SDCFans - The Unofficial Fan Site For Silver Dollar City

So I've been considering adding a page to the site of all the random and pointless SDC facts out there that are little known and easily forgotten.

Here's a few examples -

The Grand Exposition was originally slated to be take the place of Tom Sawyer's Landing
A Wild Mouse coaster was proposed to take the place of the Waterboggin (Thanks, Copper)
Grandfather's Mansion once had a ladder that lead up to a hole in the ceiling where visitors could chat with Grandpa.

Anyone know any others?

Put something in there about AP's concrete tunnel. Also, most people don't know that SDC's post office is a real working post office.

Interesting idea Steve.

There has been talk, just talk; about a wooden coaster taking the place of Echo Hollow.

The characters in the Flooded Mine are modeled after real Citizens (employees) of the city.

There is a section in Fire in the Hole that has been removed. I added this to Wikipedia before I knew of this site.
"An interesting fact to Fire in the Hole is a section of the ride has been removed. After the first dip (Collapsing Bridge) the ride would turn right and later reconnect in front of the second dip. (Train Collision) If you look close at the scene where the cabin is burning there is a moon and some stars above one of the old track areas. Also when you see the sign "Kinney Bridge" on your left is a large open area where scenes once existed."
I peronally don't remember this section in Fire in the Hole, does anyone?

^Heh, I knew they must be considering a woodie, all the enthusiasts like myself are begging them for one. I don't see why they would take out Echo Hollow for it though, as that's their largest theatre' if I'm not mistaken.

Apparently when Geyser Gulch was built, it was supposed to have a stage with daily live shows, and in-between shows, characters such as Rube Dugin and other old favorites would roam around the area, interacting with guests.

I'm not that old so no I don't remember that. I seriously doubt that Echo Hollow is going to be replaced.

I don't think removing Echo Hollow would be wise. It is where all of their big shows for big crowds are held. I do know that attendence to the Nightly shows have slipped tramendously, but I think that has more to do with the Entertainemtn Department making bad decisions.
Long before Celebration City they prepossed new sections to SDC. You would start in 1880's SDC and then travel to the 1920's, 1940's, 1960's and so forth. This was back when they were having trouble deciding, "Should we build larger rides and how should we incorporate them in to our theme?"

I don't think Echo Hollow is going to be replaced. A woodie sure would look nice though. Just not in that spot.

Quote from: Copper on September 09, 2007, 04:14:14 PM
Long before Celebration City they prepossed new sections to SDC. You would start in 1880's SDC and then travel to the 1920's, 1940's, 1960's and so forth. This was back when they were having trouble deciding, "Should we build larger rides and how should we incorporate them in to our theme?"

Ugg, so they were considering going the Dollywood route. That would have been awful, as the beauty of SDC, in my opinion, is in it's charm and feel. When I go to SDC, I feel like I'm in a whole different world. At any other park, including DW, I'm just at another amusement park. Not that DW is bad, it just has so much less atmosphere and charm than SDC. I hope they keep to the singular city theme as long as possible.

Yeah it wouldn't make any sense for SDC to go in a new direction in some areas of the park. They consider SDC a real 1880's town. So say, off in a corner of the city you go to the 1920's?? That'd make no sense at all. You'd have to go through a time machine. SDC would be stupid if they did that.

I don't remember the old track part of FitH, but I do remember when the bridge used to collapse...

Hmmm... Random trivia... Well, if you go on the Marvel Cave tour either before Memorial Day or on a day when the waterfall room is flooded, you'll be taken along the upper trail, and that's where you can see the reproduction of the Lynches' cabin that was used by Harold Bell Wright when he was writing Shepherd of the Hills (which, BTW, is 100 years old this year; I myself have got a first edition copy that my dad got me last year for my b-day).

Ummmm... Well, the petting zoo used to be over in Tom Sawyer's Landing near Becky's Carousel.

SDC used to give out silver dollars as change as a way of promoting the park when they first named it "Silver Dollar City".

The Main Street Square where the Gazebo Stage is now used to be the parking lot for the park.

A piece of info from Conductor Sam is that when Citizens reach a certain anniversary of working at the park (I think it's 25 years), it is commemorated by making a sign that uses their name that is then put up somewhere in the park. Terry Sanders has his hanging up next to the little waterfall at Mary's Springhouse; it says "Elect Terry Wayne Sanders for Stone County Judge"... it also says "Birdie Tweedle, Campaign Manager". Birdie Tweedle is the name of the Deputy character that Terry plays at SDC.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head at the moment.

~ "Becky" Joy ~

Quote from: tinaalsgirl on September 09, 2007, 08:59:35 PM
I don't remember the old track part of FitH, but I do remember when the bridge used to collapse...

Hmmm... Random trivia... Well, if you go on the Marvel Cave tour either before Memorial Day or on a day when the waterfall room is flooded, you'll be taken along the upper trail, and that's where you can see the reproduction of the Lynches' cabin that was used by Harold Bell Wright when he was writing Shepherd of the Hills (which, BTW, is 100 years old this year; I myself have got a first edition copy that my dad got me last year for my b-day).

The Main Street Square where the Gazebo Stage is now used to be the parking lot for the park.


~ "Becky" Joy ~

Interesting. I knew about everything in your post except for those two items. I think you'd make a very good SDC Citizen Joy.

Thanks, Coaster. It's been my dream for a few years now to work fulltime as a Citizen of SDC.

Something else that used to go on at SDC is they used to have a "Boardwalk Tour", where they'd have a Citizen take people around and tour the park. Of course, that was back before they'd expanded extremely far, but I've still always thought it'd be awesome to have a VIP tour like I've heard some other parks have. Tell cool trivia that people may not know, and maybe as part of being on the VIP tour get an exclusive VIP pin.

~ "Becky" Joy ~

I think a Broadway tour would be good.

Kind of off topic, but where would you want to work in SDC Joy?

I'd kinda like to work at the turnstiles, 'cause I'd love to be able to be the one to welcome people to the park and tell them that they've "got a great past ahead of [them]".

That, or at the umbrella stalls. Being the artist that I am, the idea of sitting at a booth and painting things on umbrellas really appeals to me. Although I guess they've got an airbrush tattoo stand in the Expo now? I wouldn't mind doing that.

Are there any parks besides Disney that do VIP tours?

~ "Becky" Joy ~

^Universal, Busch Gardens, some Cedar Fair parks, and even a few SF parks have something like a VIP program. It gets pretty gay sometimes though. Just like with fast-passes, they can start a class warfare within the park, with many people like myself feeling that we shouldn't have to pay to get into the park and then more to enjoy ourselves.

Well, for me, I think the best type of tour for SDC would not be anything more than, say, $5 (if not free), and would be more of a history tour than an exclusivisity type thing. The description of the Boardwalk Tour was basically a history lesson, similar to paying a bit extra to do the Lantern Light tour at Marvel Cave. Of course, back then, the tour was only $1 a person.

