SDCFans - The Unofficial Fan Site For Silver Dollar City

Silver Dollar City & Celebration City Discussion => SDC Memories/ Park History => Topic started by: Eagle Rider on August 17, 2007, 09:39:24 AM

Title: Through the Decades
Post by: Eagle Rider on August 17, 2007, 09:39:24 AM
As a small kid I visited SDC twice in the 1970s.  I really only have 3 distinct memories.
1.  Fire in the hole was my first coaster and I loved it.  I was 4 years old.
2.  The flooded mine had a part where hundreds of styrofoam rocks fell from the ceiling and were stopped by a net before hitting guests.  It was very cool.
3.  There was a recorded message about root beer playing near the treehouse.

Last year was my first visit to the park since then.  I lived on the West coast for several years so no visits for me.  I've now been twice since moving back and will definitely go every year.  Of the 140 coasters I've ridden, PKeg is my #3 and the OzCat is in my top 10 woodies.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Coaster on August 17, 2007, 10:49:23 AM
I really can't say much in this thread because....well, I wasn't even alive!! But Fire in the Hole was also one of my first roller coasters as was the Ore Cart.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: shavethewhales on August 17, 2007, 10:51:36 AM
Eagle Rider, can you tell us anything about the caves, climbing rocks, and such that used to be in the landing around then? And what was the tree house like in it's prime?
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Coaster on August 17, 2007, 10:55:27 AM
In the nineties the treehouse used to be one of the prime attractions at the park. It was a great place for kids to play and parents to relax their feet. It was also in the middle of the park so almost everyone went through it. Now people just walk through to get to the ride down the road. Quite sad actually.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Zephon on September 15, 2007, 11:59:30 PM
Huck Finn's Treehouse and Tom Sawyer's Landing are actually two different places.  The Landing is the kid's play area which used to include the petting zoo.  It originally had some towers with rope netting for climbing in and around, a couple of ball rooms, a couple of man-made caves/rock tunnels, a mule drawn carousel, a cable slide, and places for parents to sit and relax.  Later a small and bumpy roller coaster was added, the carousel was replaced with the one from the carousel barn, and the cable slide was taken out.

The Treehouse is where you climbed up through the hollow tree and went across a short swinging bridge to enter it.  It had two rooms, the lower one being kind of a maze, and the upper one had a moonshine still, a self rocking rocker with a cat sitting next to it.  The cat's tail moved back and forth just in time to avoid being rocked on.  It had a mouse that ran around the room and a couple of other things.  You left the upper room via a stairway on the outside that led down to a cave and what was called the infinity room, a dark room with mirrors and lights that made it look like you were in outer space with stars all around.  When you exited that room you were back on the street. 
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Joy on September 16, 2007, 12:17:48 AM
Man, I wish I could have seen the Treehouse "way back when". The star-strewn cave room sounds SOOOO awesome.

~ "Becky" Joy ~
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Coaster on September 16, 2007, 09:40:53 AM
I remember all of that. My parents would sit down on a bench and send my sister and I on up the tree. It's where we spent a lot of our time in the park.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: sdcfan17 on September 16, 2007, 11:56:40 AM
yeah when i was about 3 or 4 I remember going therer alot and spending time at the petting zoo
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: shavethewhales on September 16, 2007, 01:52:56 PM
The Tree House must have gone through a phase between now and when everything else was in it, because I definitely remember there being a club house up there in the early nineties with fake guns hanging out the windows and a few games and such.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Joy on September 16, 2007, 04:21:29 PM
All I can remember of the Treehouse from last year in March was the shadow room, where it flashed your shadow on the wall. I wasn't paying much attention to the the place 'cause I was taking my nephew through it, who was 2 at the time, so most of my attentions were on him.

I mainly just remember the ropes and ballpits in the Landing area.

What I remember is that little play area by Lake Silver called the Shanty Town. I've got a PICTURE (http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd129/sdc_joy/Personal%20SDC%20Collection/Pictures/S6300257.jpg).

~ "Becky" Joy ~
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Coaster on September 16, 2007, 08:10:42 PM
I've never seen that before. They must've taken that out before my time.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Joy on September 16, 2007, 09:55:32 PM
Well, that picture was taken in '94... It wasn't long after that it was taken out, though I don't remember exactly when.

~ "Becky" Joy ~
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Copper on September 19, 2007, 12:47:41 AM
They built the basket shop (now the toy store) in the old Shanty Town’s location. I remember when they use to have little ore carts you would ride in, and manually pump. They moved them to the Landing, but abandoned them. You can still see the tracks if you ride the train. The ore cart’s tracks are located on the other side of the train depot.

They might have called the ore carts, gandy dancers; not sure though.

