SDC Time Traveler

[Junior]

Let's take a little trip back in time! Set the clock on your time machine to December of 1978. Winter construction projects were underway, and a place called "The Courthouse Theater" was being built, plus, the "Corkscrew Overpass" in the Deepwoods section was being built. SDC President Jack Herschend spoke at the company profit sharing meeting, and the attendance for the park for the year was tallied at over a million! Find out more by going to my Flickr site, and taking a close look at the SDC company newsletter "What's Happening" dated December 21, 1978. Photos are included. Hang on tight! You are going back in time about 34 years:    http://www.flickr.com/photos/juniordugan

[Ozark Outlaw]

Junior we have to get this thread up to 88 miles per hour!

That’s a pretty cool interoffice letter. Small changes around the park were a really big deal back then. It’s better than a single picture as it tells a story about the people, and trends of the time.

Slightly off topic, I know the Courthouse Theater no longer exist, but where was it exactly? And what is in its place now?

[Junior]

The theater DOES still exist! It is now called the Riverfront Playhouse. It sits right next to the White River Mercantile. If ya'll like seeing the old company newsletters, I'll put more on my Flickr site in the weeks to come so we can all continue that time travel down memory lane. Just let me know.

[MissinTheGreenTrams]

That would be amazing if you did Junior! I love seeing your stuff!

[DollarCityBoy]

I am amazed after all this time, you, and others, are still able to post new pictures like that. Thanks so much for sharing with us! Love re-living the past.

[Junior]

Well thanks, ya'll! Look for new postings here in the future. If anyone else has comments or suggestions on this topic, I welcome your replies. Thanks again.

[Ozark Outlaw]

The theater DOES still exist! It is now called the Riverfront Playhouse. It sits right next to the White River Mercantile.

I never made the connection, but that makes perfect sense! I'm such a dork. 

[sanddunerider]

thanks for clarifying that junior, i was pretty sure it was the riverfront now....

[KBCraig]

Let's take a little trip back in time! Set the clock on your time machine to December of 1978. Winter construction projects were underway, and a place called "The Courthouse Theater" was being built, plus, the "Corkscrew Overpass" in the Deepwoods section was being built.

...and you and I were pimply high schoolers longing to live in the city. 

[Junior]

Strap in to your time machine, again! Now we go back to 1979, the first year for the new show at the new Courthouse Theater. Another SDC company newsletter from May, 1979, with photos, and an article with the show schedule, people behind the scenes, and the first cast of this fun SDC produced comedy show.   http://www.flickr.com/photos/juniordugan

[KBCraig]

I loved that show. 

[Junior]

Let's go back to 1979 again! I've put on the Flickr site several photos of SDC happenings/people that appeared in the Branson or Springfield newspapers. Click on the photos to enlarge them, and read the captions under to get a better understanding of what the photos show. Also included, a vintage Vineyard Restaurant menu that show what was served and the prices. Can you believe that a small coke, fries, and a burger cost just a little over $2.00 back then? Hard to believe, but true!  http://www.flickr.com/photos/juniordugan

[Gilligan]

1979?  The year we got married, and spent our honeymoon in Branson.  We were two starving students at the time - one just out of grad school, and one ready to enter.  Good times!   

[KBCraig]

  http://www.flickr.com/photos/juniordugan

It looks like "Cave Boy" lives in Swansea IL now. You should call him up and tell him he's still famous. 

[Junior]

It's not too hard to track people if  you have basic info and the Internet, but I won't contact the guy. Who knows, maybe he's "one of us," and has not revealed his identity!