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    Carowinds
    Carowinds
    Carowinds
    Ebook195 pages39 minutes

    Carowinds

    By Scott Rutherford

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    About this ebook

    Located near Charlotte, Carowinds has long been considered the "Thrill Capital of the Southeast!"


    Inspired by a trip to Disneyland in 1957, Hall envisioned an amusement park for the citizens of the Carolinas. The brainchild of Earl Patterson Hall, a self-made businessman and real estate developer, Carowinds is an exciting day for children and adults alike. In 1973, after four years of planning and construction, Carowinds opened to the public on a large site that straddles the North Carolina-South Carolina border. Throughout the 1970s, visitors enjoyed rides such as the Witchdoctor and White Lightnin'. Currently, the park features rides, shows, and attractions for all, including Intimidator, the tallest and fastest coaster in the Southeast. Carowinds showcases the rich history of this Carolina amusement park celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2013.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateJun 3, 2013
    ISBN9781439643419
    Carowinds

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      Book preview

      Carowinds - Scott Rutherford

      archives.

      INTRODUCTION

      Carowinds came into being in the early 1970s, when the burgeoning theme park industry was booming. Numerous such venues had already opened across America, while plenty of others were in development or under construction. The initial inspiration for Carowinds, however, stretches back to the 1950s, when prominent Charlotte, North Carolina, businessman and commercial real estate developer E. Pat Hall found himself intrigued by Disneyland. During a fortuitous visit to Walt’s original park in California, Hall was impressed by the design and the wholesome approach to family entertainment. It was then that he began to formulate his plan to bring a similar but uniquely Carolina resort to the Charlotte area.

      Hall’s ambitious plan would germinate for more than a decade. During that period, he amassed a staggering degree of theme park–related research and began to surround himself with like-minded individuals who shared his values and savvy business sense. By the late 1960s, Hall had purchased several hundred acres of land a few miles south of Charlotte. He chose to build his new park on the border between North and South Carolina, a characteristic that is treasured to this day.

      Carowinds opened with great fanfare in 1973, sporting original themes chosen to showcase the rich history and cultural heritage of the Carolinas. Attention to detail in every sense was addressed, and the result was a theme park like no other. Though Carowinds was immensely popular during its first years, the sagging economy of the mid-1970s directly affected attendance and forced Hall to eventually sell the park in order to save it.

      Over the years, ownership of Carowinds would change hands several times. However, the park continued to grow and evolve favorably. While each operator left their own unique imprint on the venue, Carowinds still managed to retain key facets of its original identity, which reflected first and foremost its Carolina lineage. Though some of the park’s rides and area names may have been altered or even replaced, the intrinsic soul of Carowinds remains intact and completely relevant. Even in this day and age of hi-tech video games and other such activities, there is still a tactile desire, a human need to experience the sights and sounds and smells that only a visit to a real amusement park can provide.

      During the research and writing of this book, I found myself quite fortunate to speak at length with many longtime Carowinds employees who shared their personal recollections. I was deeply affected by how much they truly loved something that had become such an integral part of their lives. Listening to them speak of their long years at Carowinds and hearing their memories come to life, I was whisked back to that time when the park was brand new and a bright future beckoned.

      Just as I was finishing the text, I suddenly came to the realization that there was no way we would be able to include each and every ride, attraction, show, or event that has operated or taken place at Carowinds. Not only were there time and space constraints but I also become conscious of the fact that the representation of this amazing park’s colorful, multilayered saga requires far more than a single collection of photographs. With that in mind, I hope this book inspires others who have known and loved this phenomenal, one-of-a-kind, southern theme park. I hope it rekindles thoughts of the past and inspires readers to go through their own collections, to remember and then to share what they saw and experienced during their time at this extraordinary place called

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