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A historic park about to reopen |
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Tuesday, 09 March 2010 |
Tommy Jackson — Columnist
Did any of you guys out there attend Silver Dollar City’s opening in 1960? I'm pretty sure I didn’t the first year, but I did early on. I can’t believe the pictures from those early years in my collection at home compared to today.
Silver Dollar City celebrates its 50th birthday the weekend of April 30-May 2. I really enjoyed a recent mailer from SDC that among several other things deals briefly with some of the park’s early history. What I read there made me go searching on the Internet for more historic information to share with you today.
First of all the name: It came from giving silver dollars in change that initial year. When people went back home after their vacation and used their silver dollars to purchase items and goods, they were asked more often than not where the silver dollars came from. That opened the door to share stories about where they had been. It was tremendous word of mouth advertising for the park.
Also that first year, according to what we read, when the park opened atop Marvel Cave it had a town square, a demonstrating blacksmith, a general store and an ice cream parlor. The “population” numbered 17, and they ran the shops and participated in daily street shows (specifically, a Hatfields and McCoys feud). They drew about 125,000 that first year, and the theme park was off and running. Since then more than 65 million persons from all over the world have kept those turnstiles busy.
More than 2 million now come annually and the park covers more than 100 acres. Remember the entire population of 17 that first year? Today there are more than 100 resident craftsmen alone. These talented and personable folks are eager to share their expertise in the field of woodcarving, glassblowing, blacksmithing and many others. What better lesson about America’s early history could your children possibly have?
One thing I do remember well from the early years was when the immensely-popular “Beverly Hillbillies” came to Silver Dollar City to film five episodes of the top-rated series. It brought national attention to the park which has been going great guns ever since. The plotline had the Hillbillies returning to their homeland so Granny (Irene Ryan) could find a husband for Elly May (Donna Douglas). While the matchmaking was going on, Uncle Jed (Buddy Ebsen) stayed at the hotel to visit with Shorty Kellems (Shug Fisher). A commemorative DVD of the Hillbillies’ visit to SDC will be available in the park’s gift shops this year.
Many other national television shows have packed up and come to Silver Dollar City to air their programs, including the popular soap “As the World Turns” in 2007.
Guests in 2010 will be treated to a year-long party. Called “Take Time to Celebrate”, the coming year, according to all reports we’ve seen, will be the park’s biggest event year ever. Those events include the debut of the park’s new $7 million ride which is called Tom & Huck’s RiverBlast. It’s described as a super-soaking water raft ride themed around the adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. The rafts are armed with water soakers, so riders have to dodge other rafts as well as sharp shooters on the shore. All we have read and heard about the ride contains a warning…you will get wet!
But that’s not all…far from it in fact. There will be special birthday events, new shows for each of the park’s six world-class festivals and $50,000 in prize give-aways. The 1st of May weekend is the Birthday Celebration Weekend when there will be a parkwide birthday party, special concerts with the legendary Ozark Mountain Daredevils, fireworks, the official debut of the new “Great American Country Nights” evening show and a special “Night of Praise” concluding the events. A national recipe contest, conducted through “Taste of Home” magazine, will discover and also name the Official Silver Dollar City Birthday Cake.
The park opens March 18, and if you think this reporter loves to go, you’re absolutely right. Heck the wonderful food alone is more than worth a visit, but that’s a story for another day.
(Tommy Jackson is a former newspaper editor who now writes a weekly entertainment column. Contact him at
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 17 March 2010 )
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