On my last visit to the Branson, I stopped in over by the old location for Sadie's Sideboard (on the Shepherd of the Hills Expressway) and to my surprise, the iconic statue of General Cornpone was hidden behind the store!!!!
I took a picture of it and some guy came out and started asking me questions about my snooping. He said his family still owns the Dogpatch property. He could have been part of the Dunn, Spradley or Maland families that shared ownership before it closed. The statue might still be sitting there.
One of my college friends went to school in Dover, AR, and has a number of pics posted on Facebook of class trips to Dogpatch.
Not much of merit to add here, but I went canoeing in Buffalo River a long time ago. I loved it. ;DI was a freshman at Arkansas Tech 1981-82. The big buzz was that students could take a basic Military Science (ROTC) course and receive credit for the mandatory PE class. Let's face it: go canoeing on the Buffalo and participate in Escape & Evasion at Fort Chaffee, versus bowling or tennis, is a no-brainer.
Go back a few pages on this thread and you will read the news about the young fellow who was awarded the Dogpatch property in a court settlement after being injured riding a 4 wheeler on the property. He didn't want the property, just some cash to pay for medical expenses. Now he owns the whole park! However, investment options are limited, and the old Dogpatch will never be back again, it had its day. The fellow is interested in hearing from folks who are sincere about redeveloping the property.
I would go for sure! I have been wanting to get some more photos!
If you like poison oak, sumac, snakes, and wasps! At Least those were prevalant on my last visit...nedless to say, I was glad I didn't get bitten or stung, and glad I wore pants.
The company manufacters spill proof pet food bowls, and is apparently located somewhere in Arkansas.
Very sad to see what use to be a great family entertainment park. It would take $$$$ to bring it back to its glory.
“I was a huge fan of Dogpatch as a kid, but one of the problems of the original park, in my opinion, was that everybody was required to wear clothing...
Them ticks and chiggers would've had a field day!
How did we miss this? The new owner wants to turn dog patch into a nude theme park, lol!
http://www.rockcitytimes.com/dogpatch-usa-owner-announces-plans-open-nude-theme-park-property/Quote“I was a huge fan of Dogpatch as a kid, but one of the problems of the original park, in my opinion, was that everybody was required to wear clothing...
I'm just amazed at how some people can just come out of the blue and propose crazy stupid ridiculous things like this.Anyone heard any updates on this? I assume it got shot down instantly by whatever regional board would oversee it, but it would be entertaining to see them keep pushing for it.
EDIT: Nope, wait, I didn't even look at the header before posting this. It's from a satire site. That's the first time one of these types of things has really got me, but I've never heard of this site before so I wasn't expecting it. Pretty funny though.
The trout hatchery sounds like a better plan. ;)
Article about the event in the Tuesday Arkansas Dem-Gazette. About 3000 toured. About a third of those came through an unsecured gate without signing a waiver to not sue if hurt on the property. Caution tape was placed at locations deemed by the owner not to be safe. It appears from the article many buildings were in better shape than thought. Two former employees were interviewed, and were hopeful the property would be developed.
1) I don't get this place.
2) Do people just have a sentimental attachment to it or something?
3) What is the fascination with it?
4) I'm 33 and don't have a clue who Lil Abner is so you can bet anyone younger than me sure as heck won't either.
1) I don't get this place.
2) Do people just have a sentimental attachment to it or something?
3) What is the fascination with it?
4) I'm 33 and don't have a clue who Lil Abner is so you can bet anyone younger than me sure as heck won't either.
1) Yes.
2) Yes.
3) The same as the fascination with SDC, for those who attended long before you were born.
4) Yes.
:)
Folks who went to Dogpatch in the old days DO have a sentimental attachment to it just like SDC and other attractions. Younger folks who don't remember the place wouldn't care...I am old enough to remember Chain of Rocks and Jessie James Territory, both in the general St. Louis area. I still miss them both. Dogpatch was 2nd rate compared to SDC, and since SDC and the Ozark Folk Center duplicated the arts and crafts and hillbilly stuff, they survived, while Dogpatch died. Honestly, if Arkansas government did not underwrite the folk center, it would be gone, too. Soon as the folk center's folklorist and director died, his massive archive was put into the special collection at the university in Fayetteville. That to me was a massive insult to the man who built up that place. Anyway, times change. Dogpatch is located in a beautiful site, but was not as easy to access as the other two attractions. That also led to the downfall.
Of course, one could always go to Facebook.com/dogpatchusa. Thanks for helping get the word out, Tinman. We are going to be open for a public walk through in the spring, follow the FB page for the details. They will be posted as soon as they are available. Thanks!
Severe flooding today at Dogpatch due to all of the heavy rain. The KY3 website has pictures. Lots of flooding on the Buffalo River today.