~ "Becky" Joy ~

Yeah, I don't know if I'd need to go to a VIP tour at SDC anymore though, just because of all the things I've learned here on Steve's site. Mainly the forum.

Quote from: Copper on September 09, 2007, 03:59:31 PM
There has been talk, just talk; about a wooden coaster taking the place of Echo Hollow.

The characters in the Flooded Mine are modeled after real Citizens (employees) of the city.

There is a section in Fire in the Hole that has been removed. I added this to Wikipedia before I knew of this site.
"An interesting fact to Fire in the Hole is a section of the ride has been removed. After the first dip (Collapsing Bridge) the ride would turn right and later reconnect in front of the second dip. (Train Collision) If you look close at the scene where the cabin is burning there is a moon and some stars above one of the old track areas. Also when you see the sign "Kinney Bridge" on your left is a large open area where scenes once existed."
I peronally don't remember this section in Fire in the Hole, does anyone?

Hi,

I have been reading the forum and have really enjoyed the memories.  When I was a kid the Fire In the Hole was a little longer.  At one point the train would head toward a piece of glowing twisted track that looked as though you were going to fly off into the canyon below.  It was only visible in the front, but was a really nice visual.  At the last second you would whip in another direction.  It might have been the whip that became a liability making them take it out. The trains were car or two longer also making the ride a little faster.  Anyway, great site!

Also, the tree house ended with a small dark cave with hand rails and the only thing that lit it up was what seemed like a million little stars.  The cave is still there right next to the christmas shop.  When they closed that portion they just diverted guests out a different exit. 

Thanks for the info! Welcome to the site!

Thanks Copper.

I also remember the street performers being a much more integral part of the SDC experience.  The street shows were pretty elaborate.  The Hatfield and McCoy feud was entertaining, and a few times a day the "Rain Maker" man would drive his mule drawn wagon to the main street  to make it rain.  He would peddle snake oils and such, and in the end he would make it rain by pushing a lever that made water shoot out the top of his wagon contraption.  His wagon is still in the park.  The last time I saw it was on main street.

^I think they're trying to bring back some of the roving entertainers, I know that they now have a random show out on the main square a couple of times daily, and I've seen a few of the old stilt walkers around as well. I had never heard of the Rain Maker though, thanks for the info.

yes i do remember there being another scene in fire in the hole but i don't remeber much the train if i can remember used to come from the side of you and not the front if i do recall, and did you guys know that there is tunnels under the city for maintince and stuff like that i found that out form a friend that used to work at sdc.

^Do you know where any of the tunnels are?  The place certainly isn't Disney World, but I could see there being a tunnel under the Main Square.

yeah he said just the bigger areas of the park like the main square and tunnels that lead off to other bigger areas like down tom's fort and stuff like that.

I would love to see more costumed characters roaming around the park. If they keep the Tom Sawyer theming, I would love to see Mark Twain characters roaming around. Since Disney has done away with their Tom Sawyer stuff, it'd be nice to see SDC continue to preserve the memory of some of the best characters in the history of literature.

~ "Becky" Joy ~

yeah that would be really cool to see.

I think the idea proposed last night was a great one. Moving all the Tom Sawyer stuff up to Geyser Gulch. They could so pull off that area, as a Mark Twain character. I can just see Mark Twain walking around the park right now.

If they ever added a Mark Twain reenactor, they'd probably have to restrain me so I don't glomp him. L O L... j/k

But seriously, anything that could help teach the next generations about the greatest American novelist is fine by me. I was saddened when I mentioned Mark Twain to my 14-year-old cousin and she had no idea who I was talking about. I knew who he was by age 5, and I had never even been to Missouri yet (grew up in California).

~ "Becky" Joy ~

I didn't know him at that early of an age but I've known him for awhile now. And I've lived in Missouri my whole life.

Well, throughout most of the U.S., Mark Twain's works are required reading in high school, so most kids even now have some idea of who the characters.

Anyway, back on track. Anyone know more about those roving characters? Do they appear very often, or are they sporadic and only on certain days?

I remember the Rugrats at SDC one year! They were my favorite back when I was little. But that's not the answer you wanted. Haha. I haven't seen any old-time characters. Except for Dr. Harris the Wildfire guy. The year Wildfire opened he was outside the queue line taking pictures with guests.

Dr. Hartio Harris hasn't been around since Wildfire opened as far as I know, has anyone seen him since?

Nope, only that one time the year it opened. I remember thinking I was meeting a celebrity.

Quote from: Coaster on September 10, 2007, 07:53:02 PM
I think the idea proposed last night was a great one. Moving all the Tom Sawyer stuff up to Geyser Gulch. They could so pull off that area, as a Mark Twain character. I can just see Mark Twain walking around the park right now.

Actually, they did used to have a fellow who did a Mark Twain character.  Kind of like Hal Holbrook did for the Hallmark Hall of Fame years ago.  There used to be a little stage called the Valley Theater next to where the entrance to Thunderation is now, and he would perform there.  The magic shop is very close to where it was.


Ahhh yes, the old Rainmaker show.  I remember it well.  He used to tell the story of reading in the Bible of when it rained 40 days and 40 nights, then he would say "Yah, we got an inch and a half here."  Then at the end of his show, after he had given out a "sample" of rain, he would offer to come to your town and produce a "toad strangler for a dollar," "a gulley washer for six bits," "and for 25 cents, you can watch my mule slobber."

Do any of you remember:  the Carrie Nation show in the Saloon?  the Melvin the Chicken Thief show in the Courthouse Theater (now Riverfront Playhouse) with the jury picked from the audience?  the Little Deputies show at 4:00pm on the balcony of Hannah's Ice Cream Parlor with all the little kids that the Marshall would deputize when he handed out the tin badges?  the mule drawn carousel in Tom Sawyer's Landing?  Do you remember when the carousel was actually inside the Carousel Barn?  the River Rats show?  Do you remember the trained pig show or the man who walked around the park trailing two black bear cubs behind him?  the stuntman show in which he would jump off of the old shot tower just west of the Gazebo?  Do you remember that where the Christmas Hollow shop is now located used to be just a flat deck (over the restrooms) where they would regularly hold square dances?  Did you know that there used to be a tiny stage in the OMP where a magician performed, and also, in the summer of 1976 they did a bicentennial salute show featuring several songs from the musical "1776" right at park closing hour to entertain guests as they left the park?  Do you remember the hoedown involving guests that they used to do on main street just before the park closed?  Do you remember when they used to fire the cannon off that was under that old shot tower when the park closed?

Does that suffice for some random tidbits?

You guys were talking about the concept of the city moving up through the 00's, 10's, 20's, etc.  Well, actually, the concept was for the city to stay exactly 100 years in the past.  Realizing the problem they would have (narrow streets) when the age of the automobile was reached (Model T's, and such), they abandoned that concept and decided to remain in the 1880's.

