The Old Maps

[Junior]

RUBE: Love the map that has the parking area where Flooded Mine is. That is the way the park first looked when my stepdad visited. Can you tell me what year that's from? I HAVE NEVER SEEN THAT IMAGE! I love it!

[Ozark Outlaw]

Wow, those are amazing!

It must have been something to park your car in what is now Town Square. My how the park has grown, and is still growing. I wonder what the park map of 2025 will look like. 

[MissinTheGreenTrams]

I go to flea markets to find things like this, and about 99% of the time come up empty! Curses! I do have a wall in the bedroom, yes my husband tolerates this, of a giant collage of pictures and pathfinders......I am nerdy I know.

[rubedugans]

Missing I like how our significant others "tolerate" our obsessions!

Junior I don't have a date saved on the image. I will have to dig it out and check the date.

[thelarsonsix]

Hmm...where to park...where to park? Marvel Cave Park!!!

Is that Indian Point road just behind (east) of the Blacksmith shop? If so, has the Blacksmith shop moved or been turned around? It just doesn't look quite right. The road between the hotel and Shad's has what looks like the bridge we now walk over, but shouldn't it be more to the east as well? Finally, does the north end of the swinging bridge just take you to the parking lot?

[rubedugans]

That is what we now would call Valley Road, which leads off of Main Street.

[MissinTheGreenTrams]

its nice to see a reference, a good ole juxtapose from then and now..

[Junior]

If I am not mistaken...and we would have to check with a current citizen in the know...I think in the early days, late 50s/early 60s, Indian Point Road actually was re-routed to its present route. I believe years ago at SDC I heard an oldtimer back then say Indian Point Road essentially ran the route that Hill Street (Cardiac Hill) runs today.

[thelarsonsix]

That is what we now would call Valley Road, which leads off of Main Street.

I thought that might be it, but that leads to a couple more questions:

What was the bridge by the mill going over? Best I can recall there's just asphalt in that area now. Secondly, has the Blacksmith shop been rebuilt in a different spot, reconfigured so the entrance is on the main street side now or is that just the way the map was made? Seems like when I watched the Beverly Hillbillies the Blacksmith shop appeared to be oriented the same way it is now, but I could be wrong about that.



Sorry about the shoddy photo editing, the best I could do on short notice. 

[rubedugans]

My photos from the very early days shows the shop in the same spot HOWEVER, My understanding is that the area facing the Hotel at one time was the demonstration area. This is the area that says Wilderness Road Blacksmith was the front. If you look at the early map, no one would have journeyed down what is now Valley Road since it only led to parking, so there was no need to demonstrate on that side. My earliest snapshot-photo of the blacksmith shop showed cars parked along Valley Road off of Main Street.

As for the bridge, there was a water feature (unsure if it was naturalor artificial) to "turn" the water wheel  on the Mill(it does turn, but it powers nothing !) Below was where the run off ended up. I believe the bridge was just an observation area for the overshot water wheel while entering and leaving via the swinging bridge.

[rubedugans]

See if this helps...
Taken from the porch of the Hotel/ Ice cream shop




I know! Your Welcome!

[pintrader]

Here's a couple of photos from the early to mid 1960's.  

This first photo (that belongs to Rube Dugans) is looking down Valley Road.  Where the people are standing is about where the blacksmith does demonstrations today.  The cars are parked about where Brown's Candy is today.


This second photo (that also belongs to Rube Dugans) looks like it was took about where the cars are parked in the first photo looking up Valley Road toward the blacksmith shop.

[pintrader]

Just wanted to add that these 2 photos were originally posted by Rube in an earlier thread.  Did not want to infringe on Rube's Wayback Machine copyright  .

[rubedugans]

Thanks pintrader. I was getting a bit worried there wondering how tomncyndi had gotten ahold of them until I realized I posted them earlier! As long as no one tries to pass them off for themselves/ their own. I have often wondered how many times my photos and items have been saved onto peoples computers. My plan ultimately will include many of my not yet seen items, but that is still in the works (getting ever closer Junior!) so if you like them, just hold on and wait for the full versions, you'll be glad you did. I have a vast collection/ history of SDC, and what fun is it if it just sits there! The folks in the photo are on Valley Road leading towards the horse bridge/ Glass Blowers, and yes those are cars where Brown's now is. The other photo distinctly shows a car up almost on the Square/ Main Street.

[Ozark Outlaw]

Wow-zers! 

I knew there was a time when you could park in Town Sqaure, but there was also a time when visitors could drive down Valley Road, and park?

That is amazing! I have learned something today.