Also if you ride the balloons they still have a sign on it advertising the Ferris wheel.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: shavethewhales on September 19, 2007, 04:00:54 PM
Are the tracks tangled up in the woods? I thought I saw something like that once, but I've never known for sure.

For some reason, I don't really remember Shanty Town, what was it like?
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Joy on September 19, 2007, 06:26:25 PM
Truthfully, I don't remember much from Shanty Town. From what I recall, it was like your typical wooden kids play area with ropes, slides, and places to climb over and through.

Joy
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Coaster on September 19, 2007, 09:30:24 PM
And where was Shanty Town?? Was it just a different name for Tom Sawyer's Landing or was it two different areas?
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Copper on September 19, 2007, 11:05:47 PM
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brianwhitmarsh/165096433/

Shanty town was where the Toy Shop is.

I will take pictures of thoes tracks on Friday. Does anybody want pictures of anything else while I am there?
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Joy on September 19, 2007, 11:06:39 PM
You can see it on this 1982 map here:

Shanty Town on map (http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd129/sdc_joy/Personal%20SDC%20Collection/Maps/1982%20Map/S6300178.jpg)

~ "Becky" Joy ~
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: sdcfan17 on September 20, 2007, 07:53:12 AM
can you try to get pics of the old sumbrine tracks? I would go down there my self but i'm just so busy right now with work and school I can't.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: shavethewhales on September 20, 2007, 04:04:03 PM
Quote from: Copper on September 19, 2007, 11:05:47 PM

I will take pictures of thoes tracks on Friday. Does anybody want pictures of anything else while I am there?

Again, SDC is supposed to be putting out fun little 'clues' at what they're getting next year, but I'm not sure if they're out yet. If you come across something that might hint at something, be sure and snap it.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Copper on September 20, 2007, 08:14:38 PM
Ok, I will do my best to look for the submarine tracks! During the Christmas season I do know that Lake Silver is lowered, so that might be the best time for that, but I will go down there.

I thought I would take some pictures of the costume shop, candy production kitchen and so on... They would be a type of “behind the scenes” pictures people might enjoy. I will send them to you Steve if you would be interested in posting them on the site??? 


Sorry for my horrible paragraphs, I am embarrassed of my grammar in this.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: shavethewhales on September 20, 2007, 09:43:11 PM
I would love to host any pictures you want to share. It's no secret that the site needs them.

Meh, this is the internet, any grammar at all will do.  ::)
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Old Guy on March 16, 2008, 02:22:37 PM
One year in the 70s the powers that be decided that there were not tnough activitys for young kids. Every ride had somthing scarry for them, caves on the float trip, a dark mine, FITH"s whole experiance, etc. They changed the theme of the tree house from a still to a root beer factory, built a playground, took out the scarry stuff in the float trip cave, and added a new theater between McHaffies and the H.H. that featured a story teller, and a pupet show called " Ruffus The Littlest Mule."   This was the story of the mule that eventualy got to turn the one mule swing for the kids. There was even a tie in book for this. (as well as two others.) IT was a popular show.One day during mid summer the puppeter locked up for the night an went home. Next morning he returned to find the theater a pile of rubble. It seems that someone in Maitainance misread a work order and plowed down the wrong building!. The puppeter dug the puppets from the pile and for the rest of the summer Ruffus became a homeless mule roaming the streets for ther kids untell the first dockside theater was built to house his show the next season.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: History Buff on March 16, 2008, 02:32:34 PM
Every year (as I remember it) when I was a kid in the 70s, SDC would have an election for mayor.  Shad would "campaign" for the job.  I was too young to really get into it, but I seem to remember election posters and speeches were made.  Was this part of the street troupe shows?  I specifically remember this occuring around the American Plunge, like on the bridge that crosses the plunge to get to the other side.  It seems someone would use that bridge for a political speech.  It's just one of those "impromptu" shows that added to the appeal of the park.  You never knew where something was going to happen.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Old Guy on March 16, 2008, 02:43:10 PM
Shad campained against Eaton Doolittle ("and thats exactly what I pledge to do...") played by now entertainment manager and former River Rat ,author of the Huck Fin Hideaway theme song, and that guy with the trained pig, etc..D.A. Calaway whose election motto was vote early, vote often! A stuntman was envoled in one of the campain shows hanging a banner from the saloon to the tower at the entrance to the Lunbercamp restrant. he did a tarsan swing from the banner. The show cycle ended in a parade through town that all the kids could join and the anouncement of Shad 's re-election.
It was featured as one seasons brochure cover. (or maybe the street map handout?)
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Old Guy on March 16, 2008, 03:45:14 PM
SDC's first puppet show was in the early 70's in what was then the Vineyard Restrant on the corner of Main and Hill street. A corprate sponsership was forged with Welch's Grape Juice to launch there new white and red grape juices. They wanted entertainment with a plug for them, so was born the "Wally Welch Revew", featuring an all grape cast of singing and talking grape puppets. The show went away with the sponsership  around 1978 or so the story says.....but after all the years the gristly truth can be told. One day while dining there I accidentally sat on Wally Welch and mashed him flat. He said nothing from that day forward...but he did let out a little wine. (Pause 2,3......)
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: History Buff on March 16, 2008, 07:58:27 PM
It's jokes like that that confirm you worked for Silver Dollar City!
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Old Guy on July 29, 2008, 01:47:39 PM
Quote from: History Buff on March 16, 2008, 02:32:34 PM
Every year (as I remember it) when I was a kid in the 70s, SDC would have an election for mayor.  Shad would "campaign" for the job.  I was too young to really get into it, but I seem to remember election posters and speeches were made.  Was this part of the street troupe shows?  I specifically remember this occuring around the American Plunge, like on the bridge that crosses the plunge to get to the other side.  It seems someone would use that bridge for a political speech.  It's just one of those "impromptu" shows that added to the appeal of the park.  You never knew where something was going to happen.
Quote
Shad campained against Eaton Doolittle ("and thats exactly what I pledge to do...") played by now entertainment manager and former River Rat ,author of the Huck Fin Hideaway theme song, and that guy with the trained pig, etc..D.A. Calaway whose election motto was vote early, vote often! A stuntman was envoled in one of the campain shows hanging a banner from the saloon to the tower at the entrance to the Lunbercamp restrant. he did a tarsan swing from the banner. The show cycle ended in a parade through town that all the kids could join and the anouncement of Shad 's re-election.
It was featured as one seasons brochure cover. (or maybe the street map handout?)
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj162/dukefan1_2008/sdcm83a1.jpg
I knew this was out there somewhere. Thats Eaton on the wagon, Let by Elmer the marshal (one time Pa Hatfield) and Smiley the baker.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: sdcforever on July 29, 2008, 02:16:02 PM
^Thanks for pointing out the photo, Old Guy!  Gotta love SDC humor (on the sign by the wagon):  "Eaton will keep you from starving." :D
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Zephon on July 29, 2008, 07:34:19 PM
Identifying a few more--

