bay(wave pool) and more.
· Speed O’ Drome Go-Karts(extra charge) opens in Britannia section.
· Moon Antique Cars track shortened, because of movement of catered picnic facility.
· Country Fair special event ends.
2000:
· The Boss(CCI wooden roller coaster) opens in Britannia section.
· Crazy Maze(kiddie maze) replaces Road Runner Railway in Looney Tunes Town.
· Castaway Kids Comic Book Adventure closed.
2001:
· Log Flume name changed to The Ice Mountain Splash.
· Turbo Bungy(extra charge bungee/trampoline) and Virtual Theater(Ham On Rye VR, extra charge) added in Warner Bros. Backlot section.
· Six Flags World’s Fair special event begins in June.
2002:
· Scooby-Doo! Ghostblasters – The Mystery Of The Scary Swamp(Sally Corp. interactive family dark ride) replaces Castaway Kids in DC Comics Plaza.
· Slingshot(extra charge) added in front of Sound Stage #2 in Studio Backlot section.
Speedy Gonzales Speedway(kiddie spinning car ride) added in Looney Tunes Town.
· Crazy Maze name changed to Mavin’s Maze.
· Warner Bros. Backlot section changed to Studio Backlot section.
· Mr. Freeze trains redesigned to have lap bars only.
· Country Fair special event returns.
· Fastlane - Technology by Lo-Q (extra charge virtual line queing system) added to Batman: The Ride, The Boss, Ninja, Mr. Freeze, River King Mine Train, Screamin’ Eagle, The Ice Mountain Splash, Thunder River and Scooby-Doo! Ghostblasters – The Mystery Of The Scary Swamp.
In case you don't want to read everything above here is what I need to finish the timeline. When did the following occur?
Tom’s Twister(rotor ride) in 1972?
The Space Scrambler(scrambler ride) in 1972?
Aero Flyer(Chance Yo-Yo) in 1982?
Rush Street Flyer(pendulum ride) opens in 1987?
Injun Joe’s Cave becomes Time Tunnel in 1979?
The Sky-Way removed in the early 1980’s(before 1984).
Buccaneer name changed to Yankee Clipper between 1986 and 1988.
I would appreciate any help you can give me and at this time I am not creating a website, but in the future I may and if I do it would contain this timeline.
*** This post was edited by SFZIP on 7/30/2002. ***
Can you format this better?
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Bob Hansen
A proud CoasterBuzz Member
"So you think your'e really brave, gonna see the DEMONS cave.
You silly dude, your'e only food, for the DEMON"
I could have sworn that the Jet Scream operated for one or two seasons after the Ninja was opened. Then when it was removed they built that club thing in the tent, which stood until Batman. I'm not 100% sure on this, but that's what I remember. Also, was it really that long ago that the Hannibarrels/Powder Keg closed?
Tom's Twister is original - I am about 95% sure.
Nice list, Good Job. The question is what will be for 2003?
Steve
I know that the Jet Scream was removed in 1988, since it opened in 1989 at SFAW. Also, I know everything since then is correct, because I have maps since then.
Also, on the 1996 big map the park had, there is a reprint of the original map and Tom's Twister is not there, but others have told me that it was there in 1971, was it?
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"Outside of a dog, a man's best friend is a book. Inside of a dog its too dark to read." - Groucho Marx
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Im the #1 Canobie Lake Park Fan!!!These are my top 3 coasters:
1. S:RoS @ SFNE 2. Yankee Cannonball 3. Cyclone/B:TDK
Since there are no unofficial Six Flags St. Louis sites here are a few places that have some pictures of the park:
http://www.amusementpark.com/ap/archive/history/Hpark/HP2001/09/sfoma/index_sfoma.html - has lots of 1971 pictures from the park
http://www.themeparkbrochures.com/ - has the 1976 and 1978 brochures
http://www.geocities.com/Pipeline/Reef/6776/top - pictures of Jet Scream and Rail Blazer
http://www.rollercoasterfans.com/?topic=postcards - has a few 1971 postcards
Also, eBay currently has a 1973 brochure on there.
