SDCFans - The Unofficial Fan Site For Silver Dollar City
General Category => Other Parks => Topic started by: sdcforever on August 12, 2009, 12:25:04 PM
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I could've sworn we'd discussed the now defunct theme park Dinosaur World, located in Beaver, Ark. I guess not. Like Dogpatch USA, I have some favorite childhood memories there. This is located in extreme northern (and rural) Arkansas around Eureka Springs, and contains giant cement dinosaurs along with what is billed as "the world's largest King Kong" attraction (42 feet tall). As far as I know, pretty much everything is still there (though with large "No Trespassing" signs and locked gates and doors). It closed in 2005 but, strangely, even the gift shop was fully stocked (yet abandoned) in 2006. I visited in the fall of 2006, but I haven't been back since then. You can read a little more about Dinosaur World here: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/8415 (http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/8415)
Eureka Springs gained a little notoriety when part of the movie "Elizabethtown" was filmed there in late 2004. They also filmed a couple of scenes at Dinosaur World, and the Tyrannosaurus Rex can be seen on both the poster and DVD cover, which I have pasted below.
(http://www.clixby.biz/collections/DVD%20Web%20Collection/Images/2231.jpg)
(http://www.impawards.com/2005/posters/elizabethtown_ver2.jpg)
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That's funny, there's another Dinosaur World not far (45 miles) from the real Elizabethtown (Kentucky). We were there in 2005.
http://www.dinoworld.net/dino-start003text.php?page=2
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When I went to there as a teen it was called Land Of Kong. http://secretfunspot.blogspot.com/2008/03/abandoned-dinosaur-world.html (http://secretfunspot.blogspot.com/2008/03/abandoned-dinosaur-world.html)
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I happened to see Elizabethtown on TV today, and enjoyed the brief scenes at Christ of the Ozarks statue and Dinosaur World near Beaver Lake. As far as I know, Dinosaur World is still closed, but I think there may be a family living in the building adjacent to it...last time I drove by (It's not too far away from my front porch.) there were a couple of vehicles there. Everything seemed maintained, too.
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It is definitely still closed and is falling apart quickly. I really wish someone would buy it and reopen it. I mean, I know the economy is bad but even if they just opened it for drive-thru traffic only on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of June, July and August that would still be awesome. Lol.
Here's some pictures I took of the entrance this past November. I did no trespassing to get these shots.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2531/4149267788_7ee85f876d.jpg)
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2586/4149290818_b8265db4fe.jpg)
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2671/4149304794_38dd633dcf.jpg)
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2771/4148496755_1ff7c6ee0c.jpg)
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thanx for the photos i went to this place the same day i went to dogpatch ages ago. freaked me out a little but still great thank you
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^We used to do both Dogpatch and Dinosaur World in the same day too when I was growing up. It's sad to see it falling apart. :-\
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This past fall after visiting a few places in AR with Tinman I had the urge to visit Dinosaur World, but it was getting late in the day. I wondered what exactly was still there or what was accessible to visitors. Thanks!
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Thanks for the pictures...maybe it has been a while since I've driven past. If I remember, those sculptures are made of concrete, and would just need some paint. Can't say the same for the buildings, they look terrible. Anybody got a match? (JUST joking!)
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It amazes me how all these defunct parks just sit there slowly decaying. It is very creepy when you think about it...
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The Arkansas Democrat Gazette Northwest Arkansas Edition has an article about Dinosaur World in it today. (3/6/10)
A group called the Society for Commercial Archeology has included the park in its first "Falling by the Wayside" list, announced last Wednesday. The 65 acre park is the largest property listed. Ralph Wilcox, a society boad member, and member of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, said that ultimately the society would like to see something happen so Dinosaur World is preserved. The park operated from 1960 through 2005, and has sat abandoned and began to decay. The list can be viewed at this address:
http://www.sea-roadside.org/endangered
The co-president of the organization, Nancy Sturm, says the organization hopes the list will bring attention to roadside commerical architecture.
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WHOOPS! Let's try it one more time? Try this address for the list:
www.sca-roadside.org
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Yeah, the above address works. Sorry about the confusion.
