Good times and memories with Family and Friends some who are know longer with us. It made you feel like u was living in there time. It was the place where me and my dad got to know each other again. Please dont keep us waiting. It would be amazing to get that back and take myself, my kids and one day grand kids. Will be checking in to see if this wonderful family vacation destination will be a planned family vacation in the future! Would like my grandchildren to experience it. We would love to bring our kids and grandkids for new memories. Heard alot about this park. I remember taking my kids there. Please bring it back!!! The sky lift was really cool such good memories there would love to see it open and go back again. I went when I was a kid. Contrary to reports, the train did not derail, but came to an abrupt halt. On January 24, 2015 the property was taken off the market, prompted by major progress in the redevelopment of other parts of the property. Casino opened in 2000 and operated for two years before the park closed in 2002. R.B. 15 Maggie Valley The Smokies The Red Devil Cliffhanger coaster at Ghost Town in the Sky (photo courtesy of RomanticAsheville.com) Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate and a partner of other affiliate programs including Booking.com, CJ and Tripster, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases via links found in this article. You May Remember The Now Defunct Ghost Town In The Sky In North Carolina For more abandoned places in North Carolina (yes there are lots, lots more abandoned places in the Tar Heel State! My parents took me & my brother back in the early 80s. Yes love hearing bout ghost town. office. Ultimately, the effort will be a fascinating test case of the power of nostalgia. !, Im a old Brit who first came to ghost town in the sky in 07 and it blew me away going up in the chair lift through clouds, the Gun fights for a old western fan it was magic Id go back now and Im 77, give the kids a thrill. Coburn's original dream to the film. Mom and Dad had friends that lived across road from mountain. Dean Teaster's Ghost Town: The Movie Investors: Private investors stepped forward to make this movie a reality. Was great place to spend a day and make memories. Would love to see it open back up.. Even as recently as 2007, the park experienced a minor landslide from this paved area of the amusement rides. There are thousands, if not tens of thousands, of people who grew up going to Maggie Valley and have wonderful childhood memories. I remember that it was called the mile high ghost town. Does the TV show make real moonshine? Look At This Fascinating Abandoned Place In North Carolina Sure would be great if it was open!! Dean Teaster also brought his fathers character "Digger the Undertaker", back to life in the film to give tribute to his fathers original first creation of Coburn's fictional character "Digger the Undertaker". I and thousands more will be there! The park was a huge attraction during the 60s, 70s, and 80s with families visiting the area. But unless you know a guy like Mark and Digger, youd be trespassing if you try to visit. I loved Ghost Town when I was a kid. One thing they might want to consider adding for the children is a small petting zoo. The park is located on a ridge extending from Buck Mountain border, an extension of the Cataloochee Divide, to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Please reopen ASAP. I would love to take them. We were able to take our children there in the late 90s. Subscribeto ournewsletterand we will instantly deliver the best area discounts to your inbox. JUST TO VISIT OLD WESTERN TOWN WITH ACTION SHOWS IS PERFECT . Maggie Valley boasts a rich mountain history and has everything you . I would love to take my sisters grands there. Hoping it gets open soon. I still have the old newspaper I had made there saying I had won a gunfight. My concern for whomever reopens it, would be that the nostalgia we all feel now, would die down again. Coburn began filling in the area between the two entertainment sections and eventually paved over making it a stable area to place rides. [32] The coaster is unique in that rather than boarding the train and being towed up the lift hill, its boarding station is at the top of the hill. Lots of fun and exciting times with my family growing up and would love to share it with my grandchildren. Developer has long 'to do' list at Ghost Town All they get is me telling them . There's a Real 'Ghost Town in the Sky' on Top of a Mountain in Maggie Well over 35 years ago. Ghost Town partners negotiated a separate deal with SunTrust and BB&T which gave them until May 31 to come up with an alternate plan to allow the park to continue operating if funding was obtained. And would absolutely LOVE taking my kids!! It was a nice ride up and