Quote from: Zephon link=topic=70.msg654#msg654 date=1189484302"

You guys were talking about the concept of the city moving up through the 00's, 10's, 20's, etc.  Well, actually, the concept was for the city to stay exactly 100 years in the past.  Realizing the problem they would have (narrow streets) when the age of the automobile was reached (Model T's, and such), they abandoned that concept and decided to remain in the 1880's.

Now that is quite interesting. I'm glad they're staying where they are though. IMO, the 1880's provides for some of the most colorful theming and character. WWI and II coming to the park would be weird. Thanks for all the tid bits, that's quite a load.

Why did they move the carousel out of the carousel barn?

I remember a few of those, but most I have only heard from employees and such. Most of the Street Entertainers aren't very entertaining, they simply sit around most of the day playing checkers; or they are super creepy and you want them to stay away.

I loved the rainmaker. When I was young, where the fire tower is on Main Street, there was a windmill (former shot tower location) and the water would spray from the top of the windmill, it took me a long time to figure that one out.

I also remember the cave at the end of Huck Fin's Hide Away. It had water and a lot of twinkling Christmas lights. It was known as Injun Joe's Cave. I think the abandonment of the facility had to do with people messing around in it. Doing things they shouldn't, leave it to some idiot to ruin things.

Quote from: shavethewhales on September 10, 2007, 11:26:05 PM

Why did they move the carousel out of the carousel barn?

It was only in there for a season or two in the early 80's, and I don't know why they moved it out, except maybe to expose it a little bit more.  I believe they put some kind of a kids show and workshop area in there instead.  Seems to me like it had about 5 work areas and a central stage.  The whole area was kind of a forest theme.  I've forgotten what they called it though.

The area was originally called the Deep Woods section. The original playground (slides, swings, ropes...) was located where present day Rib House is. The Carousel Barn, correct me if I am wrong; was renamed Captain Bill's and was used for special events.

Something else that used to go on at SDC is they used to have a "Boardwalk Tour", where they'd have a Citizen take people around and tour the park. Of course, that was back before they'd expanded extremely far, but I've still always thought it'd be awesome to have a VIP tour like I've heard some other parks have."

They did indeed in the 80's The building to the right of the waterclock was built for this with a small theater which showed a short history and intro to SDC, then you were escorted around for about an hour. There were no privliges in avoiding ride cues or early admits.

Those in the know came an hour before the scheduled opening to get in for breakfast at the mine/mill, then music at the gazebo untel they dropped the chains at the opening street show.

I the early 60's SDC did an evening show at the Silve Palace Theater. It sat across the street from the church where the new General store in now. Thy did a melodrama called "Only an Orphan Girl", and "An Evening with Mark Twain" on alternate nights . After the show theye would shoot off fireworks over the square.

All right. More random stuff:

The building to the left of the curlycue bridge over the train tracks in midtown, is the sight of the origanal train depot!. Last time I looked there were still stairs down there. Another old train dept. was just about where the red/gold hall is now. This was the "new" entrance to the park after the square ceased being parking. You bought your tickets and boarded the train which went in the opposite direction than now, and arrived at the city in midtown. Cool huh?

The street runing from the flume to the treehouse used to be the border of the park. Hill street ended at the stagecoach depot about where the furniture factory is now.

FIRE!  An entire block of buildings in midtown burned ( no baldknobbers this time) in the 60's. The original mill, print shop and candle shop. From that point on no more row shops were built.

Due to a copy error on the plans, the Riverfront Playhouse was built backwards! The entrances were suposed to be facing the lakefront area, as at that time it was a dead end street!

More to come ;D

Good grief Old Man, I really am going to have to add more pages to the site to hold all this info. Thanks, this is great stuff.

For one season in late 1950's, (pre SDC days) the property was Marval cave park and the Marlin Perkins Zoo.  Marlin, from Carthage, Missouri, was at the time host of a Chicago based TV show called Zoo Parade and few years latter he became the longtime host of Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom.

Pete Hershend, one of the most  inteligent and witty men I have had the pleasure to have known, refers to the SDC logo as the "Stump and Cumquat"

In the "What were they thinking" catagory:

Early 60"s main street Demo/show, the old game of "shooting the anvil" .
The two anvils used were placed on the ground in th middle of main street. The largest of the anvils was placed upside down.  Black powder, was poured into the bottom of the anvil on the ground leaving a small opening at one end directly under the small opening at the squared end of the top anvil (which was also placed into position upside down and crossways) so that the small round hole in the squared end was directly over the opening beneath. Into this round hole was poured enough black powder to form a firing train. Then  Shad Heller the blacksmith heated a long, thin iron rod red hot in his forge, the men charging the anvil stood to one side, and the sizzling iron was applied to the powder. Then came the loudest bang you ever heard. and the upper anvil sailed down the length of the street.
This was a once a day show untel one day as they were cleaning up after they discovered a chunk missing from one of the anvils. It was latter found imbedded in the wall of the general store just above head height behind where the spectators had been standing. 

In a part two, one of the other shows was a mussel loading contest with two cannons set on a platform behind the church. Union vs Reb vets would chalange each other to hit targets set up on the far side of the valley. The union always won Because the show was all riged. They were firing coffee cans filled with sand which would theoreticly fall into the lake long before reaching the target. The target blew up becouse Rex Matsenbacher (his emloyee number was 5) would be behind a tree and when he heard the report would set of a charge attached to the target.

All went went well untel one day he was relaxing in the sun, when he heard the canon go off. He was just about to hit his switch when a coffee can sailed through the branches and landed about a foot from where he was sitting. They never did the show again.

Rex is mentioned in an artical on SDC glassblowing at:
http://www.stateoftheozarks.net/Cultural/Craftsmanship/Glassblowing.html

I have to pass all this on now that the good folks who related these storys to me are no longer with us. SDC was always terrable at archiving their own history. I hope all of you can help preserve it.

More tidbits late next week..... ;)

There used to be a little stage called the Valley Theater next to where the entrance to Thunderation is now, and he would perform there.  The magic shop is very close to where it was.

The magic shop is the old Valley Theater. Before Thunderation this was a quiet corner of town and the little theater was a great late afternoon place to relax. You can see it an this CD cover
http://www.witheandstone.com/Music/

The Mark Twain you refered too was Keith Scarborough who is now a preacher in St. Louis I believe. He also played Huck Finn in a Hannibal MO outdoor theater when he was young.
http://www.brokeith.com/about.htm

Wow!! Thanks for all this great info. It's very interesting.

O.K.
Another Quick one.
The Craft festival was the citys first festival, to get more attendance on the off season in the fall.
The spring was there next focas with "Root Diggin Days" featuring Ozark Herbalist Chick Allen. Games were the big draw like taffy pulls, Red Flannel Underwear Getin' out of Contests, and my fav, A main street tug of war. All comers against a two ton steam engine!!

