SDCFans - The Unofficial Fan Site For Silver Dollar City
Silver Dollar City & Celebration City Discussion => General Silver Dollar City Talk => Topic started by: Okiebenz on November 18, 2021, 01:21:36 PM
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I am seeing posts on Fakebook within the last few minutes of an explosion and buildings on fire at SDC? Anybody else heard this?
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Looks like pork rind building and wood shop on fire?
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*Commercial Structure Fire* FS10 [Indian Point] Silver Dollar City reported pork rind shop and woodcarving shop on fire. Evacuation in progress. WTCFPD & BFD responding to the 2nd alarm 12:57pm 
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Just saw on Facebook there's a fire happening in the City. It seems the pork rind and woodcarving shops have been affected. Hopefully the damage isn't extensinve.
https://www.ozarksfirst.com/local-news/local-news-local-news/officials-two-shops-are-on-fire-at-silver-dollar-city/
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Oof, that's a lot of smoke... wouldn't surprise me if a fire started at the pork rind stand due to all the oil they use and then it spread a bit. That's a hard area for firefighters to get access to as well. Good thing this didn't happen on a Saturday.
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Photo
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The woodcarving shop is a large building, and it's a large fire in the videos. It looks dangerously close to one of the light tunnels to Midtown. Hopefully, it didn't spread, but it looks like it has probably been contained.
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According to social media, it was contained to the pork rind stand and the wood carvers shop. I’m guessing there is at least some damage to the connecting buildings. They have already ordered dumpsters to be delivered today.
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I know the reports are saying "wood carving shop" but do they mean the Valley Woodcarvers (which is across the street to the east of the pork rinds) or the Heartland Home Furnishings (directly to the south of the pork rinds)? The cell phone picture posted above makes it looks like the furniture production/demonstration area is heavily damaged.
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I was on my way to wildfire to open up the photo booth when it happened. Guess I’m not going down there today haha
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Posted on the official SDC Facebook page.
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Damn, that is a huge fire. Looks like the pork rind stand will be completely gone. The woodcarving shop they are talking about is the furniture factory. It was a really cool overlooked place in the city with a lot of old fashioned wood turning equipment. Lots of belt driven stuff so it didn't look too modern. If they rebuild, I doubt anyone even knows how to build that type of equipment anymore. The park will just bring in modern tools and maybe put a half wall around them...
Good to hear there's been no injuries.
Wonder if this will change their development strategy since they will probably have to rebuild this entire block of buildings. That makes a nice big area to re-imagine, as they have done with so many other areas of the park recently.
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Anyone have an idea how many times there have been fires on the park before this?
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Someone posted a photo on FB under the park's announcement and it looks horrible. The entire building is obliterated. Sad to see the building that was once the stagecoach depot completely gutted. Looks like the entire furniture factory is gone too. That entire block of buildings is done for.
Really curious how they will rebuild. It might be an empty spot for 2022 since it is so large and needs to be re-engineered since the drainage was so bad through there.
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They’ve already walled it off. Man they are fast!
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Considering they are going to open tomorrow they better be fast.
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Sometimes they get so focused on sharks, they forget about the Bald Knobbers.
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Sometimes they get so focused on sharks, they forget about the Bald Knobbers.
Indeed sad to see but it is horribly fitting considering Fire In The Hole is a short walk from where this happened. Maybe they will tie this event into the new ride. lol
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Lots of thoughts swirling through my head this morning:
1. I hope they rebuild the furniture shop, but as we've watched crafts become less-and-less prominent in our beloved city, I'm concerned.
2. This is deep in the heart of "old" SDC. I hope that they take great pains in the rebuild to keep the atmosphere of that area. Again, I'm concerned.
3. There are a lot of big, beautiful trees in this vicinity that were likely damaged and will have to come down. The loss of shade in this area will change the atmosphere.
4. I'm very, very grateful that no one was hurt (sorry...this should have been point #1).
5. It could have been so much worse. Thank you to the quick reaction of the citizens and first responders.
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Yes, with the decreasing focus on crafts, I would not be surprised if they do not do something completely different with that area. I would be very shocked if the furniture stuff returns.
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I'm not sure it can. That lineshaft equipment was 100 years old and hard to find. If there is a way to salvage the equipment, they will rebuild it. The average wait time on custom furniture from there was 6 months. It was a profitable business. This doesn't mean it won't relocate to another area, however.
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^Even if they could salvage the equipment, they wouldn't. They'll buy new equipment and put up some wood paneling to make it look "old". The days of SDC going to extra lengths to keep authentic craftsmanship and the old fashioned theme of the park in tact are long gone. Part of it is a culture shift - people just don't care that much and won't notice the effort anyway. Part of it is the fact that there aren't many people left around who would even know where to begin putting something like that back together.