very scenic but only a couple of the kiddie rides were running on the 1st level so we walked around there and seen some old photos of the western stars from the 50s 60s and 70s that were there.They offered a bus ride to the 2nd level where the Footage Of North Carolina's Abandoned Ghost Town In The Sky Will Take You Back In Time. John Gullion, Managing Editor at the Citizen Tribune, is a freelance contributor for TheSmokies.com LLC the parent company of TheSmokies.com and HeyOrlando.com. Like many, I have wonderful childhood memories here. It reopened in 2007. While Robert Teaster is noted as being one of the original "Internationally Famous Ghost Town Gunfighters" as well as the first undertaker, many other original gunfighters shared in this movie tribute to the first gunfighter crew. A western town would be nicewent to Ghost town as a child, then took my children thereenjoyed..I know prosperity is good, all for it, but try not to take away the beautyPigeon Forge and Gatlinburg have done enough of that, plus all the moonshine stores..help make this a great family oriented place, instead of a bunch of intoxicated people, like your rivalsPlease dont turn the facility, into another Broadway at the beach..make it beautiful and worthwhile.. Later took our children. I loved it so much that I applied for a job as one of the entertainers. Would love to take my grandkids. In recent years, a lost attraction received a lot of attention after developers announced efforts to reopen the Maggie Valley landmark, Ghost Town in the Sky. I HOPE that it reopens so that I can take my grandchildren, more so than ever, especially since I live in NC now!! RIDES ARE NOT INPORTANT . So yes, if you build it they will come! We had a blast! She is now 25 and I would love to take my grandkids. And some fake horses you could set on for Photos. approached Carpenter so he could show him the caverns. In fairness, there will remain a heavy level of skepticism as previous attempts have looked promising only to fail. So sad! Great memories as a very small child. My parents took me and my sister so many times in the 70s. Please,please reopen. Maggie Valley. Where it was and what the place was? I would love to take my family there now. We would go back! This was, at one time, the most popular place in Western North Carolina. , Dollywood's DreamMore Resort may be more expensive, but it does come with some impressive amenities (photo by Morgan Overholt/TheSmokies.com), So youre planning an East Tennessee vacation. Time will tell if the efforts are enough to bring it back. when i grew up and had a child . The name of the coaster was a nod to the sponsor. The park was said to be allowed to open for the season while details of the sale were worked out. We brought our Son there several times years ago and still come to Maggie Valley because of its beauty. NO GUN FIGHTS!!!! Ghost Town developers reach major milestone - Smoky Mountain News Build it and they most definitely will come! The chairlift and incline railway also required constant maintenance and repair. [13] Instead, the park remained closed. Coburn sold the property to in August, 2006, who attempted to revive the park, but ended up closing at the end of the 2009 season. Im praying it does reopen again and soon. I believe it was the Bellamy Brothers we saw in concert on that trip. The documents show $74,000 was paid to Wood, none of which was reportedly deposited into the corporate account. Tilt-A-Whirl operated from 1961 until the park's closure in 2002. A flurry of legal documents are being filed between Wood and Jill McClure, niece and heir to Presley. I would Most Certainly comeback! My parents took me and my siblings several times when we were growing up. Originally named "Ghost Town in the Sky", the Wild West-themed amusement park was one of the most popular attractions in the eastern United States and the state of North Carolina in the 70s, 80s and 90s. [3] In the early 1960s, the park hosted several stars of TV Westerns, such as Laramie and Wagon Trail. I would love to see the park reopen. The Crazy Mouse, Devil Coaster and the Rock-N,-Roll were my favorite rides. To Bad I went there a few times as a kid and a teenagers went once with our Church youth group that stayed for a week at Lake Junaluska. Ghost Town in the Sky was the vision of businessman R.B. I was younger when my parents ts took me, probably early teens. In November 2014, Ghost Town was listed for sale with an asking price of $3 million by Action Creak Realty. Tired of Disney and Universal. I have so many awesome memories of this place. Plus, getting people and fresh water to the top of the mountain at a high elevation has been a real problem. As a kid we camped on the next mountain over and you could see the small coaster at the back of the park on top of the mountain. Ghost Town in the