Dogpatch USA

Dogpatch USA is a defunct theme park located on Highway 7 between the cities of Harrison and Jasper in the state of Arkansas, USA, an area known today as Marble Falls. It was opened to the public in 1968 and was based on the popular comic strip Li'l Abner, which was created by cartoonist Al Capp and set in a fictional town called "Dogpatch".

Dogpatch USA was a commercial success in its early years, and investors, buoyed with optimism about the park's future, decided to pursue extensive and heavily financed expansion in the form of a sister park, "Marble Falls", designed as a ski resort and convention center. But the following years would see a combination of characters and unforeseen events transform the high hopes of investors into a financial roller coaster ride which eventually ended in the park's demise.

Ownership of the park changed hands many times throughout its history, and it was finally closed in 1993. Since that time much of the property of the twin parks has been neglected and frequently vandalized, and portions of the acreage are either entangled in legal issues, in a state of redevelopment, or for sale once again.

History

Conception

File:Dogpatch USA Ticket.jpg

Dogpatch USA Ticket

In 1966 Albert Raney, Sr., decided to sell his family's Ozark trout farm, and listed it with O.J. Snow, a Harrison real estate agent. Snow examined the property and decided that the Raney farm might be perfect for an amusement park based on pioneer themes, an idea he had entertained for years. He noted that some features of the area resembled those pictured in the Li'l Abner comic strip; Mill Creek Canyon at the base of a 55-foot (16.8 meter) waterfall was deep enough to be the "bottomless canyon", ^[1] and the nearby tourist attraction Mystic Caverns (also owned by the Raney family) could become "Dogpatch cave", where "kickapoo joy juice" was brewed by a few unsavory Dogpatch characters.

Snow and a few business associates formed Recreation Enterprises, Inc. (REI) to develop the land and present the idea of a theme park to Al Capp. According to an Arkansas Gazette article, Snow sent Capp, who lived in Boston, Massachusetts, home movies of the property and descriptions of the attractions. There would be horseback riding stables, paddle boats, train rides, local arts and crafts shops, family-oriented theatrical presentations, an apiary, and a honey hut and fudge shop. There would be a botanical garden, lots of rustic-themed entertainment, and plenty of Lil' Abner comic-strip characters roaming the park and performing various skits for the patrons. And of course, there would be the trout farm and the Mystic Caverns cave, which were already in operation.

Snow also assured Capp that the park would be quiet and dignified, and would not include roller coasters or thrill rides that would conflict with the rustic Li'l Abner theme. Capp, who had turned down other offers, accepted this one and became a partner, claiming he had once driven through the Ozarks and had pictured just such an area for the setting of his fictional Dogpatch town. Capp was apparently happy with Snow's concept and confident that his Li'l Abner creation would not be tainted.

Doubts at the start

Arkansans have always been sensitive about being portrayed as backward hillbillies, so the concept of a theme park based on such a stereotype was not widely accepted. Lou Oberste of the Publicity and Parks Commission expressed reservations, and Commission Director Bob Evans agreed that Arkansas had difficulty shedding a similar image created by comedic actor Bob Burns and the popular radio celebrities "Lum and Abner" of earlier years.

Edwin T. Haefele of the Brookings Institution and Leon N. Moses, Professor of Economics at Northwestern, happened to be visiting Arkansas at this time. When reporters asked for their opinions of the "Dogpatch" project, they expressed doubts about the likelihood of its success, citing the failure of other theme parks that had popped up trying to capture the success of Disneyland. They also felt that such theme parks tend to cause nearby property values to deflate and local businesses to relocate to more desirable areas.

Despite these reservations, the Publicity and Parks Commission toured the property and decided to support the project, and the Harrison Chamber of Commerce approved the plans for the 825-acre (3.3 km²) park.

Building and opening the park

File:Dogpatch USA Brochure circa 70's.jpg

Brochure circa 1970s

Al Capp and his wife attended the ground-breaking ceremony on Tuesday, October 3 1967. Phase I of the project, at a cost $1,332,000, included construction of the buildings and rides. Phase II, which was to be the construction of an RV park, amphitheater, motels and a golf course, would cost an additional $900,000, and would never be fully realized.