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Update on Dinosaur World: The current owner, who also owns one of the resorts, is rumored by his employees to have a golf course/resort in the plans for the place. Also, Fun Spot (of which the owners purchased several prime locations in Eureka Springs & disappeared) is in a sad state. I've posted photos from last weekend, here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30708145@N02/sets/72157623954885601/
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Thanks for the update. It's sad to see Fun Spot fall into a state of disrepair. It does need some TLC. Anyone remember Fun Spot in Branson? Next to the 76 Mall/Old Wal-Mart location. (Grand buffet)
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wow! im a huge minigolf fan and that sure looks like hard course now just trying to bring something fun into this topic :)
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Thanks for the update. It's sad to see Fun Spot fall into a state of disrepair. It does need some TLC. Anyone remember Fun Spot in Branson? Next to the 76 Mall/Old Wal-Mart location. (Grand buffet)
Yes, I have very fond memories of going to Fun Spot when I was a kid.
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Speaking of Dogpatch, here's a story our local news did on it tonight: http://arkansasmatters.com/content/news/fulltext/?cid=315391
Sad but interesting.
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Duelist...thanks for the update on Dogpatch. There are many fans on this site of Dogpatch, too. I remembered going to the park several times in the late 70s and early 80s.
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When we were in Eureka Springs we wend to the Land of Kong.. Snuck in and took a few family pics in the park. We had gone there years ago. THey have started mowing it and some showed up when we were leaving and told us that it has been purchased and will reopen in 2012.... Don't know how much of this is true but we can hope.
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http://www.baxterbulletin.com/article/20110811/NEWS01/108110343
BEAVER (AP) — Fire investigators say the Aug. 3 fire that destroyed the main building at the abandoned Dinosaur World theme park near Beaver was deliberately set.
. . . .
The building once housed a restaurant and gift shop for the 65-acre park that opened in 1960 and closed in 2005.
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Just saw an article in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette NW AR Edition about this fire. The park was named last year as one of the "10 most endangered Roadside Places." Dinosaur World operated from 1960-2005. The building was about half destroyed, and is believed to be arson. A fire department official said the building has been vacant for years and so there was not much to save. The building had been in a dilapidated condition. The fire was spreading, and firemen saved one of the concrete sculptures that was in danger, a caveman located near the park entrance. Carroll County, AR property records indicate the Dinosaur World property is valued at just under $235,000. The buildings on the property are about $87,000 of that value.
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Sad to see this piece of roadside America going to pot. I've been by the property several times, it essentially is on the edge of my "regional" neighborhood. Just about a 30 minute drive from my home.
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Drove past Dinosaur World this weekend. They have cleared the debris from the old gift shop building, except for a pile of what appears to be concrete blocks. The park is overgrown, the lake looks stagnant, and I don't think I'd cross the footbridge over it now...looks a bit unsafe. I think if you wanted to walk or drive on the property you could probably do it, but there is a big sign at the entrance that says no tresspassing, so do so at your own risk. The figures look none the worse for wear from a distance, but probably could use some paint. If you have about $200,000 cash on hand, you can buy the place. But it would probably take another $150,000 to get things up to par to open to the public again. Sorry, no pictures.
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Drove past Dinosaur World this weekend. They have cleared the debris from the old gift shop building, except for a pile of what appears to be concrete blocks. The park is overgrown, the lake looks stagnant, and I don't think I'd cross the footbridge over it now...looks a bit unsafe. I think if you wanted to walk or drive on the property you could probably do it, but there is a big sign at the entrance that says no tresspassing, so do so at your own risk. The figures look none the worse for wear from a distance, but probably could use some paint. If you have about $200,000 cash on hand, you can buy the place. But it would probably take another $150,000 to get things up to par to open to the public again. Sorry, no pictures.
Bad location for any type of expense like that.
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Yes, bad location. The days of thriving roadside attractions are gone. My wife and I drove from Pea Ridge to Eureka Springs and back last weekend, and I noticed Eureka Springs is suffering from an economic standpoint. The downtown and a little portion of the strip above the main entry to downtown was thriving, all the biker places were doing well, but on the edges of town there were many closed, for sale, or just boarded up businesses. Such a shame. The Texans, who previously performed in Branson, have moved to a theater at the Passion Play property to do a show this year. Also, we saw a sign advertising shows by "Boxcar Willie, Junior." One of the theaters in Eureka Springs will feature four different acts at various shows so the theater will be open full time. The third theater continues the traditional one show a night, six nights a week. Passion Play opens this weekend and my wife and I will be going to see it. My first time.
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Eureka Shops went the way of chinese imports and suffered. How many places do you need to sell repo tin signs or Eureka Springs t-shirts. With 65 and 412 slowly becoming 4 lanes Eureka becomes more and more out of the way of everyone.
I love Wilson and Wilson. Blakely has sold me about a half dozen prints over the years and I have several carvings. I believe some of you long time SDCers remember when they were at SDC. Blakely's business always seems to be thriving and she absolutly still cleans up at War Eagle.