Land of Oz (theme park): Difference between revisions
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After the park was closed much of it fell into disrepair. Props were vandalized, stolen, or left to degrade from the elements. Some of the park was saved such as parts of the yellow brick road, some munchkin houses, and some of the later costumes. Parts of the witch's castle was saved but has yet to be restored to its former glory.{{Citation needed|date=September 2010}} |
After the park was closed much of it fell into disrepair. Props were vandalized, stolen, or left to degrade from the elements. Some of the park was saved such as parts of the yellow brick road, some munchkin houses, and some of the later costumes. Parts of the witch's castle was saved but has yet to be restored to its former glory.{{Citation needed|date=September 2010}} |
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The owner of the land restored the park about ten years later. years later, though in the late nineties former employees started the Autumn at Oz event as a reunion. Later this became an annual event, and in 2009 the festival had 8500 attending. In 2010 more of the park's original characters will return, the Fountain of Youth will have green water, and vendors and face painters will add to the event. Asheville author and award winning photographer Gregory Hugh Leng has written the only color photography book on the history of the "Land of Oz" theme park. He was one of this year's special guests signing and selling his "Land of Oz" photography and new book. The hardcover book entitled "'''Land of Oz-Over the Rainbow at Beech Mountain, North Carolina'''," tells the complete history of how the park opened, why it closed and what they are doing with it today. The photography both vintage and current era, is arranged in the book from start to ending as if you were arriving at the theme park in the 1970's and making taking the tour from Kansas to The Emerald City. Gregory was in the museum during "Autumn at Oz 2010" speaking with the guests on the history of the park. He interviewed Spencer Robbins (previous park owner), Jack Pentes (designer and builder of the park) and Cindy Keller who currently is care taker of the remains of the theme park. His signed books are selling on eBay and will |
The owner of the land restored the park about ten years later. years later, though in the late nineties former employees started the Autumn at Oz event as a reunion. Later this became an annual event, and in 2009 the festival had 8500 attending. In 2010 more of the park's original characters will return, the Fountain of Youth will have green water, and vendors and face painters will add to the event. Asheville author and award winning photographer Gregory Hugh Leng has written the only color photography book on the history of the "Land of Oz" theme park. He was one of this year's special guests signing and selling his "Land of Oz" photography and new book. The hardcover book entitled "'''Land of Oz-Over the Rainbow at Beech Mountain, North Carolina'''," tells the complete history of how the park opened, why it closed and what they are doing with it today. The photography both vintage and current era, is arranged in the book from start to ending as if you were arriving at the theme park in the 1970's and making taking the tour from Kansas to The Emerald City. Gregory was in the museum during "Autumn at Oz 2010" speaking with the guests on the history of the park. He interviewed Spencer Robbins (previous park owner), Jack Pentes (designer and builder of the park) and Cindy Keller who currently is care taker of the remains of the theme park. His signed books are selling on eBay and will be available nationwide in bookstores soon. He also has a website of his photography http://gregoryhughleng.zenfolio.com/ |
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Revision as of 14:28, 15 October 2010
| Location | Beech Mountain, North Carolina, United States; |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1970 |
| Closed | 1980 |
| Owner | Emerald Mountain Properties |
| Operating season | first weekend of October annually |
| Area | 16 acres (65,000 m2) |
| Attractions | |
| Roller coasters | 0 |
| Water rides | 0 |
The Land of Oz is a mostly now-defunct theme park located in the resort town of Beech Mountain, North Carolina. It was opened in 1970 by Grover Robbins, who had been successful with Tweetsie Railroad, and was fully operational until 1980. The park was based on the book rather than the film. In fact during the designing phase employees were told not to watch the movie but rather read the book. The costumes of the actors were in fact based more on the book descriptions until later on in the park's history when they were changed to look more like the film. Visitors could take a walk down the Yellow Brick Road, "experience" the cyclone which struck Dorothy's house, and visit with the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, the Cowardly Lion, and of course, the Wicked Witch of the West. The Yellow Brick Road led (inevitably) to a show at the Emerald City where the characters met with the Wizard. Finally, an artificial balloon ride (propelled by electric power lines) allowed visitors to get a bird's-eye view of the park and breathtaking mountain scenery before leaving Oz. There was a small museum that showed props and costumes from the film. These were shared between the park and Debbie Reynolds who joined with them to buy these props from MGM.
