Ghost Town Village facts for kids
| Previously known as Ghost Town in the Sky | |
| Location | Maggie Valley, North Carolina, United States |
|---|---|
| Opened | May 1, 1961 |
| Owner | Ghost Town Adventures as of May 2018 |
| Theme | Wild West |
| Slogan | North Carolina's Mile High Theme Park |
| Operating season | Spring-Fall |
| Attendance | 500,000 |
| Area | Indian Village, Mountain Town, Mining Town |
| Attractions | |
| Total | Tilt-a-whirl, a scrambler, bumper cars, merry-go-round |
| Roller coasters | Red Devil Cliffhanger |
Ghost Town Village (once called "Ghost Town in the Sky") is an old Wild West-themed amusement park in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, United States. It sits high up on Buck Mountain, about 4,650 feet above sea level. People often called it "North Carolina's mile-high theme park." As of October 2019, the park was being considered for sale.
Contents
History of Ghost Town Village
Where is Ghost Town Village Located?
The park is built on a ridge that stretches from Buck Mountain towards the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The main entrance is on U.S. Highway 19 in Maggie Valley.
What makes this park special is its mountain top location. Visitors originally reached it by a long chair lift or a special funicular train. These rides started at 3,150 feet high and climbed to 4,400 feet. The "Ghost Town" itself is at 4,600 feet.
How Ghost Town Village Was Built
The idea for Ghost Town came from R.B. Coburn. He was inspired by his trips to the western United States. At first, the park was planned for a different spot. But another owner, Alaska Pressley, suggested the mountain top.
Local people helped fund the park starting in 1959. The name "Ghost Town" was suggested by a child of one of the investors. The park was designed by Russell Pearson and cost about $1 million to build in 1960. More than 200 local workers helped build 40 replica buildings for the Western Town.
When Ghost Town Village Opened
Ghost Town opened on May 1, 1961. It quickly became a very popular place to visit in Western North Carolina. It had a double incline railway that took visitors up the mountain. A two-seat chair lift was also added. At one time, 620,000 people visited Ghost Town each year! The park was sold in 1973, but Coburn bought it back in 1986. He then built the park's famous Red Devil roller coaster.
Why Ghost Town Village Closed the First Time
In its later years, the park wasn't managed very well. Many rides, like the Red Devil roller coaster and the Sea Dragon, often broke down. The chairlift and incline railway also needed constant repairs. This made many visitors unhappy.
On July 16, 2002, the chairlift stopped, leaving passengers stuck for over two hours. Because fewer people were visiting due to the park's condition, Coburn closed Ghost Town a few days later. He then put the park up for sale. It stayed closed for four years, and many thought it would never reopen.
Re-opening Attempts of Ghost Town Village
Reopening in 2007
Ghost Town was sold in August 2006. It reopened on May 25, 2007, after $38 million was spent on fixing it up. Most of the rides reopened, but not the incline railway or the old train. A movie called Dean Teaster's Ghost Town was filmed there and premiered the same weekend.
Financial Problems in 2009
By 2009, over $11 million more had been spent, including $6 million on the Cliffhanger roller coaster. But Ghost Town faced financial problems. The park blamed the tough economy and high gas prices. They needed a loan to reopen for the summer. An unknown investor helped, and the park opened as planned. They even added a new ride called Geronimo Drop. However, Ghost Town continued to struggle and closed again at the end of the 2009 season.
Challenges in 2010
On February 5, 2010, a large mudslide happened at the park. It damaged some homes nearby. The park itself was also damaged. This made people wonder if the park would open for the 2010 season.
Later, a judge allowed the banks to take over the park to pay off its debts. A new company, American Heritage Family Parks, tried to buy it. They promised to pay off the park's debts and taxes. The park was supposed to open, but it stayed closed.
New Owners and Plans (2011-2015)
In April 2011, the park's financial case was dismissed. This meant the banks could continue to take over. In February 2012, Alaska Presley, a local businesswoman, bought the park for $2.5 million. She had been involved with the park since it started. She hoped to open at least part of it by the end of 2012.
On June 29, 2012, the park's entrance opened for gift sales. The chairlift also opened for tours of the town. A limited opening was planned for 2013. However, the park had been damaged by vandals and thieves. New laws also required a lot of money for repairs and inspections.
In November 2014, Ghost Town was listed for sale again for $3 million. The idea was to sell the lower part of the park to investors. Presley wanted to develop the upper part into a "Holy Land replica theme park." But in January 2015, the property was taken off the market.
Rebranding and More Closures (2015-2020)
On October 22, 2015, the park announced it would be renamed Ghost Town Village. It was planned to open on June 1, 2016. The new park would have gunfights, the chairlift, gift shops, ziplines, a museum, and horseback riding. The old roller coasters and rides were too expensive to fix. However, on June 2, 2016, the park announced it would not open that year and was for sale again.