Under the direction of Jim Schermerhorn, an REI board member and experienced caver, Mystic Caverns, which was renamed "Dogpatch Caverns", was completely renovated and dangerous conditions were corrected to ensure public safety, including a better lighting system, walkway, and entrance. During renovation, while Shermerhorn was operating the bulldozer, a second cave was discovered next to Mystic Caverns. Realizing the potential value of this pristine cave, he had it blocked off so that it could be preserved untouched. It was named "Old Man Moses Cave" and put on the "to do" list along with the other projects intended for Phase II. Schermerhorn also acquired many authentic 19th-century log cabins in the Ozark Mountains and had them dismantled, shipped, and reconstructed in the park. This fact was never advertised.

Dogpatch USA officially opened and welcomed about 8,000 visitors on May 17 1968. The centerpiece of the park was a giant statue of the fictional town hero, Jubilation T. Cornpone, and it was unveiled that day during Al Capp's dedication speech to a crowd of about 2,000. General admission was $1.50 for adults and $0.75 for children, and the park reported a net profit of about $100,000 at the end of the 1968 season.

Attendance expectations for the park were, in retrospect, extremely optimistic; according to a Los Angeles consulting firm, there would be 400,000 patrons in the first year, and 1.2 million by the year 1977. But Dogpatch USA hosted only 300,000 visitors in 1968, and never reported more than 200,000 visitors in any subsequent year.

The park changes hands—Jess Odom

In 1969 a disagreement arose among the members of REI with regards to investing the profits of the first year. Snow believed all the profits should be reinvested in the park, but the other members wanted to divide some of it among themselves. As a result, Jess Odom, an Arkansas businessman in search of a worthwhile opportunity, bought Snow's and other REI members' shares for $750,000 and gained a controlling interest in the park. Odom had been successful in several other endeavors, including the founding of a planned community northeast of Little Rock called Maumelle. REI expected Odom to spend an estimated $5 to $7 million on improvements and the addition of "Skonk Hollow" next to Dogpatch USA, but these plans never came to fruition.

Odom signed a long-term licensing agreement with Capp, giving the park and any future Lil Abner franchises the rights to use all characters, events, jargon, names, and titles until 1998. In return, Capp would receive two to three percent of the gross of admissions over the same time period.

For the 1969 season Odom hired the former six-term Governor of Arkansas, Orval E. Faubus, as General Manager and President of REI. He is reported to have claimed that running the park was very similar to running the state.

Success is elusive

1969 marked a particularly popular year for rustic and hillbilly pop culture. Shows such as Green Acres, Petticoat Junction, and The Beverly Hillbillies were in vogue on American television, and a similar rustic-themed park just a few miles away near Branson, Missouri, "Silver Dollar City", had become a huge success. The Li'l Abner comic strip was appearing in over 700 newspapers daily throughout the country, which kept the fictional town of Dogpatch in the public eye. In addition, Al Capp had just signed a deal for a restaurant franchise and the rights to develop his comic strip into a TV series.

Dogpatch USA was profitable in its first few years. In 1971, Odom, who foresaw unlimited potential for the park, bought out most of the remaining investors for $700,000 and became, essentially, the owner. REI borrowed $2 million from Union Planters Bank in Memphis in May 1972 to build a sister park called "Marble Falls", with the intention of making the "Twin Parks of the Ozarks" a year-round attraction. Marble Falls, a ski resort with a convention center, toboggan run, motels and an ice-skating rink, was ready just in time for the Christmas season of 1972.

Success seemed to be on the horizon for Odom and Dogpatch USA, but the many unforeseen events of the 1970s would, collectively, cast a dark shadow on Odom's dreams. Attendance figures throughout that decade would be woefully short of expectations. In 1973 interest rates would begin to skyrocket, and a nationwide energy crisis would keep many tourists home. TV shows with country themes would virtually disappear from the American TV screen and the popularity of hillbillies would wane. The Li'l Abner TV show and restaurant chain would never come to pass, and to top it all off, Al Capp would retire, and with that one of the greatest advertisements that Dogpatch USA ever had—the Li'l Abner comic strip—would end.

File:Dogpatch USA Brochure circa 80's.jpg

Dogpatch USA brochure circa 1987, note the addition of the Rocketship ride.

The mild winter weather which visited Arkansas through the mid-1970s proved to be the undoing of Marble Falls as a ski resort, and its snow cannons and slopes sat idle much of the time. The modest profits of Dogpatch USA were not sufficient to keep the two parks afloat, and Odom, already $2 million in debt, was forced to borrow an additional $1.5 million in the unfavorable financial atmosphere of 1973.

