Ghost Town in the Sky Amusement Park of Maggie Valley, NC
After 5 years of sitting vacant the amusement park is reopening Friday, May 25th. Aptly named, Ghost Town in the Sky, is over 3,300 feet up the mountain-side from the valley below. The climb to the park can be done by chair lift, a 75 degree, incline train, or a long and winding bus ride. Once there you can enjoy the variety of rides from bumper cars and the scrambler to the mile-high rollercoaster and the all-new drop tower. Most of the rides offer nice views of the valley below, but the roller coaster, named Cliffhanger, may offer the most exciting. Cliffhanger is a unique roller coaster that swings out over the edge of the mountain, offering spectacular views and thrills. If you’re not interested in rides you can wander into the authentic western town that includes two saloons, jail, schoolhouse, and church. The saloons feature live music and Can-Can girls, and in the streets bank robberies, jailbreaks and gunfights can break out at anytime. Cherokee Indian dancers and musicians are another performance you won’t want to miss. A new area of Ghost Town in the Sky, is The Heritage Town Square. This area leads you through the history of the Wild West, Western North Carolina, and 40 years of Ghost Town Memorabilia. There are also craft makers and a mining town where you can pan for gold and North Carolina gems. With such a variety of activites Ghost Town in the Sky makes a great amusement park for the whole family.
It may be that Ghost Town has some ghosts of its own. The general manager Bob Cordier describes one such tale:
One particular ghostly tale involves Ghost Town’s Silver Dollar Saloon and a bartender’s picture. There was once a plaque hanging on a wall in the saloon that featured a bartender with a huge mustache. Old pictures taken from that time period show the plaque on the wall behind the saloon bar. The plaque has been lost for a number of years, but it mysteriously appeared in behind the scenes photos taken during the filming of the Ghost Town movie that was made in 2006. The actual plaque has never been found, and there is no explanation for this mystery.”(Gleaton)
When this Western-themed amusement park was first opened in 1960, it was the first tourist attraction in Maggie Valley. With Ghost Town’s success, the town of Maggie Valley began building motels, restaurants and craft shops, for visiting families. Ghost Town operated successfully for 41 years, but closed in 2002 after a series of equipment problems. The town noticed a decline in tourism during the years it was closed, but still attracted visitors who where interesting in country music shows, skiing, and hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Ghost Town in the Sky http://www.ghosttowninthesky.com/default.htm (Retrieved May 23, 2007)
Gleaton, Sonja “Ghost Town in the Sky” http://www.thetandd.com/articles/2007/05/22/features/doc464fa364952c6429513467.txt (Retrieved May 23, 2007).
