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[How-doFolks]

  I kinda remember them just not working to well, i just dont know. Too long ago for me.

[rubedugans]

Just a pat on the back. You spent your money and navigated the boat around the maze. Great for parents that didn't want to buy a $50 boat in the early 80's, this way they only had to spend $0.50 instead.

[Junior]

Ozark BBQ: True story...one of the Juniors was an aquaintance of the retired Mary Herschend. He STRONGLY followed her THEME THEME THEME guidelines...when they put in the remote controlled boats he was so strongly hacked off, he quit. Never came back. Too bad, cause he was a good guy and we all enjoyed working with him. He really thought the park management had gone off the deep end when they put in radio controlled boats. As mentioned, most of the Juniors didn't like 'em. We all had "keep it in theme" drilled into our heads. That is why, if you all will remember my August rant, that I freaked out when I went into the furniture shop and saw a working TV! Then, walking past concessions, drinks were kept in a refrigerator unit like you would see at a Wal-Mart check out line. Then, there is the little issue of the unthemed fan at the Mill Restaurant that drove me nuts! All these years later, and I'm still thinking "keep it in theme!"  I feel that way because I know Miss Mary felt that way...I remember her and her grandson Bruce strolling across Main Street, as she inspected the park.

[Ozark Outlaw]

Ozark BBQ: True story...one of the Juniors was an aquaintance of the retired Mary Herschend. He STRONGLY followed her THEME THEME THEME guidelines...when they put in the remote controlled boats he was so strongly hacked off, he quit. Never came back.

Wow, I am not sure if he was just passionate, or crazy, and perhaps a little bit a of both.

Either way, I don’t think any of us could blame him to an extent. Not to get too far off on a tangent here, but being such huge fanatics of Silver Dollar City, we are all very intense about maintaining the theme. That’s just one of the many dynamic qualities that inspires me about Mary Herschend. I understand economic times are tough these days, and to theme every single minor detail is not always on the top of management's agenda. However, Miss. Mary was able to pull it off with limited resources years ago. I think if they stuck with their roots, and gut instincts that they could maintain the theme just as easily today.

Okay I feel better now. Oh, and to get us back on topic I think the boats were really neat.

[rubedugans]

I was never able to drive them (as far as I remember). It was not an option because it cost extra. We were sent off to the shanty town, and let loose. Between that, hucks hideaway, and tom sawyers landing, that was where we got our energy out so mom and dad could walk through stores with us being polite little children instead of hyper little monkeys. Just good old time fun.

[History Buff]

He really thought the park management had gone off the deep end when they put in radio controlled boats.

Ironic, huh!

Even as a child, I recognized things that were off-theme.  I remember being bothered by electric fans on the upstairs porch of the Riverside Playhouse even.  Those RC boats were just an eyesore and a bad idea.  Who wouldn't predict that people would want to crash them into things?

Concerning upcharge games, there was another attempt across from the Waterboggan - a dueling dumpwateronyouropponent game and a fireman's ladder I don't think anyone could climb.  There may have been something else there, too, but the place was always empty.  No one wanted to play those games for an extra fee.

[Junior]

The paid games area across from the diving bell (Wedged between what was called the Courthouse Theater and Valley Mercantile) had some interesting games..."Jacob's Ladder" was a rope ladder on a hook on both top and bottom, and you had to balance yourself to climb it. They folks working there were experts at it. One guy, Dwayne, would climb the thing in a few seconds, making it look soooo easy. A guest would pay to climb for a prize, and not make it up two or three steps before falling. It was pretty funny. The beam that two people sat on and whacked each other with a gunny sack full of foam was pretty good, too. It was funny watching these macho guys try to keep their balance and still whack at the fellow across from them! The "ball and jack" game was kind of like the old (forgive spelling) bocchee ball that I think was of Italian origin. It involved throwing or rolling wooden balls of different sizes and colors and trying to get your ball closest to the key ball. Like I previously mentioned, there was a steamer trunk full of cut out junk from the hospitality house or the ozark marketplace that was offered as prizes. I don't know how much it cost to play these games, or even operate the remote controlled boats across from them in the lake, but costs were probably pretty cheap, ranging from fifty or seventy five cents to maybe two or three bucks on the high end. However, crowds gathered to watch people compete, but there were long stretches when nobody wanted to pony up the cash to play for prizes. It got to where if you did not want to play for a prize, the attendants would allow you to do it for free. The remote controlled boats only lasted for less than a season, around 80 or 81. Seems like ball and jack lasted two seasons. The ladder and the balance beam game may have lasted through 82. When paid games was taken out, the landscape people planted a fabulous array of flowers and shrubs in that spot that looked great in the mid to late 80s. I think the flowers and shrubs lasted til the mid or late 90s on that spot. The folks working at paid games were dressed exactly as the Juniors at the diving bell. Why, I don't know. But when we faced busy times and had to really move people through the diving bell, we would call somebody from paid games to entertain on our line so the Juniors would be free to take more rides. One of our most favorite "Ruby Dugan's" was a 15/16 year old cute blonde girl named Sarah Smith, her dad Earl was the resident craftsman at Carrie's Candles at this time. She had a bright, bubbly personality, and was fun to work with. One of our Juniors, Dave, was so smitten by Sara, he left the diving bell and transferred to paid games! He struck out with Sara, and after that season, he never returned to SDC! Ah, the wicked ways of love! 

[MissinTheGreenTrams]

thats it! I am setting up a paid games area in my back yard! I wanna play these games!!! Now only if I had some friends to come play with me........

[Junior]

Paid games also had horseshoes. All the employees that worked at Paid Games practiced playing horseshoes, ball and jack, and climbing jacob's ladder and straddling the "king of the log" while smacking someone with a punching bag, until they became experts. Folks really wondered how these young folks could be so good at it. It was really funny seeing big, husky men knocked off that log by Paid Games employee Sarah Smith, a really sweet, petite, 15 year old girl! She could knock the devil outta people! 

[okiebluegrass]

I remember one of the paid games had sponges. And i believe you were trying to hit the target on the other persons side that would dump a bucket of water on their head. It was not too far from the railroad crossing. My sister and I played it for free (i.e. no prize involved) a couple times. I think it would have been right after the Wilderness waterboggan opened around 1987.

[Junior]

Possibly so. That is after I left the park, so I don't know about those games. The Paid Games area I'm speaking of existed from late in the 1980 season to around the end of 1981, or sometime in 82. The radio controlled boats were only in operation in 80, maybe 81, too.

[History Buff]

^^That one, and the ladder Junior described, was across from the WB.

[Junior]

Sounds like from the above post they DID bring back "Jacob's Ladder"...calling it "Fireman's Ladder" and putting it across from Waterboggin! You learn something new everyday!

[rubedugans]

Fireman's ladder was around in the mid-late 80's. I did in fact on one trip participate in all of these attractions. It says 1888...so maybe 1988 then? It was when RiverFest was in full swing. I have a whole roll of Riverfest tokens as well from somewhere!

[sanddunerider]

those r great! lost items from a lost era.