By July 2018, the park was called Ghost Town Adventures. Lamar Berry and his partners were working to buy it. A reopening was planned for spring 2019, with a new name, Appalachian Village. But by July 2019, it was for sale again for $5.9 million. Vandalism was a big reason it hadn't reopened. As of July 2020, work was still happening at the site.
What You Could Find at Ghost Town Village
The park is divided into different "towns" at various heights on the mountain. Each town has its own theme. These include the "Indian Village," "Mountain Town," and "Mining Town."
The main part of the park is a recreated Old West town. It has two saloons, a schoolhouse, a bank, a jail, a church, and other businesses. Every hour, a pretend gunfight would happen in the street. The "Silver Dollar Saloon" had hourly shows with can-can dancers. The "Red Dog Saloon" featured live country and bluegrass music.
The "Indian Village" had shows about Native American life in the Old West. "Mining Town" let people try to pan for gold and silver. "Mountain Town" showed what life was like in the Smoky Mountains.
At the end of the chairlift and incline railway, there's the "Heritage Town Square." This area was added in 2007. It had a museum about Ghost Town's history, a restaurant, and some rides.
Roller Coasters and Rides
The Red Devil roller coaster opened in 1988. It was renamed Cliffhanger in 2007 and got a new paint job. This coaster is unique because its boarding station is at the top of the hill. Riders would get on, and the train would roll out, go around a curve, and then drop into an inverted loop. The rest of the track goes over the edge of the mountain, offering amazing views.
The Cliffhanger had many problems. It was supposed to reopen in 2007 but was delayed until 2009 for major repairs. It opened on June 30, 2009, but closed two days later. Inspectors found a tiny crack in a seat frame. It reopened later in 2009 but closed again after more issues. In 2010, during a test run, there was a problem with a wheel. The park said the Cliffhanger would stay closed until a new train was bought.
Another roller coaster at Ghost Town is a small children's coaster called Tumbleweed. It was originally named Lil Devil.
Above Ghost Town, there's an area with other amusement rides. These rides are right on the edge of the mountain. One ride, "The Gun Slinger," even swings out over the mountainside!
In 2009, a new haunted house called "The House of Terror" opened for Halloween.
| Rides | Description |
|---|---|
| Bumper Cars | These cars let you bump into your friends! They closed in 2002 and reopened in 2007. |
| Chairlift | This ride takes you up the mountain. It was the only way to get to the park besides a steep road. |
| Cliffhanger | This steel roller coaster was the park's main thrill ride. It had one loop and went about 40 mph. It was originally called the Red Devil. |
| Sea Dragon | A swinging ship ride that opened in 1995. It reopened in 2008 after being closed for a year. |
| Dream Catcher | A spinning ride that lifts you into the air. It reopened in 2007 with a new look. |
| Geronimo Drop | A tall tower that drops you quickly. It was a new ride added in 2007. |
| Gunslinger | A swing ride that spins you around. It reopened in 2007 with a new red and yellow color. |
| Incline Railway | A special train that climbed the mountain. It was not reopened after 2002 due to safety concerns. |
| Merry-Go-Round | A classic Carousel ride with horses. It reopened in 2007. |
| Round Up | A spinning ride that pins you to the wall. It reopened in 2007 with a new look. |
| Monster | This ride opened in 1992 but closed early in 2000 because it often broke down. |
| Train | A train ride around the park. It reopened briefly in 2009 but closed again in 2010. |
| Tumbleweed | A small roller coaster for kids. It was originally called Lil Devil. |
| Mining Town Swing | A swing ride that opened in 1966. It closed in 2009 after some riders were hurt. |
| Tilt-A-Whirl | A spinning ride with cars that tilt and turn. It reopened in 2010 but had mechanical problems. |
| Casino | A spinning ride that opened in 2000. It reopened in 2008. |
| Undertaker | An indoor spinning ride, originally called Black Widow. It was moved outside and renamed "Undertaker" in 2007. |
Other Parks by the Founders
The people who helped create Ghost Town, Russell Pearson and R.B. Coburn, also opened other Wild West theme parks. These included Frontierland in Cherokee, North Carolina (1964), and Six Gun Territory in Florida.
Images for kids
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A pretend gunfight for visitors at Ghost Town in 1964.
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Ghost Town tourist attraction in summer 1964.
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The chair lift taking visitors up and down the mountain in 1964.
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Maggie Valley, North Carolina, seen from Waterrock Knob. You can see the path for the incline railway that led to Ghost Town.
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On the movie set of 'Dean Teaster's Ghost Town', with Robert Bradley (Apache Kid) and Herbert 'Cowboy' Coward. They were original Ghost Town gunfighters from 1961.
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A view from Rich Cove Road, the only road leading up to Ghost Town in the Sky.