I'm surprised they sold that much furniture. Most people weren't even aware they had a furniture shop or workshop demonstration area. It's been years since I stopped by to even see if they still did demonstrations.
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Honestly, if there was an easier way to get it back to Illinois I would have purchased some.
^Even if they could salvage the equipment, they wouldn't. They'll buy new equipment and put up some wood paneling to make it look "old". The days of SDC going to extra lengths to keep authentic craftsmanship and the old fashioned theme of the park in tact are long gone. Part of it is a culture shift - people just don't care that much and won't notice the effort anyway. Part of it is the fact that there aren't many people left around who would even know where to begin putting something like that back together.
I'm surprised they sold that much furniture. Most people weren't even aware they had a furniture shop or workshop demonstration area. It's been years since I stopped by to even see if they still did demonstrations.
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They should have just formed a bucket brigade and used some wet burlap sacks. It works at SOTH!
Seriously, though, this is a terrible blow to the "old" city.
Honestly, if there was an easier way to get it back to Illinois I would have purchased some.
The furniture, and most of the larger woodcarved crafts, fall into the realm of, "If you can afford it, you can afford to ship it."
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I don't think they really shipped out of the local area but I could be wrong
They should have just formed a bucket brigade and used some wet burlap sacks. It works at SOTH!
Seriously, though, this is a terrible blow to the "old" city.
Honestly, if there was an easier way to get it back to Illinois I would have purchased some.
The furniture, and most of the larger woodcarved crafts, fall into the realm of, "If you can afford it, you can afford to ship it."
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I was there. Walked out of hospitality house bathroom behind the taffy shop at 12:45. Was walking toward the homestead cabin when the smoke just shot up and started billowing toward the square. At first we were all asked to move to the blacksmith side of the park and it was jammed packed people to the footbridge waiting for the chain drop. We stood over there for over 10 minutes and watched the smoke get worse. My husband who has been a volunteer firefighter in our rural area for many years was getting concerned.
Then we were asked to go to the square to make way for emergency equipment. When we got up to the square SDC employees told us to keep on walking toward the entrance and evacuate the park. Fortunately people were calm but it was crowded in the hospitality house. Some folks were trying to stop and shop in both the hospitality house and the Ozarks Marketplace. Employees kept saying to leave the building.
We were able to get on the 2nd tram out. The employee on the back of the tram kept apologizing and repeating to call guest relations at a later time about refunds or handling the grocery store tickets.
But there was no plan to get vehicles out of the parking lots. No one was directing traffic out of the lots. We were parked 2 rows from the stop 2 gazebo and had parked facing the exit and able to pull forward to get out. Took us over 25 minutes to get to 76. When we got to the light there were 3 deputies but traffic was still still turning in on Indian Point Road. The least amount of traffic was in the left lane to turn toward Branson West so we got in that lane to leave and get out of the area.
If something like this happens again, there needs to be a plan to get vehicles out of the lots. SDC employees need to direct traffic or sheriff's deputies need to do so.
People were trying to be courteous and let other vehicles in line but it just kept slowing down plus some folks just plowed their way into the line. Wouldn't be surprised if there were some fender benders.
SDC employees did a great job of evacuating the park but it could have been terrible if the fire had spread across the parking lots because people would have been trapped.
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I ordered furniture from Heartland last year, and yes, it did take six months to get it.
As far as rebuild, local tv stations today reported "Silver Dollar City does plan to rebuild and will be announcing what will take the place of those three buildings at a later date."
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When we went in May and were dreaming about a bedroom set from there, we asked about shipping to Alton, Il. They said they do it. They will wait to try and arrange enough stops in a given area, but they will deliver. Obviously for a fee.
I don't think they really shipped out of the local area but I could be wrong
They should have just formed a bucket brigade and used some wet burlap sacks. It works at SOTH!
Seriously, though, this is a terrible blow to the "old" city.
Honestly, if there was an easier way to get it back to Illinois I would have purchased some.
The furniture, and most of the larger woodcarved crafts, fall into the realm of, "If you can afford it, you can afford to ship it."
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Really sad about this and what a loss for the old charm of the City. I hope they rebuild as close to the original as they can, but I'm expecting some large changes in order to help with crowding and traffic flow.
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I ordered furniture from Heartland last year, and yes, it did take six months to get it.
As far as rebuild, local tv stations today reported "Silver Dollar City does plan to rebuild and will be announcing what will take the place of those three buildings at a later date."
It’ll be more than just those 3 buildings. Duplicating Lathe and Cowboy Jepps are losses as well.
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Like I said in the other thread, the duplicating lathe was another piece of awesome irreplaceable vintage equipment. I wonder if they can salvage any of it... That's the biggest loss I think, but the cowboy jepps building had a lot of memories too. It was one that used to have a tree growing through it. Used to be kind of an outdoors themed toy store when I was a kid. This sucks.