In 1974 Odom partnered with the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville to create an in-park repertory theater featuring its own Boars Head Players. This venture turned into a huge disappointment; the group presented two of the five promised productions, and did not return for any of the following seasons. Today this troupe is still active at the University of Arkansas.

In 1976, Union Planters Bank began foreclosure proceedings on $3.5 million in debts. In 1977 Al Capp and the Li'l Abner comic strip retired, and First National Bank of Little Rock began foreclosure proceedings on $600,000 in debts. In September of that year Odom stated that, because Marble Falls had lost as much as $100,000 a year since it opened, the ski slopes would be closed permanently. Amidst all this, Dogpatch USA recorded one of its most profitable years in 1977.

Two personal injury lawsuits, seeking more than $200,000 in compensation, were brought against Dogpatch USA in 1979 and settled in 1980. By 1979 Dogpatch USA was reporting a negative income, and attempts by Odom to get the town of Harrison, and later Jasper, to issue tourism bonds to refinance millions of dollars of debt were unsuccessful. That same year Odom announced that negotiations had been underway to sell the park to a private nonprofit group called God's Patch, Inc., which would turn Dogpatch USA into a biblical-themed amusement park, but funding never materialized. The heat wave of 1980, one of the worst in Arkansas' history, made that year one of the worst for the park and marked the second consecutive year that Dogpatch USA operated in the red. In October 1980, Union Planters Bank filed to take possession of both Dogpatch USA and Marble Falls. A month later, Dogpatch USA filed for bankruptcy.

The OEI years—Wayne Thompson

In 1981 Ozarks Entertainment, Inc. (OEI), bought Dogpatch USA for an undisclosed amount and retained ownership through 1986. Taking the park in new directions, OEI, under the leadership of General Manager Wayne Thompson, reduced the park staff by more than 50% and added many attractions, one of which was "Earthquake McGoon's Brain Rattler", the park's second roller coaster ride. The amphitheater hosted concerts featuring stars such as Reba McEntire, Hank Thompson, and Ike and Tina Turner.

Thompson also brought in the corporate sponsorship of Coca Cola, Dr. Pepper, and Tyson Chicken, and superheroes including Spiderman, Batman and Robin, and Captain America for personal appearances and autograph signing. Gospel and bluegrass shows were presented, and Denver Pyle (Uncle Jesse from the popular TV series "The Dukes of Hazzard") was signed on as the park's spokesman both onsite and in TV commercials. The emphasis on new promotions paid off; Dogpatch USA was profitable in every year that Wayne Thompson was General Manager for OEI (1981–86), and more visitors spent more money per person during these years than in any other years.

In 1981 Dogpatch Caverns and Old Man Moses Cave were sold to Bruce Raney (grandson of Albert Raney, Sr.) and a fellow investor. Old Man Moses Cave was finally renovated and renamed "Crystal Dome" and Dogpatch Caverns became Mystic Caverns again. Managed by Raney until they were sold to Omni Properties, Inc. in 1984, the twin caves have continued to operate as tourist attractions to this day.

The 1980s would see the ownership of Marble Falls divided up and changed until it became so entangled in an endless stream of legal problems that it was impossible to clearly state who actually owned what parts of the property. In 1983 a new investor, "Buffalo River Resorts", began selling parcels of the land for timeshares and condominiums, although buyers had to be informed of the uncertain legal status of the property.

The end of Dogpatch USA—the Telcor years

File:Dogpatch USA Brochure 91.jpg

Dogpatch USA Brochure for the 1991 season, note the free admission.

In 1987 The Entertainment and Leisure Corporation (Telcor) bought out 90% of OEI and became the new owner. Telcor, a corporation formed to buy and manage theme parks and headed by Melvyn Bell ^[2] of Bell Equities, owned two other parks at the time, Deer Forest Park in Coloma, Michigan, and Magic Springs in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Wayne Thompson was retained as GM, and under his leadership Telcor made renovations and improvements, and a new ride called the "Space Shuttle" was added. Attendance that year reportedly increased by 16%.

In 1988 Wayne Thompson departed, and Lynn Spradley, a Dogpatch USA veteran of 14 years, became GM and managed the park through the 1991 season. During this time Spradley bemoaned the fact that Dogpatch USA was forced to spend much more per patron on promotional strategies to attract visitors than other theme parks, and that most kids did not even know who the Li'l Abner characters were. By this time the comic strip had been out of print for more than 10 years.