There is a doorway to the right of the "Do not look in this hole" hole. One of those employee only things? (If its still there that is) Just up from Jack and Mary's? There is (or was?) a coart yard with a tree in the middle just behind that door. rock wall and seating around it. Theaming on the back of Grandfathers mansion and the other buildings around it. Why?  This is the old mid town public restroom area. Before the ones at the bottem of hill street (Cardiac Hill) were built. Just a pointless fact ;)

Wow. That is weird. I had never heard of that. I doubt it is there anymore though.

[There is a doorway to the right of the "Do not look in this hole" hole. One of those employee only things? (If its still there that is) Just up from Jack and Mary's? There is (or was?) a coart yard with a tree in the middle just behind that door. rock wall and seating around it. Theaming on the back of Grandfathers mansion and the other buildings around it. Why?  This is the old mid town public restroom area. Before the ones at the bottem of hill street (Cardiac Hill) were built. Just a pointless fact  


It is still there.  I opened the door just to Check.  There was a nice lady on her way out.  She let me in to look around. (only at SDC would they let you do that)

The building to the left of the curlycue bridge over the train tracks in midtown, is the sight of the origanal train depot!. Last time I looked there were still stairs down there.

They stairs are still there.   They are really overgrown but they are there.

I had so much fun looking around the park for the things we talk about on this site.

^Very neat.

Heh, this might sound weird, but if anyone can get a photo of the stairs, I'm sure visitors to this site will appreciate it.

O.K. a new hunt then. There is a large rock outside the woodcarvers shop by the swinging bridge. Innocent looking isn't it. everyone sits on it. It was placed there for a publicity stunt that wasn't well thought out.
Ben Bunyar, SCD's old visiting stone carver, was comissioned to chalange the woodcarvers by carving a stone indian as an ansure to their wooden ones. They erected a tent to shelter the huge stone and Ben shook his head in dismay. But, he went ahead anyway......within five minutes the tent was so filled with stone dust that no one could stay in it.  Next day the tent was gone and the rock remains to this day. ;D

QuoteIt is still there.  I opened the door just to Check.  There was a nice lady on her way out.  She let me in to look around. (only at SDC would they let you do that)

I, too, looked through the gate there.  Do you think someone wonders why people were suddenly interested in the old restrooms?

QuoteThey stairs are still there.   They are really overgrown but they are there.

I always wondered what those steps were for.

QuoteI had so much fun looking around the park for the things we talk about on this site.

It kind of adds a new dimension to things, doesn't it? 

Here's one most people probably overlook.  To the left of the best restrooms in the City - the ones attached to Red Gold Hall - is a cabin for nursing mothers (I promise that's not why I was over there.).  A sign on the cabin identifies is as a replica of Shad's cabin which was located within a few feet of where the current structure sits.

Does that mean Shad was an owner of part of the land where the City is now?  I always wondered about his stock in the company.  He was as much a "logo" of the park as the ax is.

Nope. Shad rented the old house which also served as the ticket window in the days when you took the train into the city. He was never to my knowledge a part owner.

http://www.hfecorp.com/History/
Picture of shads  entrance next the sign Marvel Cave Park 300 yards.
by for now!

Quote from: oklaSDCfan on March 22, 2008, 08:56:42 PM
It is still there.  I opened the door just to Check.  There was a nice lady on her way out.  She let me in to look around. (only at SDC would they let you do that)

You just opened the door an employee let you walk in an Employee's Only type area? That is so cool!!

Quote from: oklaSDCfan on March 22, 2008, 08:56:42 PM
I had so much fun looking around the park for the things we talk about on this site.

I know! I remember when I first went to the park after I found this site. It makes SDC even MORE fun!

Here's a postcard with what I'm assuming is the old train depot:

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd129/sdc_joy/Personal%20SDC%20Collection/Postcards/S6300244.jpg

~ "Becky" Joy ~

That is a picture of the depot where you got on the train behind "Shad's House". It was only recently torn down for the Red and Gold Hall. Picture the Frisco Barn a bit past it on the left and behind the train a 100 yards or so, the Waterboggin Tower. You got off at the midtown depot when you arrived in town. Cool way to enter town, but restrictive in capacity. The poor little trains were underpowered too. Before the track was regraided there was actualy a chain lift to pull the train up one slope. The robbery was actualy designed to give the train a place to top up on water because that would also run out before getting "Home".

By the Way, unrelated, but the waterboggen got it's name in an employee contest. My fav. entry named it after our longtime mayor, "The Heller HighWater Ride" ;D
Wow this realy is Random Stuff isn't it?

1962
Frisco Silver Dollar Line� a steam train� is added.
The train had once been owned by Henry Ford and was purchased for Silver Dollar City at a cost of $15,000.

Does anyone know any more about this?  I'd never heard this until looking at this site.

I once heard a conductor state that one of the trains was used in WWII - is this true? It seemed a bit small for any major use.

^Wow. You'd think SDC would tell us some of this stuff because it would make them sound even MORE authentic. That is pretty awesome though. A WWII train.

^^I would also like to know more about that.

Why don't they tell us this stuff or advertise it? It's very interesting.

Hahaha! I love the "Heller HighWater" name idea... That's brilliant.

~ "Becky" Joy ~

Quote from: Coaster on March 24, 2008, 09:01:06 PM
^Wow. You'd think SDC would tell us some of this stuff because it would make them sound even MORE authentic. That is pretty awesome though. A WWII train.

Why don't they tell us this stuff or advertise it? It's very interesting.

They could put in on the website, but it would take away from the theme to say anything about it on the ride.

^The website would be a perfect spot to tell us these things! The site needs a revamp anyway.

Anyone know what this is?

(http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii154/MrHoggatt/Silver%20Dollar%20City/100_2846.jpg)

It's the handicapped elevator entrance to the Wave Carousel in the Grand Exposition.

Won't this scene look better with leaves on the trees?

(http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii154/MrHoggatt/Silver%20Dollar%20City/100_2843.jpg)

Concerning the train, is there significance to the number 13?  A reference to unluckiness maybe?  Somebody's birthday?

This shot is taken from the area in the front of Becky's Carousel in the Tom Sawyer's Landing area.  I believe it's near the old steps that were mentioned earlier.

(http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii154/MrHoggatt/Silver%20Dollar%20City/100_2840.jpg)

Quote from: Dale on March 24, 2008, 07:37:29 PM
1962
Frisco Silver Dollar Line a steam train is added.
The train had once been owned by Henry Ford and was purchased for Silver Dollar City at a cost of $15,000.

Does anyone know any more about this?  I'd never heard this until looking at this site.

