Land of Oz (theme park)
Encyclopedia
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 (a specially modified ski lift installed by Goforth Brothers http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3728969.pdf) 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 were on exhibit in the museum at Appalachian State University
in Boone
, but the museum no longer exists, and the artifacts are in storage at Appalachian State.
was specially designed to become the hot air balloon
ride which has since been redeployed to be a ski lift on the back bowl of Ski Beech. In later years, characters from the story conducted tours, but the original design was for the visitor to assume the role of Dorothy - experiencing everything from Kansas to tornado to the meeting the characters on the yellow brick road to Oz. The visit culminated in Emerald City, where Dorothy appeared with her friends to meet the Wizard.
The park was the top attraction in the southeast the first year. Dampened by the death of owner Grover Robbins a few months before the park opened, the driving force to keep the park as a special experience gave way to commercial necessities foisted on Carolina Caribbean Corp by the downturn in real estate sales. Emerald City burned in 1976, destroying some artifacts, including the dress worn by Dorothy in the movie. Land of Oz finally closed in 1980.
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 were saved but has yet to be restored to its former glory.
The owner of the land restored the park about ten years later. 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. Gregory Hugh Leng was guest of honor. 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 and some of the original 1970 cast will return to share photos and tales from the original inspiration of Jack Pentes.
Beech Mountain, North Carolina
For the geographical feature, see Beech MountainBeech Mountain is the highest town east of the Rocky Mountains, located in both Avery and Watauga counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 310 at the 2000 census...
. It was opened in 1970 by Grover Robbins, who had been successful with Tweetsie Railroad
Tweetsie Railroad
Tweetsie Railroad is a family oriented railroad and Wild West theme park located between Boone and Blowing Rock, North Carolina, United States. In addition to a ride aboard an authentic steam locomotive, the park features amusement rides and other attractions geared towards families with...
, and was fully operational until 1980. The park was based on the book
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900, it has since been reprinted numerous times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of...
rather than the film
The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
. 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 (a specially modified ski lift installed by Goforth Brothers http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3728969.pdf) 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
Alec Wilder
Alec Wilder was an American composer.-Biography:...
and North Carolina native Loonis McGlohon (with the exception of E.Y. Harburg and Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen was an American composer of popular music, having written over 500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In addition to composing the songs for The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1938 song, "Over the Rainbow,” Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the...
's "Over the Rainbow
Over the Rainbow
"Over the Rainbow" is a classic Academy Award-winning ballad song with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg. It was written for the movie The Wizard of Oz, and was sung by Judy Garland in the movie...
" for which rights were obtained to integrate into the Emerald City show).
A video and display on The Land of Oz were on exhibit in the museum at Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University is a comprehensive , public, coeducational university located in Boone, North Carolina, United States. Appalachian State, also referred to as Appalachian, App State, or simply App, is the sixth largest institution in the University of North Carolina system...
in Boone
Boone, North Carolina
Boone is a town located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, United States. Boone's population was reported as 17,122, as of 2010...
, but the museum no longer exists, and the artifacts are in storage at Appalachian State.
History
Land of Oz opened in 1970 with the intention of extending the ski resort to be a 'year-round' attraction by offering an attraction at the pinnacle of Beech Mountain. A ski liftSki lift
The term ski lift generally refers to any transport device that carries skiers up a hill. A ski lift may fall into one of the following three main classes:-Lift systems and networks:...
was specially designed to become the hot air balloon
Hot air balloon
The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
ride which has since been redeployed to be a ski lift on the back bowl of Ski Beech. In later years, characters from the story conducted tours, but the original design was for the visitor to assume the role of Dorothy - experiencing everything from Kansas to tornado to the meeting the characters on the yellow brick road to Oz. The visit culminated in Emerald City, where Dorothy appeared with her friends to meet the Wizard.
The park was the top attraction in the southeast the first year. Dampened by the death of owner Grover Robbins a few months before the park opened, the driving force to keep the park as a special experience gave way to commercial necessities foisted on Carolina Caribbean Corp by the downturn in real estate sales. Emerald City burned in 1976, destroying some artifacts, including the dress worn by Dorothy in the movie. Land of Oz finally closed in 1980.
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 were saved but has yet to be restored to its former glory.
The owner of the land restored the park about ten years later. 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. Gregory Hugh Leng was guest of honor. 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
Poppy
A poppy is one of a group of a flowering plants in the poppy family, many of which are grown in gardens for their colorful flowers. Poppies are sometimes used for symbolic reasons, such as in remembrance of soldiers who have died during wartime....
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
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
; the Wicked Witch's legs stick out from under the house. In 2011, the park will host the International Wizard of Oz club and some of the original 1970 cast will return to share photos and tales from the original inspiration of Jack Pentes.
External links
- Beech Mountain, North Carolina - Land of Oz at Roadside AmericaRoadside AmericaRoadside America is an indoor miniature village and railway covering , created by Laurence Gieringer in 1935. It was first displayed to the public in the Rainbow Fire Company's building, and a separate exhibit was opened in Carsonia Park in 1938...
- 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.