Dogpatch USA floundered in the face of stiff competition in the Telcor years, especially from Silver Dollar City, which duplicated most of what Dogpatch USA offered but on a grander scale, and was only a twenty-minute drive to the north. And what Silver Dollar City lacked, the Ozark Folk Center (a fully subsidized state park) in nearby Mountain View provided, and neither park was wrapped in an outdated cartoon franchise.

In 1991, more changes were made as a last-ditch effort to boost attendance. Emphasis was placed on arts and crafts instead of rides and entertainment. General admission was no longer charged and patrons paid for each individual attraction instead. Telcor decided to save the money that the Capp estate was receiving for use of the name and characters, and with that one of the most unique aspects of the park—the Li'l Abner franchise and theme—was completely dropped and the name changed to Dogpatch, Arkansas.

After struggling a few more years, the park was closed for good on October 14 1993. In 1997 citizens of Dogpatch, Arkansas (which had been the postal designation of the area since the park opened) voted unanimously to change the name to Marble Falls, its original name. Curiously, no records exist of such a vote to change the name to Dogpatch in 1966, and residents who lived there in 1966 and are still living there today claim it was done against their will.

Dogpatch USA today

Although all of the attractions that were of value were removed and sold, the bulk of the structures of the park still exist and sit in decay. Demolition and redevelopment is the usual fate for such a park, but Dogpatch USA was built in a commercially unattractive and undeveloped rural area, and throughout its years there was little if any commercial development of the surrounding area (other than the failed "Marble Falls" ski resort) to augment the park's attractiveness to visitors and tourists. The location is also known to be "off the beaten path" and somewhat difficult to access compared to other theme parks nearby. These factors, no doubt, contributed to the park's demise and hindered its redevelopment, despite the fact that in its heydays the park's landscape was described by many visitors as "beautiful".

Shortly after it closed, the park was put up for auction on the courthouse steps in Jasper, and the auction was handled by Jim Sprott, a Harrison lawyer whose wife Jan had been an original "Daisy Mae" at Dogpatch USA from 1968 through the 1970 season. Ford Carr, president of Leisuretek Corporation and Westek Corporation, has owned the property since then, and in late 2002 he had the 141-acre site placed on eBay with a minimum bid requirement of $1 million. Although he was looking for a $4 million bid, there were no bidders. In 2004 it was reported by KATV in Arkansas that the property was again for sale, for $5 million. Ideas and suggestions about revitalizing the park have occasionally been bandied about during the Carr years of ownership, but none have resulted in a concrete plan.

Image from within the abandoned park taken in June of 2005

In 2002 a visitor to the neglected and vandalized park observed that the statue of General Jubilation T. Cornpone, the centerpiece of Dogpatch USA, was "toppled and broken on the town square." In 2004 the statue was removed from the park, and was later spotted at the Shepherd Of The Hills Homestead on the Shepherd of the Hills Expressway in Branson, Missouri.

A number of websites have reported that urban explorers often visit the neglected park (despite the fact that "No Trespassing" signs have been posted since 2002, or possibly earlier) and many recent pictures posted on the Internet attest to this fact. However, the era of unauthorized visitation may well be coming to a close. As of August 2005, a guard has been seen patrolling the grounds in an RV, and workers have been observed clearing some of the long-standing growth and bulldozing sections of the property.

The Arkansas Herpetological Society (AHS) obtained written permission from the owner and conducted a field trip to the park in June 2004. AHS is a non-profit organization which gathers and disseminates factual and reliable information regarding the indigenous snakes and other reptiles and amphibians of Arkansas. Torry Chapman, moderator of the AHS web site, has stated that her organization is planning a second field trip to the park in October 2005.