Sky, . Please let it begin to be great again. When I go to Maggie valley, I make sure to pass by the old entrance to see if its reopened. Lots of good family memories I always wanted to be able to take my kids here. The Monster opened in 1992 and closed in 2000, two years before the park closed. At the time of this writing, it is unclear if and when Ghost Town will reopen. [31]. R.B. Im 44 years old now and still remember everything about it. Lamar Berry and his partners were working on a purchase agreement for the park property from Alaska Presley. ", This page was last edited on 6 June 2023, at 23:53. Went many times and took our son. We still vacation there 2/3 times per year and this would be a great place to see. The rename was due to Paramount releasing their movie titled Ghost Town a month prior to the Lionsgate release of Ghost Town: The Movie. I am have 2 professions one is a Nurse and the other is a photographer Let me come in the park a do a photo shoot to promote interest and lets see where we can go with this. The park itself sustained damage, but to what extent is not publicly known. We are excited!! Bring it back. My dad took us every year back in the late70s early 80s. My wife is foreign and has never experience ghost town. I do wish they would reopen. I never experienced Ghost Town as a child but my husband did and he reminisces about it often. I was actually thinking of taking my kids there during the summer and thats how I came across this page. This resulted in passengers being stranded for hours. In the following months, reports came out that Wood had a complicated financial history. It also had shows about life in mining settlements. . My parents took me to Ghost Town in the Sky at least two times when I was very young. So much character and good wholesome fun for the family. On July 16, 2002, the chairlift stopped, stranding passengers for over two hours. Written by Becky Johnson Wednesday, July 30, 2014 A lawsuit casting blame for a massive landslide in Maggie Valley four years ago is headed to a jury trial in Haywood County this week. The story is told that R.B. [21], The planned reopening failed to materialize as issues were reported with vendors and staff. That's because he believes doing it right will require a total rebuild, from the bottom up. In 2002, a chair lift ride that took guests to the park from the bottom of the mountain broke down in the summer heat. It reopened in 2007 as "Dream Catcher," featuring a new wooden floor and enclosing fence. All of the rides are situated at the edge of the mountain, with one ("The Gun Slinger") that swings out over the mountainside. Would now tske the granddaughter too. Ghost Town Village for sale, listed at $5.95M | WLOS Wood has not provided accounting on where the funds went, citing that McClure isnt entitled to financial records. Better infrastructure and housing would have to be a big part of the resurrection plans to help Ghost Town Maggie Valley become the tourist destination it was always meant to be. Cory Vaillancourt photo. Maggie Valley grew in popularity with tourists in the early to mid 1900s, due to its close proximity to the Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We need this. Id love to take my grandchildren there. While attendance numbers were not announced, tourism to Haywood County increased 22%. My hubby and I went there during our 1 year anniversary trip and we loved it. This trapped Ghost Town Village in a vicious cycle in which it had to fight to stay alive. The original indoor scrambler called Black Widow was operated until the park's closure in 2002. We now have a summer home in Maggie, so nothing would make me happier to enjoy Ghost Town and share some of memories with my family. The entire ride was a custom-built in-house ride. WE WILL SEE.. It reopened in 2007, but was closed in 2009 after a mechanical malfunction caused several riders to be injured. Would love to live in the area aswell, Loved going there when it was open, sure hope it does reopen, Id love to take my kids there, such great memories going there. Hopefully someone with the Funding will be able to save it and make it into a place that cant draw people back to the area.To many of these older places and the memories are going away. We loved everything about it. As time I think if you rebuild re-open people will come I have a lot of great memories of that place and I would love to continue taking my kids Buck Mountain, So many good memories at ghost townI got to go growing up and my children !Im hoping I can take my grandkids one day, Yes would love to bring my grandkids there. It reopened in 2007 with a new red and yellow color scheme. Download PDF This is the letter sent to Frankie Wood about sewer capacity in the town. It opened in 1961 and closed in 2002, followed by a series of owners that have opened parts of the park for short times. Many great memories of Ghost Town in the Sky. See Relics From Ghost Town In The Sky. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate and a partner of other affiliate programs including Booking.com, CJ and Tripster, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases via links found in this article. It reopened in 2007 with a new color scheme and a new underwall. If it opens back up I would take my grands there a couple of times a year. A marble stone was erected at the base of the mountain after filming as a tribute to the first gunfighter crews and the Hollywood stars that performed there. Would love the chance, I look forward to the day it comes back to life to see the Indians dance was out of this world so friendly. Maggie Valley near Asheville, North Carolina features many attractions, shopping, dancing, Soco Falls and Wheels Through Time motorcycle and car museum. It was truly a hidden treasure. We would definitely support the reopening and visit often. I was so sad to find it closed down. Ghost Town in the Sky | Photo Tour - RomanticAsheville.com Claiming insolvency, a lawsuit filed Monday in Haywood County Superior Court seeks to dissolve two limited liability corporations, Ghost Town in the Sky, LLC and Maggie Valley RV Park, LLC established by developer Frankie Wood and the late Alaska Presley. Coburn, a Virginia native who moved to Maggie Valley, North Carolina. The nostalgia factor alone would be awesome. I remember my family taking me to Ghost town in the Sky. [7] The attendance number declined to 340,000 by 2008.[8]. YOU WILL MAKE US OLD TIMERS HAPPY TO VISIT . "Mining Town" had areas where people could pan for gold and silver. The most recent resurrection talks began in 2019 when Frankie Wood negotiated a deal with owner Alaska Presley. When the fight started in the saloon, the guys came flying out the doors ,we knew the gunfight was going to begin. Maggie Valley, situated in North Carolina's stunning Great Smoky Mountains, is known for its unrivaled location and friendly, small-town character. And would love the oppurtunity to go back! Coburn thought it would be a tourist draw to add mountain cavern tours along with his idea of a western town. For instance, it is estimated that over 200 employees would be required to run the resurrected Ghost Town in the Sky. Abandoned Theme Park on Top of a Mountain - Ghost Town in the Sky 2020 - Maggie Valley, North CarolinaFor footage of when it was open check out: https://yout. Dollywood has gotten too disneylike. The name of the park was provided by the child of one of the investors. We're Larry and Jenn, mountain lovers and Blue Ridge Mountain travel and outdoor experts. I would love to do some volunteer marketing for this place and help bring back to life my childhood memories!!! It really took you back in time with all the excitement. I got to take my order too but I never got to take my baby. The second floor could eventually be sold or leased for residential use, according to Smoky Mountain News. We go over the mountain each yr and pass by there. Some I remember going as a child back when child stars would appear in the summer. I grew up going to Ghost Town as my family had a cabin nearby. IT WAS GREAT FOR [4], In 1984, a roller coaster was planned, sponsored by Coors Beer at a cost of one million dollars. My daughter still has her cap gun. We love it. Im 65 now and would love to take my grandkids. Monster suffered from numerous mechanical breakdowns. Now the saloon ladies we had our picture made with everyone of them on the bench and stagecoach. And I can see it being a forever vacation place for us!! Cant recall the actors name, but he was there, and involved in a shoot out.. it was great My kids especially my son would love it. And finally my girls. [3], The park opened on May 1, 1961 and quickly became one of Western North Carolina's most popular tourist attractions. Roberts performance on that day set in motion a lifetime career as R.B Coburn would not let him return to his previous job. Ghost Town in the Sky is currently a closed and the historic Old-West themed amusement park, located in Maggie Valley NC. Ghost Town developers reach major milestone. It would not require too many employees. I remember this place. There were no stupid rides back then only the great chairlift ride up the mountain. I went there as a kid. Federal funding was granted to the park in the amount of $1.3 million for the clean-up of its main access road, Rich Cove, which was buried in the slide. Local investors provided much of the needed capital for the park in the form of debenture bonds, beginning in 1959. Maggie Valley has the potential to be the biggest attraction north of Atlanta and west of the Piedmont. We went there every summer as part of our Smoky Mountain vacation. Im 56 now