(http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll238/Zephon907/SDC%20Stuff/EatonDoolittleParade2.jpg)
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Zephon on July 29, 2008, 07:39:18 PM
I took some pictures last Saturday (7/26/08) of the old Gandy Dancer tracks located between the Carousel Barn and the Train Depot--

(http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll238/Zephon907/SDC%20Stuff/100_3650OldGandyDancerTrack.jpg)

(http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll238/Zephon907/SDC%20Stuff/100_3651OldGandyDancerTrack.jpg)

(http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll238/Zephon907/SDC%20Stuff/100_3652OldGandyDancerTrack.jpg)

Hope the size isn't too large.  If it is, Steve, let me know and I'll try to make future images a bit smaller.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: History Buff on July 29, 2008, 07:46:45 PM
Finally someone has the pics of those tracks you guys have been asking for.

But whoops, not to pick nits but the Gandy Dancer didn't show up until 1984.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: sdcforever on July 29, 2008, 08:07:50 PM
^^Thanks for the pics, Zephon!

^Should the pics be moved?
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Zephon on July 29, 2008, 08:16:19 PM
True, HB, but I saw queries about it in this thread so I put them here.  If you want to move them to a more appropriate place, be my guest.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: History Buff on July 29, 2008, 08:27:02 PM
Looking back I see that.  The 70s and 80s seem to be confused alot in the forums.  I'll just change the name of the thread (broaden it a bit) so now we can talk about the confusion and straighten some things out.

Anyway, I never was interested in the Gandy Dancers as I considered myself too old for them.  Now, I wish I had at least looked at them more closely.  I didn't realize there was a chain lift.  I thought they were entirely human-powered.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: Zephon on July 29, 2008, 08:46:40 PM
Hey, nice compromise there. 

Those Gandy Dancer cars weren't all that easy to get going, as I recall.  They required quite a bit of umphhh for a little kid.  The lift elevated them a little so it was a slight downhill grade as they traveled around the track.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: History Buff on July 29, 2008, 08:56:44 PM
Most of the time, as I recall, the "citizen" was behind the kid adding a push.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: shavethewhales on July 29, 2008, 09:13:08 PM
Wow... Everytime I see photos of what's left of the Gandy Dancer I'm always amazed. I'm not sure what it is, but it just seems impressive that something like that has been left so in tact in the woods like that. I've seen glimpses of it from a far several times, but I still haven't made it down there to get a really good look at it for myself.