This is referring to the old original locomotive that is on static display within the park:

(http://img7.uploadhouse.com/fileuploads/1568/15683334961b6b5a1a19585ba1a055a6698defa.jpg) 

The current locomotives that actually pull the trains were built in Germany.  SDC acquired them around 1966 or so.

Does anyone else remember the ride on Lake Silver that lasted one season?  It was a boat ride that you rowed (it was on a track under the water).  You were supposed to be trying to get to the treasure before Rube Dugan and the Diving Bell got there...

It rowed around the current location of the water targets for Guyser Gulch, and you were sprayed with water as you rowed past.  This was actually the wettest water ride they had at the time.  The characters the ride was built around were, I think, the Greedy Brothers.  I think the storyline to support the ride was that the Greedys were bad guys who solicited the help of innocent guests to row them to the treasure.  Correct me if I'm wrong; I was younger at the time.

That sounds right on...I too was younger but do remember the water sprays and knew it was "something" Brothers.  Greedy sounds correct.  I am pretty sure it only lasted one year. 

I think it was before White Water or any water parks were popular, and I remember thinking someone could build a whole park around water attractions.  People would love just getting soaked like this.

Everyone is correct about Greedy Brothers.  That is the name.  I believe there is an older thread where someone posted a few old brochures for SDC, and in at least one of them the Greedy Brothers attraction is mentioned.

I have a few random things to bring up.  I was talking to my mom and she remembers visiting SDC within the first two or three years it opened (around 1960).  She only remembers a couple of details from the trip, but what she does remember is panning for gold.  Can anyone confirm that you could pan for gold as one of the first activities the park offered?  I've never heard that mentioned, so maybe my mom is mistaken.  (This may be a question for you, Old Guy!  :))

I remember one of my favorite SDC activities when I was a kid was visiting the petting zoo (the old one that used to be in Tom Sawyer's Landing across from the train depot).  That is, until after about a year of visiting it.  After a year the goats really took a liking to my shirts, shorts/pants, and shoelaces!  I swear, there could be 10 people in the petting zoo, but once I came in every goat in there would flock to me.  My parents and sister thought it was hilarious, but I was about eight and didn't find it so funny.  Does anyone else have a similar experience with the petting zoo?

SDC's 50th anniversary is coming up in 2010.  Are they planning to commemorate it?  Does anyone know?  I'm asking because if I remember correctly they didn't even acknowledge their 40th in 2000.

I had the whistle from one of the trains identified once by an expert who said it was Russian. Trouble is no one had any idea which train it came from of if it was an artifact from somewhere else. His theory was was that during the war the Germans took a lot of Russian spoils back to Germany and the whistle on the German Train (or is it a Russian train rebuilt by Germans?) is one such artifact. The train manual is German and stamped with the swastika approval stamp which is why it is th major reason it is not displayed. Too many bad connotations no one needs to connect with SDC

Quote from: sdcforever on April 03, 2008, 08:29:12 PM
I have a few random things to bring up.  I was talking to my mom and she remembers visiting SDC within the first two or three years it opened (around 1960).  She only remembers a couple of details from the trip, but what she does remember is panning for gold.  Can anyone confirm that you could pan for gold as one of the first activities the park offered?  I've never heard that mentioned, so maybe my mom is mistaken.  (This may be a question for you, Old Guy!  :))

I remember hearing something about that; in fact, gold panning attractions have been around the park forever now, there's still one up by PK I believe.

I figured this would fit in here in this thread.

Whenever I was on this lift hill on Wildfire I noticed that to the right of you (in the direction of American Plunge and the old Jim Owen's Float Trip) you can see a water channel and a rock formation with water coming out of it. Now this water channel is not part of American Plunge (I'm fairly certain). It looks like it could be part of Jim Owen's. Anyone know anything else about this?

^Yeah, I'm pretty sure that was Jim Owen's, it runs around the Wildfire over-flow and under the bridge just before the gift shop.

^Yeah that's what I thought. I had just never noticed it before.

Also if you look to the right whenever your on the lift hill of ThuNderaTion you can see a tent and guy sitting on a log next to a campfire. It was something else I had never noticed before.

Just for anyone who wants to know, Jim Owens was a real person. He was a famous float trip guide on the White River before Tablerock lake was formed. Before Shepherd Show and SDC, the river was the draw for Hollywood celebs to get away from the crowds. Chalton Heston was on an vacation trip in Branson when word arrived that he got the part to play Moses in The Ten Commandments. The Ozark flat bottom "John Boats" were Jims craft of preference ."If you're to busy to fish, then you're too busy" was Jim's tag line.

They have a picture of him at Bass Pro at The Landing. That was the first time I knew he was real.

Quote from: Coaster on April 13, 2008, 03:46:57 PM
They have a picture of him at Bass Pro at The Landing. That was the first time I knew he was real.

That's right!  I remember seeing that picture!  I didn't know who Jim Owens was at the time I saw it; and when I found out about the Float Trip ride I had forgotten all about the picture.  Now everything has come together.  It's awesome when this happens!  ;D

Quote from: Coaster on April 13, 2008, 01:58:26 PM
^Yeah that's what I thought. I had just never noticed it before.

Also if you look to the right whenever your on the lift hill of ThuNderaTion you can see a tent and guy sitting on a log next to a campfire. It was something else I had never noticed before.

According to Copper in the "Rides and Attractions Changing Names" thread that's the remnant of the Gumbo gang.  The Gumbo gang is part of the little known background story of ThuNderaTion.  You can read Copper's post here: 
http://sdcfans.com/forums/index.php?topic=160.15 (http://sdcfans.com/forums/index.php?topic=160.15)

^They really need to try and push the baskstory on the ride more. It really annoys me how over the years it's just kind of fell apart.

ThuNderaTion and The Lost River of the Ozarks really need to have their backstories thrown out there or push it to us more on the ride.

More Trivia! Yea!!!
My photo is of me. taken 35 years ago and is in fact an origanal SDC tintype. When the shop first opened they took real tintypes but that took posing for 30 seconds without moving and a long development prossess.  Dosn't work for kids and resulted in lots of blurry photos and angry guests. They tried franchising the setup but it never went anywhere. They swiched to a company called metalphoto which put the image on aluminum with a more traditional prossessing soon after.
drop that in casual conversation.

Ah, okay. So what we've got is a metalphoto, not a *real* tintype. I can definitely understand the reason they changed that... It's hard enough getting kids to sit still long enough even for a regular photo.

~ "Becky" Joy ~

^^Great trivia as always, Old Guy.  :)  I thought the processing was a little too fast for a real tintype.  My suspicion has been warranted.  I will be sure to drop this little tidbit in casual conversation.  You look great in the photo, by the way.  8)

Thanks though it was a bad hair day. I'm risking revealing my secret identity to anyone who can make out what I looked like then using a program that will blow up the photo, extrapolate the missing pixels, and age me 35 years. But I'll risk it.