and still remember going there bout every year when I was young with my parents and sister and brother. In July, the park opened later than planned after having issues with ride inspections. Loved this place! [26] The goal of the new owners is to preserve the original experience. Yes please reopen ghost town and bring it back to life.i have lots of childhood memories there.I hope someone can do this and make it possible.. Hope it reopens as well. Please please reopen!!!! Was that just an exaduration for advertising purposes? would love to see it open back Great memory Some of the best in my life. ), take a look at this entire abandoned neighborhood. They would all like to take their spouses and children. Wouldnt be such a tourist trap like Pigeon Forge is. I would pay, My mother and my step father, Dad, went on their honeymoon there. Ghost Town is promoted as "North Carolina's mile-high theme park.". Even 2.5hrs from home, Id make time to take the family. Was this the place that had the giant Pink panther in front? Would be great History and Nostalgia. Would love to see it reopen. Then put up tons of videos, pictures, and placards explaining the history of the park. We went to Ghost Town in the Sky every summer with my Nana that lived in Lake Junaluska. [23], As of October 2019, new investors had a contract and were completing due diligence with an eye to reopen the park. This means 200 families would need affordable housing in the area. At the time of this writing, there is a legal battle surrounding Ghost Town in the Sky and its stakeholders. Im glad I got the chance to take my Grand Niece there in 2013 anyhow. My son ran around and around just like I did when I was a child. We loved this place. The best time for seeing them is generally better in the early morning or evening. As it turns out, the plan for Ghost Town doesn't just involve the former amusement park; there exists in Maggie Valley a critical need for all manner of infrastructure to support the project, especially in terms of workforce availability and development. The "Silver Dollar Saloon" featured hourly shows of Old West can-can dancers, while the "Red Dog Saloon" featured live country and bluegrass music performances throughout the day. When it rains its a muddy mess. The existing retaining wall that holds up this paved area was rebuilt with great care by experienced contractors. Coburn was taken by the resemblance between the 1800's Apache Kid and Robert Bradley. Sunday, March 28, 2021. 1 on our list for its incredible amenities (photo courtesy of VRBO), When I book a mountain cabin, I want to be up in the mountains, with a view and some privacy. When you visit Maggie Valley, you're sure to discover the meaning of Southern hospitality wherever you go and whatever you do. We would love another option to take our young kids to for years to come! We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. I hope this time they get it there. The film, titled Ghost Town: The Movie,[35] was directed by Haywood County native Dean Teaster and technical director Jeff Kennedy. I loved going their as a child and I have lots of great memories of this place. My grandparents took me there as a kid first in 1993 then again in 1998 we loved it Id had never been to the smokey mts before but my grandparents had and I love the smokey mts of north Carolina and Tennessee real pretty places. In February, Presley attempted to develop a winter attraction for the area but funding was an issue. It was a blast. Our family went I believe a couple of years before it closed. [24][2], As of July 2020, work at the site and purchase of the property is still proceeding. I remember one of the cowboys scared me but it was great. Hope this happens, Im 61 now and excited about the chance. If this does happen will it hurt DOLLYWOOD S Park. Remember the gunfights, saloon showgirls, the graveyard with the wacky headstones, the old church which held sunday sermons, a man that did a one man musical show. These men were highly trained and experienced gunfighters who brought R.B. Ghost Town in the Sky in North Carolina mountains up for sale for $5.9M Dollywood is going down Quick because they are taking out All the Mountain Mystic that filled the park. Would love to come back,we used to come there every year, we still like coming to Maggie valley, be nice to go back on top to with grandkids and family again. There was Robert Bradley, the original "Apache Kid" from the 1960's gunfighter crew who first stepped forward with half of the movie's budget. But as Dollywood and Pigeon Forge soared, Ghost Town began fading. The park also added a new ride, Geronimo Drop, which had been at Libertyland in Memphis, Tennessee and was bought by Ghost Town in 2007. Hope you open back up soon! We Will Come !!!!!! Im very excited to see the outcome of all this