The Powder Keg(Hannibarrels) have been closed for 5 years now, will it ever be removed from the park?
Screamscape has a bad rumor on 2003, that I really don't believe.
I have a crazy question to ask about SFSTL.. After the Jet Scream was removed, my cousin, (who lives in STL) said that there was a "traveling" ride that visited the park for one year only in the location that the JS was. Is this true and if so, what was it?
SFZIP, you touched on a lot of good things in that history. I remember so well the Mo Mo Monster. I loved that thing. At night time, it came to a whole new life with all the lights it had on it. (there must've been a million I swear it!) I can remember when so many of those rides were put in that park. I definitely remember the inaugaral season of The Screamin' Eagle. OMG, I was just flat out too little to be going on that ride but somehow I got on. The lapbar barely came down on my little legs. I came so close to falling out of that ride it was unreal. (My Mom actually looked over and at one point decided that it was time just to hold on to me because I was all over the seat due to my small size) This coaster was my first one and at that instant, a coaster geek was born.
I used to live in STL and frequented the park a lot as a kid. I remember that on Halloween, the Times Tunnel would be themed with super spooky stuff and the water would be changed from blue to red like blood. (that image just must've stuck in my head as I was so little and all.)
Ahhh.. the memories of that park. :)
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Proud member of the Frequent Flyer Club of CBuzzCon '02
Very good research on that. My home park is SFSTL and I never some of those things. Although I have one question: What is the
· Sky Chuter(Intamin 250ft. tall parachute ride) opens in England section.
I Never knew about that???
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Proud member of the Frequent Flyer Club of CBuzzCon '02
*** This post was edited by Joey Stewart on 7/31/2002. ***
Parachute rides used a harness fixed to a cable.
Steeplechase Park in New York City had a parachuteride that still stands on the ocean front, next to the old Steeplechase Pier. They were not originally built by Intamin, but Intamin built similar parachute rides (one is for sale at italintl.com )
Pretty cool stuff :)
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Off with the trims!
My fellow Americans; Let's Roll!
Woodencoaster.com
jeremy
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"To get inside this head of mine, would take a monkey-wrench, and a lot of wine" Res How I Do
One thing I just remembered... It had to be around 1980. They put up a walk-thru haunted house for the whole season, not just for halloween. I remember it was pretty lame but fun none-the-less. I can't remember the name of it and it only lasted for one season I believe. It was located where Tidal Wave is now. I do have a picture with me and a couple of friends standing by the front of the house. I could try to scan it if you want.
Steve
Also SFZip... I have a article cut-out from either the Post-Dispatch or the Belleville News Democrat announcing the Jet Scream back when it opened. I can try to scan that too if you want. It's in a scrapbook/photo album from when I grew up.
Steve
The "traveling" ride was the Condor which was here for the 1988 season only. It was not placed where the Jet Scream was. Originally, the scrambler ride was located where the entrance to Ninja is now. It was moved to it's current location after the 1987 season and in 1988 the Condor was placed there, then in 1989 Ninja opened and the Condor was moved to another Six Flags park.
Our parachute ride lasted for only five years, but it was the largest of it's type ever built. It has been at SFGAdv. in New Jeresey since it was removed from SFSL in 1982. Also Six Flags Over Georgia still has The Great Gasp.
If you want to scan any of these things that would be great, you could either put them here or send them to meydv@yahoo.com.
Thanks!
*** This post was edited by SFZIP on 7/31/2002. ***
*** This post was edited by SFZIP on 7/31/2002. ***
*** This post was edited by SFZIP on 7/31/2002. ***
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Proud member of the Frequent Flyer Club of CBuzzCon '02
Joey Stewart said:
What was the Condor anyhow? I never got to even see it much less ride it.-----------------
Proud member of the Frequent Flyer Club of CBuzzCon '02
http://www.sixflagshouston.com/xrides.html
This link has removed rides from Astroworld.
The Condor appeared there for a season.
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