"Lost" SDC (Images from 1970)

[Junior]

OK, time travelers...let's go back to Silver Dollar City in 1970. I've posted almost 2 dozen images from the "Official Guide to Silver Dollar City Capital of the Ozarks" booklet that was sold at SDC over 40 years ago. In these images you will see some famous citizens of the past, as well as many "lost" arts and crafts and attractions that no longer exist at SDC. http://www.flickr.com/photos/juniordugan   

[MissinTheGreenTrams]

Thanks Junior. You have the best stuff.

[DollarCityBoy]

Thanks for sharing!
Didn't know that the schoolhouse use to be where the furniture store now sits.
Beautiful shot of Grandfathers Mansion. We really are lucky that attraction still exist. One of the originals that has stuck around. I do greatly miss the waterfall out front.

[sanddunerider]

MAN!!  Junior great pics, love this set of pics....

[How-doFolks]

cool stuff man..

[Junior]

Thanks! More to come in the weeks ahead. 

[adairmd]

Awesome pics!  This has probably been asked before, but I'll ask anyway, what was the Shot Tower?

[chittlins]

Awesome pics!  This has probably been asked before, but I'll ask anyway, what was the Shot Tower?

Part of the process to make lead shot for shotgun ammo. Process is still used today, if you ever pass the Remington plant in Lonoke Ar along side I-40 you can clearly see one there although it is inclosed like a silo.

[Junior]

That's right, Chttlins'! The Shot Tower at SDC was in place from the late 60s to the early 70s. It was located where the fire tower with the fire wagon under it is on Main Street. There were regular demonstrations of the shot tower. One of my first memories of SDC was a shot tower demonstration in 1970. When the Rainmaker began appearing at SDC, the platform on top of the tower was replaced with a windmill. The hidden secret button to start the water flow out of shower heads mounted on top of the windmill for the Rainmaker Show climax was on the leg of the windmill. Sometime in the 90's I think, the windmill was removed and the fire tower/fire wagon was put in place. The Shot Tower is another of the attractions at SDC that are a part of the romantic history of the park, and it will probably never return...just like the "lost" arts and crafts and other old attractions like the Stagecoach and float trip that are gone, gone, gone! 

[Hollwood]

The history of the shot tower is still being told. The powder keg entrance boasts a shot tower that worked the first year it was open, and has been repaired several times, but seems to break again shortly after every repair. No it's not a real shot tower, but it serves the purpose. And that romantic history that you claim to be gone is still there, just in a new capacity for a new generation. That generation would rather the employee who worked the shot tower push a dispatch button instead. SDC is doing a great job adapting to the new generation while keeping the Mission, Vision, and Core Values that Mary, Jack, and Pete built SDC on. I think that is more important than any attraction that use to be.

[chittlins]

There's an obvious ride attraction easily suited for shot tower theming and that's a drop tower whether the one at Celebration Station or a new, taller one. In fact that was one of the three concepts thrown out when the wooden coaster now known as Outlaw run was proposed.  Heck, the horseback coaster would be a good family coaster idea.

[Junior]

Thanks for the update on the shot tower theming at the ride. Yes, they are good about stuff like that. Also note Dugans Trading Company, a nod to Rube DUGANS Diving Bell. It is a ladies dress shop, and most of the ladies at the shop had no idea about the Dugan thing until I went in the shop once a year or so ago and told them the story. Rather appropriate that it's a dress shop, too. Us Dugan boys were known for agressively chasing skirts in our younger days! (Especially at work.)  Sorry, no more details on that, at least on line.

[sanddunerider]

YEA JUNIOR!!! 

that may be more details than we need here......LOL....

[tiffanylynnt]

You never disappoint!

[okiebluegrass]

Part of the process to make lead shot for shotgun ammo. Process is still used today, if you ever pass the Remington plant in Lonoke Ar along side I-40 you can clearly see one there although it is inclosed like a silo. <soapbox> (Disclaimer: This next comment is not to be taken seriously...) We can't have guns and ammunition!!!! Oh no! Guns kill people! </soapbox>