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[Old Guy]

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.

[sdcforever]

^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!

[Old Guy]

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.

[Coaster]

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.

[sdcforever]

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

[sdcforever]

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?

[Coaster]

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.

[Old Guy]

 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.

[sdcforever]

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

[marolinesdad]

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

[Old Guy]

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

[sdcforever]

^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.

[betamike]

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.

[Jemmicat]

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.

[Jemmicat]

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...