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Anyone have an idea how many times there have been fires on the park before this?
There was a fire in 1968 which I believe was in late Sep. It started in the candle shop which was a total loss and I think it damaged two adjoining structures which were basket making and broom factory. These were fairly close to where the candle shop is today ( I think).
If I remember correctly it was started by Pete Herschend. It was a cool morning and he started a fire I presume in a stove and left it and it got out of hand in some manner. At least that is the story I seem to remember.
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The area is clear now down to foundations. They did keep the shed closest to Wildfire sign. Everything else is gone. Sounds like they are trying to save Cowboy Jepps
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I'm guessing they'll build back focused on restaurants and food stands. Wonder if there'll be much of anything for shopping space or anything else. I imagine they'll rework the whole area.
It came to mind they may be able to do something to soften the pitch of the hill. They have a clean slate on the left now. Even for a switchback
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KY3 Springfield's report on the 3 lost buildings: https://www.ky3.com/2021/11/19/silver-dollar-city-staff-gives-inside-look-damage-3-buildings-fire/
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Silver Dollar City does plan to rebuild and will be announcing what will take the place of those three buildings at a later date.
And right there is the key statement.
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I don't know about a switchback, but they could certainly send the main pathway wider out to give it more length to go uphill, thus reducing the grade. That would be a lot of earthwork though, and they would have to obliterate even more of the area. Someday they might just have to put in another corkscrew bypass type structure for wheelchair users.
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There’s already an alternate route that goes past the knife shop. No need to change the grade of Hill Street
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The furniture shop *could* be restored. the statements about "nobody know how to handle that equipment" are simple rationalization. I can think of three people off the top of my head who could manage it. That kind of knowledge has not yet been lost. It is not common in urban areas, naturally, but overhead pulley-driven shops are not extinct. I would bet a pass to the city that the folks there are more than capable of putting it back into operation.
The question is will. Given the indifference for the past evident in our culture these days, I can certainly foresee a lack of will.
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Question.....ironic as though it may be...
Did this fire delay Fire in the Hole's demise for another year? (I keep hearing rumors this is or at least was the last year)
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The equipment to restore both the furniture shop and duplicating lathe are out there to be found.
Is it common? No.
Is it doable? Yes.
Will it be done? I really hope so, but I'm not optimistic.
(I have no insider information...just a 40+ year visitor to the park.)
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Question.....ironic as though it may be...
Did this fire delay Fire in the Hole's demise for another year? (I keep hearing rumors this is or at least was the last year)
Hmmm conspiracies everywhere. lol ::)
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Question.....ironic as though it may be...
Did this fire delay Fire in the Hole's demise for another year? (I keep hearing rumors this is or at least was the last year)
Hmmm conspiracies everywhere. lol ::)
No. FITH 2.0 is still a go for 2023. You’ll just have something new for 2022 now actually in the ‘City.
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It’ll be more than just those 3 buildings. Duplicating Lathe and Cowboy Jepps are losses as well.
I was afraid of that. :/
The photos I saw showed the lathe building, but I never saw it actually burning.
It was such a unique part of the park. Sure, they didn't make much besides baseball bats and rolling pins, but it ran on steam and was fascinating to watch.
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Here's some pics I took tonight of the ash pit.
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Wow, they cleared off all the debris already.
Looks like the duplicating lathe is still standing... looks a bit crisp, but that makes me hopeful it can be restored.
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I peeked through the knot holes this weekend. From my perspective, it sure looked to me like the duplicating lathe is OK. The lean-to that housed it doesn't appear to have suffered any major damage. I would think that if the lean-to was spared, then the equipment itself should be OK.
I was pleasantly surprised to see Cowboy Jepp's up and running. When I heard the building referred to as "salvageable", I assumed it would be reopened in 2022, but it was open and fully-stocked with merchandise this weekend.
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Here is the current state of the fire area - March 16, 2022 (Opening Day)
Cowboy Jepp's and Duplicating Lathe will open later this Spring
https://www.midwestinfoguide.com/2022/03/fire-update-sdc.html
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I wouldn't get too excited to see anything happen anytime soon. Brad Thomas himself during employee orientation said that he has no idea what they're going to put there or when. He said that "you can't just buy that equipment off of Amazon." So there should be some hope of heartland's coming back, but not for a while.
When walking to Wildfire from the skillets, if you look to the right you can see some left-over fence they haven't replaced with burn marks on it. Extremely charred and melted plastic from the Christmas lights. It's easy to forget how much we could have lost if the firefighters were even 5 minutes late.
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Good to hear they could salvage the Duplicating Lathe, and even better news they are going to reopen that soon.