^Lol. That is interesting. I can barely make out the picture as it is anyway. It would still be really cool to have a real tintype though, simply because it is the real thing.

Quote from: Coaster on April 13, 2008, 12:50:55 PM
I figured this would fit in here in this thread.

Whenever I was on this lift hill on Wildfire I noticed that to the right of you (in the direction of American Plunge and the old Jim Owen's Float Trip) you can see a water channel and a rock formation with water coming out of it. Now this water channel is not part of American Plunge (I'm fairly certain). It looks like it could be part of Jim Owen's. Anyone know anything else about this?

http://flickr.com/photos/skinnytie/35695731/in/set-790011/

^There's a picture of what I saw from Wildfire. (Thanks to Joy for the gallery links)

It once had a sign on it during the float trip years calling it "the worlds smallest natural bridge." The water from it is a more recent addition.

Lost SDC Project, Silver Dollar City Outpost
This was a Early 70's experiance with roadside "Stuckies, Nickerson Farms" kind of interstate Gas Food Shop experiance and there test market was the I-44 Leasburg exit (214) between Rolla and St. Louis. It was filled with SDC crafts, Free cookies for kids, a single craft demo, restarant, and gas station. It was theamed outside with a waterwheel etc. Sold soon after, it changed hands a lot and last I saw (5 years ago) was sitting abandoned.

^Thanks for the trivia, Old Guy.  You are a wealth of SDC knowledge!  :)

Random question:  Does anyone know why all the channels for the Float Trip are still functioning?  Is it necessary for American Plunge to operate?  (That's my guess, but I could be wrong).  Thanks in advance for any help with this!

Yes. the old channels act as a water tank for all the water pumped to the top of the tower, as well as a closed loop for the current.

Hmmm. That is interesting. I had never thought to think that the old channel was still running for a reason. I just thought it was there.

^^Thanks for the info, Old Guy.  Interesting how they've integrated the old and new rides.

I found this info on the Wilderness Church on SDC's website.  I had no idea about its original location or the construction of the pulpit.   

"This authentic country church is a vintage log chapel originally built in 1849 on Bear Creek near Branson. The structure was dismantled log by log, lovingly rebuilt in its current location, and dedicated on July 10, 1960. The giant sycamore tree that once stood on the site was hand carved into the church's pulpit by Lester Vining, and is still used today. Experience the peaceful charm of Silver Dollar City's Wilderness Church."

Does anyone have any other details about the church?

I knew all that and I don't know much more. Is Bear Creek closer to SDC or Branson? It is a very beautiful church.

 My ancient copy of the Silver Dollar City Gazette from the first print shop in the late 60's says the church came from "near Reeds Spring" and that the log pulpit is hewn from a white oak trunk and weighs 608 pounds.

^Hmmm...I wonder if the pulpit is hewn from a white oak or sycamore tree?  At least Bear Creek is near Reeds Spring.

In this PDF from their web site it does not say what king of tree it was but it does say  it is over 200 years old.

http://www.bransonsilverdollarcity.com/group-travel/HomesteadTour.pdf (http://www.bransonsilverdollarcity.com/group-travel/HomesteadTour.pdf)

Just found a photo of Chick Allen early SDC celeb. mentioned in another poast about the old root digging days festival at SDC.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.themessagetree.com/chickallen2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.themessagetree.com/march2003/therapeofthehills.htm&h=321&w=301&sz=12&hl=en&start=105&um=1&tbnid=YjjRKb0XZTNqNM:&tbnh=118&tbnw=111&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsilver%2Bdollar%2Bcity%2Bold%2Bphotos%26start%3D100%26ndsp%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN
Just trivia, but its our history

^Did the Baldknobbers Band perform at SDC?  Also, I think it would be cool for SDC to have a Baldknobbers show (similar to the one at Shepherd of the Hills).  Have they ever had one?  It would tie in nicely with the FITH theme.

As a kid I remember waiting in the queue line for Rube Dugan's Diving Bell (that attraction ALWAYS scared me to death) and fondly remember seeing a periscope pop up out of the water and then back down in Lake Silver as if to indicate the Diving Bell really was making a journey out into the water...probably another reason why it scared me so much, thinking that we were going to get deep sixed and stay at the bottom of the lake!

On a "Did You Know" topic:  Did you know that the early days of Huck Finn's Hideaway (Treehouse) was based around a story of a raccoon named Rocky and was loosely about him stealing candy from the candy factory (look at the city tie-in's!!).  You could buy this same book "Zeke Hatfield and the Ghost Named Rocky" at the Mercantile and General Store.  I had this book and recently found a copy on Amazon as well.  Great book with lots of SDC art in it!

The whole journey through the treehouse made sense only if you read the book and even then, the star tunnel in the cave at the end made no sense at all.

When I was a kid, the "kids" attraction involved loading us up on a real stagecoach and going for a ride where we were held up and there was a talking rock. It all was in the area where the waterfall of the lumber camp is now. For a long time, the stagecoach was in another part of the park, but I can't remember where. This was in the mid-70's or so.

Also, for one season, there was a logging competition in the pond area by the waterfall. 2 loggers would have a competition on who could stay on the log the longest. It happened several times during the day. I only remember the competition for one season (we would go 3-4 times a year) but the log stayed there for some time... it's gone now. Along with many other things.

Also one of the first shows at Echo Hollow (it wasn't named that then) was a dinner show and was a drama that protrayed 2 soldiers from the Civil War. I also don't remember that show lasting all that long - maybe 1 season.

I also remember that for one season or part of one there was a ride in Lake Silver in a large boat. It was an actual boat and you had to actually paddle. And you left the dock and went around some obstacles there and then were attacked by a pirate boat (I think) and stuff. There used to be the backgrounds from those times still where the geyser gulch water area is now.

My mom probably has pictures of all of these somewhere...

The Trains are German, the 2ft. gauge which is used in the park is standard on private railways in Germany. As for the whistle, I could buy the Russian sound, only because I've never heard one, I do know that most European steam lines only have single valve uninote whistles while American whistles commonly have many valves with chimes at different lengths to create a dissonant note, the Frisco line has just such whistles. Also, Europeans were the first to start burning fuel oil in the firebox instead of a solid fuel like coal or wood while wood is still burned, oil (I've heard that its used cooking oil from SDC eateries) is the primary fuel used to heat the boiler, this enables rail lines to discontinue the use of tender cars, and eliminate the need for a fireman most of these locomotives don't even have seats for the engineers, lucky for Ickobad, they added them to the Number 13 and 43. Long story short, the trains aren't very close to the year 1880 but still make for my favroate attraction at SDC.

Okay SteamFreak. I was watching some old SDC home videos over the holidays and one question popped into my head. The old steam engine that is on display on the engineers side of the tracks as you leave the station (the one with the tender), did they ever run that engine at on the Line? I have never seen any video / pictures of that engine running?