speculation! "Mountain Town" featured shows about life in the Smoky Mountains. Coburn in June 1961, was once the defining element in Maggie Valley. Love to see it open .Great family fun for all ages and would bring this regions economy alive again. I would love to make memories with my grandbabies now. The old jail and sherrifs It was closed for a year before reopening in 2008. We loved the rides, the food, the games, the town and the Indian shows. I loved it! I went ghost town with my family every year in the 90s. [4], As of July 2018, the park was being called Ghost Town Adventures and planned to reopen in fall 2018, after renovation and work on the skylift. The recreated "Ghost Town" sits at 4,600 feet (1,400m), with the highest elevation in the park being about 4,650 feet (1,420m). In late 2021, the park received some national attention after its appearance on Moonshiners when Mark and Digger traveled up to Ghost Town to hide their shine. Maggie Valley is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area.. The gun fights, shows and rides are great. When it was over we couldnt wait till the next gunfight. The chairlift is now fully operational and the only method to get to the park other than the narrow, steep road since the Incline Railway is still not in operation. [2](At one time visiting the closed park was possible via an abandoned road, but it is a private property and as of October 2019 the new owners have increased security and limited access.) Really!!! I enjoyed it so much. Ghost Town: The Movie, later titled Dean Teaster's Ghost Town, at the time of release on Lionsgate label was listed the most rented Western film by "Rentrax" reporting service. This allowed foreclosure proceedings to continue as the park was no longer protected under Chapter 11. Yes, I have fond memories of it growing up. It would be wonderful for Western North Carolina and the region in general. Hell take up donations. This area featured a museum chronicling the history of "Ghost Town", a restaurant, the Freefall, the casino and the Cliffhanger. Took our kids there years ago! It would be great to see it open again for sure! We lived in SE Kentucky, so you can only imagine the excitement that we had on our trip! I went there plenty of times as a child, took my kids there. Build and everybody will come. Failure to secure the loan would have probably meant the loss of 200 jobs and a $2 million payroll, as well as impacting local businesses who benefited from park visitors. My husband and I went and liked it. I remember buying Moxigans Every time we went . Live in FL now. My kids loved it and we all were sad when it closed. The glorification of gun culture has no place in a family oriented attraction in these times, when gun violence takes lives every week. Developer has long 'to do' list at Ghost Town - Yahoo News Beast Challenge!! [11][12] Shiver announced on a local news program that the park was still slated to open on Memorial Day weekend, but this did not happen. At one time, Ghost Town served as a worthy rival to the pre-Dollywood Silver Dollar City/Goldrush Junction theme parks. The rest of the track extends over the edge of the mountain with great views of the surrounding mountains. [22] Investors however bailed on the project. I have the best memory of this place in 1995 I got married and had a honey moon in Maggie Vally and we decided to go my husband never had been on a roller coast we did front row he loved it so much we must have went 12 times we are still married and would make this place our anniversary spot every year and bring our kids and grand kids wish it was open maybe one day, My Dad would load my 2 brothers and me up in the car for a trip to Ghost Town several times each year when we were growing up. For the amusement park in Pennsylvania that was once known as "Ghost Town in the Glen", see, Bill Studenc, "Maggie Valley Considers Loan for Ghost Town,", Andre Rodriguez, "Ghost Town Back in Business,". I have brought many children to Ghost Town. My family loved Ghost Town. I loved going there it was my favorite place to go. Each year I couldnt wait to see the triangle building with the cable tram and the sky lift behind it. Plans for Ghost Town property begin to emerge - Smoky Mountain News Sad to see it closed and abandoned, now. [14], In February 2012, the park was purchased at public auction by Alaska Presley for $2.5 million. And my grandchildren would love it. We live in Flovilla Ga, its not to far for us!! Please reopen this attraction. Loely memories from there and wznt to make many more. Happy to visit as back in the 60s and 70s !! Allegedly, there are also unpaid property taxes due. Not only was the park fun but the valley was full of shops and roadside bands that popped up playing bluegrass and country favorites.
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