Land of Oz - Beech Mountain, North Carolina
Posted by: 
macleod1
N 36° 11.182 W 081° 52.580
17S E 421203 N 4004975
This defunct theme park is located in the resort town of Beech Mountain.
Waymark Code: WM4QQB
Location: North Carolina, United States
Date Posted: 09/21/2008
Views: 72
From the website:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_of_Oz_(theme_park)
It was opened in 1970 by Grover Robbins, who had been successful with Tweetsie Railroad, and was fully operational until 1980. Based on the 1939 MGM movie The Wizard of Oz, 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 (propelled by electric power lines) allowed visitors to get a bird's-eye view of the park and breathtaking mountain scenery before leaving Oz.
In the late nineties, much of the old theme park was restored and is now opened once a year in October when Beech Mountain holds their annual "Autumn at Oz" festival. Although the balloon rides and the Emerald City are long gone, visitors can once again stroll down the Yellow Brick Road and see some of their old "friends" again.
We are going to be leaving before the festival this year so we were unable to get inside pictures of the area. They now keep the park gated against vandals all other times of the year except the one weekend in October.
Date Park Opened: 01/01/1970
Date Park Closed: 01/01/1980
Address:
Pinnacle Ridge Road
Beech Mountain, NC USA
28604
Current Use or Function:
Once a year "O" party, otherwise this is not being used.
Is the park still there?: Yes
If not, what is in its place now?: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
You must post at least one original picture at the posted coords to post a visit log for this waymark. Extra points if you are in the spirit of the park (i.e., in costume, etc.).