High Chaparral Theme Park
 Park entrance | |
| Location | Kulltorp, Sweden |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 57°15′48″N 13°49′38″E / 57.26333°N 13.82722°E |
| Opened | 1966 |
| Owner | Emil and Philip Erlandsson |
| Theme | Wild West |
| Slogan | Bli en del av äventyret! ("Become part of the adventure!") |
| Operating season | May-August |
| Attendance | ca 250,000[1] |
| Area | 14 hectares (35 acres) |
| Website | www |
High Chaparral is a Wild West theme park and post-industrial museum of cultural artifacts and collectibles, located close to Värnamo, Sweden. It opened in 1966 and was founded by Bengt Erlandsson, more commonly known as "Big Bengt".
The park is located near Hillerstorp in Gnosjö Municipality and on the border with Värnamo Municipality. and the national park Store Mosse. It is close to the E4 motorway and Swedish national road 27.
History[edit]
Bengt Erlandsson was born in 1922 in Brännehylte, Småland, Sweden. His parents owned a forest farm and a saw mill. His interest in the American frontier and Wild West was born from coming from a countryside where many had emigrated to America and from the stories they told. Erlandsson went to the United States himself in 1956 at age 34 and in four months touring covered 4,000 kilometres (2,500 mi). He came back to Sweden with a lot of impressions. When the Swedish national phone company had to get rid of 200,000 telephone poles, Erlandsson took the opportunity and constructed a western American style frontier fort and town with log cabins as it might have been used by the old United States Cavalry and U.S. Army in the Indian Wars on the western frontier in North America during the 19th century. When many people started to get curious about the place, he realized its commercial/tourist and historical purposes and possibilities. Similar to Walt Disney's construction of various Disneylands and Disney Worlds with "Frontierlands" portions built into the entertainment parks in several foreign countries decades later.[2]
Bengt Erlandsson died in March 2016.[3]
Following floods in January 2023, major parts of the park ended up underwater.[4]
Attractions[edit]
The theme park stages several stunt shows a day. It also has a steam train that runs through the park. There is both the classic Wild West section, an Indian themed area, a Mexican themed area, and a museum overflowing with cultural artifacts, old cars, machinery, and various Cold War oddities such as the bronze monster-size statue of Lenin expelled from Nowa Huta.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "High Chaparrals historia - Hur Vilda Västern kom till Småland". High Chaparral (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-06-10.
Varje år kommer en kvarts miljon besökare [...]
- ^ Christensen, Poul Rind; Poulfelt, Flemming (Jan 1, 2006). "Extreme entrepreneurs". Managing Complexity and Change in SMEs: Frontiers in European Research. Edward Elgar Publishing. p. 173. ISBN 1847202853. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
- ^ "Big Bengt har avlidit". Sveriges Radio. 22 March 2016.
- ^ Johannes Tolf (16 January 2023). "Västernparken High Chaparral delvis under vatten" (in Swedish). SVT Jönköping. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
External links[edit]
- Official website (in English)