Old Days at SDC: Photos from 1970

Junior · May 18, 2010, 11:01:46 AM

It has been awhile since I've posted photos on my Flickr site. So what I have for your viewing pleasure today are over a dozen photos taken from the "Official Guide to Silver Dollar City Capital of the Ozarks" booklet that was released in 1970. Many things have changed in the last 40 years at the park. All the photos posted are of things or people that no longer exist. Since the booklet was released in 1970, the shots you will see are actually from the late 1960's...probably taken in 1968 and 1969. Enjoy!

You'll find the photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/juniordugan

KBCraig · May 18, 2010, 06:06:39 PM

That's great, Junior!

That really takes me back. That's how the park looked the first few times I visited, before that new-fangled Fire In The Hole.

betamike · May 18, 2010, 08:18:42 PM

It's interesting to see "pa brown" and the candy platform (prior to some expansion). This might have been around the time that it was (gasp) screened-in and not climate controlled like it is today. YUCK!

Junior · May 18, 2010, 08:46:01 PM

I wondered who the guy with the brown derby was in the candy shop photo. He was featured in other photos in the booklet, too, so I assumed he was a notable citizen for his day. Is that an early shot of June Ward, or someone else?

betamike · May 18, 2010, 09:02:24 PM

He was the original craftsman that June learned the trade from. He is also featured in that taffy pulling photo with June taken around the same time, which definitely IS June. The lady with the dark hair inside the shop helping make the hard candy peppermint sticks I am not sure of, but I don't believe it is June given the time frame between the two photos.

History Buff · May 18, 2010, 09:03:01 PM

I want to see candy cane making at Christmas. Is that taffy, or are they making candy canes?

That's the Flooded Mine I want to see again.

More people would go on cave tours...!

Now I see the talking stagecoach about which you've been talking.

betamike · May 18, 2010, 09:12:24 PM

That is the hard candy sticks that are still made "in house" at the candy factory. Because of humidity, they are only made on the demonstration platform during the winter when there is less humidity. The rest of the time they are made in the basement. I'm guessing that was when this photo was taken (although I'm not sure that the park was open much during the winter back then)

rubedugans · May 18, 2010, 10:59:46 PM

I have the same booklet, and as you can imagine, many of those photos appear other places around that same time. Over the years of collecting I have found that they often used the same photos for postcards in many instances. I recognize a few from that booklet-it has been a while since I looked through that one!

Junior · May 19, 2010, 08:06:39 AM

Glad everyone enjoyed the photos. That booklet is the oldest paper item/photos I have in my collection. There are many other photos in it, but this time around I emphasized things and people that are not around park anymore. Those shots are the way SDC appeared to me the first time I visited when I was about 7 or 8 years old...just seven years later at age 15 my family moved to Branson because the company mom and dad worked for transferred them, and within three months, I HAD A JOB AT SDC! Yipppeeee! (Then, 7 summers of getting paid to have lots of fun!)