Will the construction this year finally take this away?
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: sdcforever on July 29, 2008, 09:21:23 PM
^I've been wondering the same thing ever since the 2009 project was announced.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: History Buff on July 30, 2008, 12:14:22 AM
Earlier in this thread, there was some question about the Tree House and Landing.  While the Landing is currently being re-something-or-othered, I thought I would show some pics of the still standing, although rickety looking, tree house that sits above the Landing.

The tree part where you have to climb some skinny stairs in a tight spiral (Also notice the swinging bridge connecting to the "house" part:
(http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii154/MrHoggatt/Silver%20Dollar%20City/Tree%20House/TreeHouseBridge.jpg)

The tree house as seen from the Landing area:
(http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii154/MrHoggatt/Silver%20Dollar%20City/Tree%20House/TreeHouse2.jpg)

The tree house from the Christmas shop, looking mighty rickety:
(http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii154/MrHoggatt/Silver%20Dollar%20City/Tree%20House/TreeHouse-Rickety.jpg)

And the ghost trap:
(http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii154/MrHoggatt/Silver%20Dollar%20City/Tree%20House/GhostTrap.jpg)
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: sdcforever on July 30, 2008, 09:09:53 AM
^Wow, it does look very rickety.  Pretty unsafe.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: History Buff on July 30, 2008, 11:18:04 AM
Wouldn't you love to have it in your backyard though?
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: shavethewhales on July 30, 2008, 12:46:12 PM
Quote from: sdcforever on July 30, 2008, 09:09:53 AM
^Wow, it does look very rickety.  Pretty unsafe.

It's supposed to look rickety, the entire Landing was supposed to be hodged together by Tom Sawyer and his group of comrades, remember? It's just been awhile since they've updated the exterior. If they could just fix the support problem, they could open this thing up again in no time. As I understand it though, that can't be reasonably done, so surely it will come out this off-season.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: History Buff on July 30, 2008, 01:51:12 PM
Quote
It's supposed to look rickety, the entire Landing was supposed to be hodged together by Tom Sawyer and his group of comrades, remember?

Yes, but I was looking specifically at the ledge-walkway outside the upper story in the third picture.  It could be easily fixed though.  I think a big part of the problem is liability.  The tree itself has that very narrow spiral staircase that's easy to slip off of, and I would imagine the structure of the tree may be something that would be difficult to fix.

They could make something really cool like the Swiss Family treehouse at Disney only make it interactive with the Splash Battle and the area.  But not with water!  Enough with all the water shooting already.  Like  you said in the other thread, we need some really great dry additions to the area to really make it an event.  But that's for the 2009 thread.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: oldsdcer on August 08, 2008, 12:34:10 PM
Well since I started going to SDC in 1966, the only portion of the park was from the hotel down to the Flooded mines and the train, the only two rides in the park.  They had a Civil war  cannon firing competition between the North and South to the left of the Church where they would shot oil cans filled with cement down into the valley at a sheet that was hung in the trees from old cannons. One of my favorite street show was down by the saloon, a railmaker had a cart that demontrated his rainmaking machine.  All the kids would help by turning nobs and pumps. After they had worked so hard at this, the rain maker would declare the rain had come and a spinkler in the tree would come on a produce the rain. They brought this show back a couple years ago next to the bakery and a guy on top of the building behind you would get you wet with a waterhose. Oh and the flooded mine did not have the guns.  In the shanty town area of Lake Silver, when the train came by, the conductor would discover that someone had taken his boat at his favorite fishing hole, he would shot at this guy and a leak would appear in the boat.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: KBCraig on August 09, 2008, 11:08:56 PM
I remember the rainmaker and the sprinklers.

When I saw the guns in the Flooded Mine c.1995 (after a 13 year absence), I was confused and disappointed. Seemed like they didn't know what else to do with a ride that was a bit dated, so they just threw in a cheezy nod to pre-schoolers of the video generation. It was never a thrill ride (except the avalanche was a bit exciting), but I think it was more interesting back when you had to pay attention to the projected faces, signs on the walls, and the dialog.
Title: Re: Through the Decades
Post by: betamike on August 10, 2008, 06:40:35 PM
Quote from: KBCraig on August 09, 2008, 11:08:56 PM
I remember the rainmaker and the sprinklers.

When I saw the guns in the Flooded Mine c.1995 (after a 13 year absence), I was confused and disappointed. Seemed like they didn't know what else to do with a ride that was a bit dated, so they just threw in a cheezy nod to pre-schoolers of the video generation. It was never a thrill ride (except the avalanche was a bit exciting), but I think it was more interesting back when you had to pay attention to the projected faces, signs on the walls, and the dialog.


Good point KBCraig.  We need to learn that you can't talk down to a kid, they notice everything.  I completely remember the canaries and would point them out as a kid to my parents.  Taking away a lot of the maturity level and themeing of a ride like that only pleases the parents, not the kids.