I've got 2 therories, One, is that it is the afore mentioned Henry Ford engine and that it was just used for display. Or 2 it was one of the first bought by the company, it had a matching tendercar and had a wheel arrangement of 4-6-0 I have seen old post cars with such an engine and tendercar being used but I'm not really sure that it would have been used, such a long wheel arrangement would have made it hard to stay on some of those curves that FSDL has but then again, they have been re-worked several times, so, I don't think I've awansered your question, but a little info anyway, I'll do some more poking around and I'll see if I can't be more helpful.

Thanks for checking. I think I posted this previously, but I asked different employees previously how many locomotives they had and have consistently been told 5. Curious? The only thing I can think of is that they have two "running", one spare, the display and the one Ickobad wrecked?

One more thing I noticed, the passenger cars looked like they are really getting worn out. You can tell that they have way too many layers of paint on them and that there are some pretty rough spots in them. Would be nice to see some major work done on them.

Yeah I really hope some day they'll get around to it. I've only seen a total of four locos but they may have one more just in case they have a high attendance day were 2 were needed and one have some issues.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Amusement-Park-Silver-Dollar-City-MO-Train-Robbery-PC_W0QQitemZ350075304725QQcmdZViewItem

Here's that engine with a slightly differnt paint job, so I guess it had been used.

Wow, SteamFreak. Good find. Don't you do anything during the day? Oh, you are probably at work like me!

Thanks. It is good to see that it actually ran. You know, we have some old VHS tapes that contain old 8mm footage at home. I know there is some SDC footage. I will have to take some time and see what is on it.

No, I really do nothing during the day. Just look up model trains to complete my SDC layout hahah and I just baked up a batch of what started out to be train cookies...apparently when they say to space them evenly...they weren't kidding...now they are just blobs...with icing...

So i am not the only one then that is building the layout of the park.....Maybe I am NOT as crazy as the doctors say!!!. Yours is built out of toenail clipping then too right? uhh ummm mine isn't either. Just joking! I do think that it would be amazing to have the park on a small scale. Don't think the wife would like it too much though, I also wanted to rebuild the Saloon in my basement at one time. But ahh, I think it'd be easier to just move in to the city instead of recreating it in StLouis!

OKay after some digging through my huge pile of SDC stuff, I came across a postcard of Adventure Town ( in New York) WITH...The Train in its' former glory as the Davy Crockett Express. Paint job is almost exactly the same as the Early Frisco that Steam Freak posted the other day....CRAZY!!!

Speaking of old SDC attractions, (nice segway huh?) now at Rawhide AZ, Here is one of the old SDC stagecoaches.
http://image34.webshots.com/34/5/54/94/281055494aRGhyL_ph.jpg

Quote from: Old Guy on January 10, 2009, 06:16:50 PM
Speaking of old SDC attractions, (nice segway huh?) now at Rawhide AZ, Here is one of the old SDC stagecoaches.
http://image34.webshots.com/34/5/54/94/281055494aRGhyL_ph.jpg

Woah, lets see a pic of that

BTW, the 2 cabooses are on in the same, i just saw a pic of the hillbilly caboose, it did have the large windows cut out, it is indeed the origional caboose

More of a "correct me if I'm wrong" memory:  I swear that there once was a small ferris wheel at SDC, back in the early 80's.  No one remembers it, but I have a memory when I was a kid, walking down hill, and off to the right was a lit up ferris wheel, I believe the carousel was close by.  Anyone?

Copper had posted on here that there was a Ferris wheel located in Tom Sawyer's Landing. It had mechanical problems and didn't last long. The location was next to the water wheel in the Landing.

True.  I'm too lazy to look up the link on the forums, but the ferris wheel and kiddie coaster were where the giant hole is today.  The ferris wheel appeared to have a chain running to the water system, creating the illusion that it was water-powered.  It was all of, what, 20 feet tall? and painted brown and tan.  I never rode the thing since I had no children at the time.

Many thanks!  I wanted to make sure it wasn't some random "dream" memory, as my parents suggested.  The only original map I have is dated 1972, and I've spent hours trying to find pictures of the ferris wheel online.  (As time permits, I have been going through all the old posts on here, learning information as I go)

I remember that Ferris wheel as well. I think I might have rode on it a couple of times when I was a kid.

I wish HFC would aquire some more historical rides, such as steam powered carousels with the steam organs...yes I know what they're called, I just can't spell it. I think It would add a lot to preserving...or bringing back...the 1880's theme, I was pretty disapointed when they didn't try something like that for the GE.

^Probably costs more to preserve the old stuff - calliopes, they're called - but most of the folks here would concur that that's what GE is missing - the sounds of a GE!

That's how you spell it...can't spell my own name half the time. Oh and yes i'm sure it does...would just be...pretty gosh-dern cool.

Speaking of random old stuff, bobber620 posted a bunch of awesome old park photos from the 80's-90's here: http://sdcfans.com/gallery.php?page=1&u=31

There's a lot of the Gandy Dancer, which I'd never gotten a proper view of before, shanty town, and in the last photo of the set you can see the old canoe ride behind the gandy dancer, with all the theming that went with it.

Thanks bobber!

Some great pictures! The rainmaker pics were great. What play was pictured?

I LOVED SHANTYTOWN! Especially the beam you had to walk across that was suspended over Lake Silver. Granted, there was a net underneath it, and it was only about 5 ft up, and the beam itself was probably only 5 feet long,...It still felt adventerous! I go there to take pictures every time to do a then and now shot of the lake...We have a bunch , like Bobber, next to the same attractions. One we would always tale-like our yearly tin-types, was a photo of my and My sister (StlPhotoGal) next to the big "wheel" out in front of the play area @ Shantytown. It now sits in the same location in a food seating area.

Shanty Town was awesome! Me and my brother would sometimes play a game on it where one of us would try to catch the other. But there were so many ways to go there, it wasn't always the easiest thing to do. I wish that thing was still there.

I found this one in my photos, This matches image 7 on page 2 of Bobbers gallery, same Cedar shingle making tractor, different paint job.

