SDCFans - The Unofficial Fan Site For Silver Dollar City
Silver Dollar City & Celebration City Discussion => SDC Memories/ Park History => Topic started by: MoOzark on April 02, 2015, 05:25:49 PM
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Does anyone remember the SDC Outposts? I can remember seeing one along I-44 at Leasburg, MO, in the early 1980s (I think?). I believe there were two of them. If so, I do not know where the other one was. I never did stop at one, so I don't know what they looked like on the inside. Does anyone have info, history, or photos of the Outpost? If I remember right, they didn't last long. Does anyone know why? (And I apologize if this has already been covered in another thread).
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I personally never got to visit because we come in from the opposite direction (central Arkansas). there was some pretty cool stuff about it in this thread: http://sdcfans.com/forums/index.php?topic=1383.msg24572#msg24572
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The outposts were an experiment that failed. There were 2 of them, I think. Just think how cool it would have been if it worked...they were gas stations and gift shops, there may have been a cafe attached, I cannot remember.
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We used to stop here on our way to SDC but I was too young at the time to remember many details. I still try to spot the posts that held the sign on our way by.
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I live in Bourbon, just east of Leasburg. I remember (vaguely) The Outpost when it was in operation. I remember being told by my Dad that SDC chose the Leasburg location on speculation that the Meramec Dam was going to be put in at Sullivan. Had the dam been put in, it would have been a prime location at the junction of I-44 and Highway H.
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Does anyone know what the address was? I was trying to find the location on Google maps so I could check out the satellite view.
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Contact SDC, perhaps public relations...someone can find out for you, I'm sure.
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There is a Mobil station now at I-44 and hwy H, I wonder if that is where it was? The matchbook says a Texaco station attached, and I wouldn't think there would have been that many stations at Leasburg.
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I remember still seeing a sign off to the right hand side - if you were heading towards St. Louis. Does that fit the location of the gas station you are thinking?
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From the St Clair Chronicle, St Clair, MO 1973-1974 various dates
(http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u36/larson_6/outpost_zpsyi9h093g.png) (http://s164.photobucket.com/user/larson_6/media/outpost_zpsyi9h093g.png.html)
(http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u36/larson_6/outpost2_zpsvn1ubobz.png) (http://s164.photobucket.com/user/larson_6/media/outpost2_zpsvn1ubobz.png.html)
(http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u36/larson_6/outpost3_zpscq7jtr6o.png) (http://s164.photobucket.com/user/larson_6/media/outpost3_zpscq7jtr6o.png.html)
(http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u36/larson_6/outpost4_zpslvkdodub.png) (http://s164.photobucket.com/user/larson_6/media/outpost4_zpslvkdodub.png.html)
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Onodaga Cave is the Leasburg/Hwy H exit. This is the SE corner of Hwy H and Old Rte 66. I 44 would be behind you in this picture, and you would be looking SE, towards Leasburg:
(http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u36/larson_6/outpost5_zps3ceybckz.png) (http://s164.photobucket.com/user/larson_6/media/outpost5_zps3ceybckz.png.html)
This is across Hwy H, SW corner of US 66 and Rte H, looking NW. I 44 would be in the foreground in this picture. To me, that sure looks like the frame of and old Texaco sign near the driveway:
(http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u36/larson_6/outpost6_zpsxw8mk1c7.png) (http://s164.photobucket.com/user/larson_6/media/outpost6_zpsxw8mk1c7.png.html)
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Really good sleuthing, thelarsonsix!
I might have to throw together something on this for the front page on throwback Thursday.
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Agreed! Awesome work!
How did you find the newspaper articles? Online?
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Also curious, does anybody have any pictures?
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I think my parents have some old 1970's park brochures that have the picture of it on them. Finding them though would be difficult. They keep everything. I remember stopping there before. From what I remember it was pretty much just a gas station with a little craft demo area. Lots of Branson literature designed to point you to SDC. Nothing spectacular.
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Agreed! Awesome work!
How did you find the newspaper articles? Online?
Yes. I googled silver dollar city outpost leasburg,mo or some such and found several hits from newspapers.com, but you had to have a paid subscription to actually view the articles. You could however see what paper and what the date was in the preview, so from there I googled that paper and those dates and got a hit from the Missouri state historical society site that has scans of those newspapers for free.
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I think my parents have some old 1970's park brochures that have the picture of it on them. Finding them though would be difficult. They keep everything. I remember stopping there before. From what I remember it was pretty much just a gas station with a little craft demo area. Lots of Branson literature designed to point you to SDC. Nothing spectacular.
The brochure I have that is linked to in post #2 has a sketch of it, but I would love to see a real picture, something better that the blurry black and white from the newspaper article.
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Really good sleuthing, thelarsonsix!
I might have to throw together something on this for the front page on throwback Thursday.
Thank you. Please do, I think that is a great idea. I had no idea The Outpost existed until I acquired the old brochure that mentioned it.
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We took a road trip to Onondaga cave today for my birthday. I can confirm the earlier pictures are of the correct corner. I had my mom and dad with me (they stopped there several times when it was open) ...plus a lady at the cave gift shop used to work there.
From what I can tell, the only remnants are what is left of the huge sign that you could once see from 44. I will post some pictures I took.
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Does this site support uploading photos?
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Does this site support uploading photos?
I have a terrible time doing it!
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It seems easiest if you place them elsewhere on the net and link their urls to your posts here.
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Let me know if this works for everybody? I left it open for now in case people want to contribute to the Google Photos Album:
https://goo.gl/photos/s2bher7b6SGW67sc7 (https://goo.gl/photos/s2bher7b6SGW67sc7)
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It let me view the photos- thanks for posting.
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Awesome. Thanks for that, I thought I had the right spot but wasn't positive.
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No problem!
Awesome. Thanks for that, I thought I had the right spot but wasn't positive.
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August 1976