The musical score sung by the characters on the Yellow Brick Road and at Emerald City was composed by notables Alec Wilder and North Carolina native Loonis McGlohon (with the exception of E.Y. Harburg and Harold Arlen's "Over the Rainbow" for which rights were obtained to integrate into the Emerald City show).
A video and display on The Land of Oz is on exhibit in the museum at Appalachian State University in Boone.
History
Land of Oz opened in 1970 with the intention of employing between June and October people who worked at local ski resorts, and was considered "cutting-edge". A ski lift became a hot air balloon ride which has since been taken down. Characters from the story conducted tours. The park did well at first despite the death of owner Grover Robbins even before the park opened, but people lost interest after a while. Emerald City burned in 1976, destroying some artifacts, including the dress worn by Dorothy in the movie. Land of Oz finally closed in 1980.[1]
After the park was closed much of it fell into disrepair. Props were vandalized, stolen, or left to degrade from the elements. Some of the park was saved such as parts of the yellow brick road, some munchkin houses, and some of the later costumes. Parts of the witch's castle was saved but has yet to be restored to its former glory.[citation needed]
The owner of the land restored the park about ten years later. years later, though in the late nineties former employees started the Autumn at Oz event as a reunion. Later this became an annual event, and in 2009 the festival had 8500 attending. In 2010 more of the park's original characters will return, the Fountain of Youth will have green water, and vendors and face painters will add to the event. Asheville author and award winning photographer Gregory Hugh Leng has written the only color photography book on the history of the "Land of Oz" theme park. He was one of this year's special guests signing and selling his "Land of Oz" photography and new book. The hardcover book entitled "Land of Oz-Over the Rainbow at Beech Mountain, North Carolina," tells the complete history of how the park opened, why it closed and what they are doing with it today. The photography both vintage and current era, is arranged in the book from start to ending as if you were arriving at the theme park in the 1970's and making taking the tour from Kansas to The Emerald City. Gregory was in the museum during "Autumn at Oz 2010" speaking with the guests on the history of the park. He interviewed Spencer Robbins (previous park owner), Jack Pentes (designer and builder of the park) and Cindy Keller who currently is care taker of the remains of the theme park. His signed books are selling on eBay and will be available nationwide in bookstores soon. He also has a website of his photography http://gregoryhughleng.zenfolio.com/
A museum now shows costumes from the movie and other memorabilia. The Yellow Brick Road has a few of its 44,000 bricks missing but once again takes visitors through the Enchanted Forest and Poppy Field. Dorothy's house, which can be rented for the night or for events such as weddings, includes a basement intended to make visitors feel the experience of a tornado; the Wicked Witch's legs stick out from under the house. In 2011, the park will host the International Wizard of Oz club.[1]
References
- ^ a b Martin, Ray (7 September 2010). "Dilapidated Land of Oz theme park glows with life for annual festival". News & Observer. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
- Bengal, Rebecca. "In Search of Emerald City". Eye. Posted at AlterNet on 1 April 2000. Accessed 11 December 2006.
- Wuckovich, Tom. "Here & There". AAA Going Places Magazine, September/October 2006. Accessed 11 December 2006.
- Land of Oz Theme Park, Appalachian Cultural Museum exhibit, Appalachian State University.
External links
- Beech Mountain, North Carolina - Land of Oz at Roadside America
- Autumn at Oz
- What on Earth Happened to The Land Of OZ? from Emerald Mountain
- Land of Oz vintage postcards from the park collected by Mark Turner
- Beech Mountain Calendar Tells what days and prices.