I'm not for sure what the name of the play was but it had something to do with the Hatfields and the McCoys and one or the other trying to scare the other out of a mansion it was in the mid eighties and was done at the RiverFront playhouse.If anyone else can remember  the name let me know please thanks. The pic with me on the rope was an old zip line that was down in the RiverFest area that is i think in the general area of where gyser gulch is now. Glad everyone enjoyed the pics sorry about a few reprints didn't notice them until i posted them 

I added a few more pics got some more duplicates sorry, when i loaded them they say one thing but come up another when you look at the gallery probably sumthin i'm doing wrong on my end, anyway enjoy

Thanks for the pics, bobber620!  Brings back a lot of great memories, especially the picture of the old petting zoo. :)

Nice to see a lot of pics of the Gandy Dancer, and the old paddle boat ride on Lake Silver in the background featuring the Greedy Brothers.  My favorite, I think, was the pic of you on the zip line.  There's an old SDC commercial on this site featuring the zip line in action and the old canoe ride!  Check it out here: http://sdcfans.com/videos.php?id=18 (http://sdcfans.com/videos.php?id=18)

Here's what I can fill in on the photos- 

The play, The Hatfield Haint Show, was in the Riverfront Playhouse, might have been known as the Gaslight Theatre back then.  The Hatfields bought a house that previously belonged to the McCoys and Grandpa McCoy tries to scare them out of it by "haunting" it.  Jae McFerron (Zeke Hatfield on the bed) and Wayne Milnes (Grandpa McCoy at the organ) are in the pictures. 
The featured act in Echo Hollow was The Dillards with Mercy Purvis (sitting off to the side in the chair).
The rainmaker was Ed Marshall.
The Marshal deputizing the kids was me.  I sure had fun with that.  I would have the kids take an oath of office, and if time allowed, even give them a little quiz to see if they were qualified to be deputies.  Of course, they always were.

Those photos are great, thanks for posting them bobber. 
 

No problem. I went to my parents home after joining the site and pulled all the pics i could find. I'm sure they have more. I just need to keep looking. After you gave the name of the show it came back to me and yes it was the Gaslight Theater then, and it was always the thing to do when we went to SDC to "get a badge" and like i've said before you learn something new every day.

Thats you??? WOW you're old...I'm just kidding, but it is cool to see someone I "know" in one of those historical shots.

I believe that i'm the little guy in the red shirt on the right hand side holding up my little brothers hand for the"swearing in".

"Historical" really makes ya feel good...scary that whenever I see these era pictures I am constantly looking for myself in them!

Haha, I didn't even think about that, sorry if I offended...Historical isn't really a bad thing...

Doggone it all, bobber!  When I was a kid, that Hatfield Haint set seemed twice as tall as that!  Now, you done gone and knocked my memory all outa whack!

Seems the courthouse show was about twice that big, too, but I know it weren't.  Funny how the Timothy Turnbuckle show was a lot smaller (since I had grown older by then).  Why's everything seem smaller now?  Is the room spinning?  Now where did I put my medication?

MEDS are on fourth shelf and all the way over on the left lol . Yep i seem to remember the shows and all the rides for that matter being way bigger when i was a bit younger, but the good memories always stay the same size no matter how old,or young you get,they stay big and last a long long time.

^Yep.  I had a pekingese dachshund when I was a kid, and I promise you she was 2 1/2 feet long and a foot in diameter - the world's largest dachshund by today's standards.  Mom insists "Peanuts" was not that big.

Quote from: oklaSDCfan on March 22, 2008, 08:56:42 PM


I had so much fun looking around the park for the things we talk about on this site.

I do to, I just can't remember where things are when I get there, ha ha

Shoot, I'm there almost every day of the week and you guys see a lot more than I do.  I just don't pay attention to it I guess.  That's why this site is fun for me.  I see things through your eyes that I never noticed before.  Kind of keeps me fresh.

Hey all, if you are hankering for the glory days of the Echo Hollow show, I finally found some old autographed pictures that I have of Rodney Dillard, Mercy Purvis and the Branson Brothers (and Time Machine Band) that I got when I was a kid.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skinnytie/4830466059/

Thanks for posting this stuff. Great to see. Jack McDowell and I worked together at Hee Haw Theater in Branson 1982-83, and he was a wonderful guy to work with. By day, in that period, he played the SDC deputy sheriff. Rodney played Dockside Theater during my time on park, along with friend Lonnie Hoppers, listening to Dillards progressive and traditional bluegrass music all day was fabulous. Rodney brought his young son to work quite a lot, and the Dugan boys would end up as unofficial babysitters for him. If you want to see a photo of Jack McDowell as "Ernest T." at Hee Haw Theater in Branson, go to my Flickr site and go back to the last page or two...there is a shot of him with the Mitch Keirsey Band, which was the house band at Hee Haw in 1983.

Quote from: betamike on July 26, 2010, 10:55:57 AM
Hey all, if you are hankering for the glory days of the Echo Hollow show, I finally found some old autographed pictures that I have of Rodney Dillard, Mercy Purvis and the Branson Brothers (and Time Machine Band) that I got when I was a kid.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skinnytie/4830466059/

Brings a tear to my eye!

Back a little ways in this thread, there is an idea of building SDC on a small scale. Can you imagine that image? Plus....maybe none of us are doing it, but you never know who might be out there and actually going through with the idea!

A toy train chugging through a small SDC would be awesome! The skill and imagination would be something to behold if it really came to fruition!

Uh, oh.....I think I have something to add to the "Make your home more like SDC" list!

I wish they would put together an HO Scale Frisco-Silver Dollar Line Train Set. Plus have HO Scale SDC buildings and characters you could have to build a full set!

Hoo boy, Junior....the ol' merchandise idea wheel is churning! LOL! I am beginning to envision this. The whole SDC community...buildings, rides, characters, ponds, etc. marketed just like the miniature Christmas villages that you can build on to.

"Hmm..let's see...I bought Hospitality House last week.......better buy the FITH cemetery this week!"

LOL! ;)

I want an SDC Monopoly Game.

The folks in merchandising at SDC ought to scan this site for ideas like this...I know that the "loyal and royal" SDC fans would buy this stuff, and I'd be a lot of other people would too.

I just wish Silver Dollar City had an online website that I could purchase souvenirs from such as shirts, coffee mugs, key chains, pins, stickers, magnets, hats, and so on. That way I can spend more money on Silver Dollar City merchandise between trips. ;D

about 6 years ago I got a SDC shirt that was a polo, it had the standard log logo embroidered in the side in the style of a polo shirt.
It was high quality, I think it was 25.00 and I wore it out.
Now when I go to SDC all I see are tie dye shirts and splashy neon colors.
I think they are missing an audience here.  Disney is one park that does carry the discrete adult conservative shirts that I like.
Why does SDC not supply this audience?
THATS
what I wish they sold ( again)

I agree wholeheartedly about the choice of wear for adults.  I wish they would sell a nice autumn jacket with the logo, I would snatch that up right away. 

I completely agree! I would love to have a Silver Dollar City polo shirt in earth tone colors. The tie dye shirts are fine for Kids Fest, but there needs to be an "autumn collection" this fall too! :D

I agree with an adult line of clothing. Something sporty and sophisticated.

A "Monopoly" SDC game never even dawned on me. That would be awesome!

^The board would have to be huge, since the Free Parking space would be too far away from the Turnstile (Go) space. ;)

Quote from: History Buff on July 29, 2010, 11:02:12 AM
^The board would have to be huge, since the Free Parking space would be too far away from the Turnstile (Go) space. ;)

Plus, you would have to wait 15 minutes for a tram to pick you up before you can start playing.


I'm teasing! I love the trams. :)