A few businesses have revived sections of the Marble Falls property. Bob Richards and Randal Phillips purchased and later reopened a portion of the property as "The Hub", a motorcycle-themed center, in June 2005. The Hub features a 60-room hotel and a convention facility that seats 1,700 in theater style.^[3] Fred and Larisse Mullens have begun a venture called "The Shepherd's Fold Retreat Center and Campground". The centerpiece is a large church, where weekly services are currently being held, next to The Hub at #4 Dogpatch Blvd. They hope to redevelop the old Dogpatch USA campground and are seeking donations. Signs on their property indicate that they also plan to open a country store there, although their website makes no mention of this. ^[4]

Attractions

The Trout Pond - a small trout farm around which Dogpatch USA was conceived and developed. It had been in operation for 30 years as a small scale tourist attraction before the amusement park was built. Sometime in the early 20th century, Albert Raney and Sons purchased the land, which since the 1830s had been part of the community of Wilcockson, and diverted the water from Mill Creek to create a waterfall and a pond. They named the property "Marble Falls", the name it and the surrounding area retains today. ^[5]

File:Dogpatch USA trout farm.JPG

Description of the trout farm from a 1991 brochure

In 1966 the Trout Pond was sold to the developers of Dogpatch USA, and the Raney family continued to operate the pond throughout the park's years. The pond was, arguably, the park's most popular and unique attraction, and was kept well overstocked so that visitors could cast a rented fishing line and have no trouble catching some "big ones". The catch was then cleaned and cooked by the restaurant staff and served to the lucky angler. After the park closed, the Trout Pond sat untended for many years along with the rest of the property. In 2005 it was completely drained and is now an empty basin.

Dogpatch Caverns - A nearby show cave that was incorporated into the park. It had been a tourist attraction since the late 1920s and in 1949 it was purchased by the Raney family and renamed Mystic Caverns. It also was sold to the developers of Dogpatch USA in 1966, and renamed "Dogpatch Caverns." The cave was renovated and many safety issues were adressed. During renovations, a second cave was discovered next door; it was named "Old Man Moses Cave" after a Lil' Abner cartoon character, and barricaded to preserve its pristine condition.

Plans were made to renovate the new cave during Phase II of Dogpatch USA construction but Phase II was never completed. Both caves were sold in 1981. "Dogpatch Caverns" was renamed "Mystic Caverns" once more and, "Old Man Moses Cave" was finally opened for tours and renamed "Crystal Dome". The caves are the only original Dogpatch USA attractions that are still in operation today. ^[6]

Frustratin' Flyer - a steel "Monster Mouse" coaster created by Herschell. Installed in 1968 for the park's debut, its fate after that year is uncertain. There was some speculation that it was moved in 1973 to Enchanted Forest in Chesterton, Indiana and moved at a later time to Little A-Merrick-A in Marshall, Wisconsin, but the ride at these parks was actually a "Mad Mouse", a different model than the Frustratin' Flyer. Dogpatch USA brochures after 1973 continued to show a Monster Mouse in operation. ^[7]

Earthquake McGoon’s Brain Rattler - a toboggan roller coaster by Chance Rides. The ride was apparently part of the park when it was opened in 1968. In early brochures it was depicted as being a track wrapped around an enormous tree, but the ride was actually made completely of metal. At some time in the 1970s the ride was closed, possibly due to maintenance problems. It would not reopen until the park was sold to Ozark Family Entertainment in 1981, and was in service for the remainder of the park's years. The ride is no longer on the property and its whereabouts are unknown. ^[8]

Funicular Tram - A "decliner inliner", the tram was used to transport visitors from the parking lot into the park below. It was purchased from an unknown manufacturer in Switzerland and shipped to Dogpatch USA at a cost of $250,000. Installed in 1970 and opened at the begining of the 1971 season, it could transport 1,700 guests per hour at a speed of 13.5 feet per second. ^[9] As passengers descended into the Dogpatch USA valley they were given a short monologue about the park over the tram's PA system. In the early 1990s two newspaper articles reported that the Pa system was not functioning properly and was broadcasting only static. The tram itself remained in service till the park was closed in 1993 and has the distinction of being the only ride that is still in the park today, although it lies in ruin.

Lil' Abner's Space Rocket - The ride was added when Telcor bought the park in 1987 and, because of its overt off-theme nature, its addition is viewed by many as the beginning of the end of the park. The ride, prominently displayed on brochures from the era, was removed when the park closed in 1993 and its present whereabouts are unknown.

Trash Eaters - The park had unique trash cans equipped with huge animal heads that would "eat" (suck) the trash out of patrons hands and into their mouths. The heads were shaped like goats, pigs, and even razorbacks, and the unusual design encouraged patrons to properly dispose of their litter by making it an amusing experience. Several of the trash eaters remain on the property today.

Reference

External links

Photography (when in Operation)

1971 photos
1972 family photos
1 2 3 Collection of family vacation photos

Photography (of the abandoned park)

Related information

Footnotes