Legend City facts for kids
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| Location | Phoenix, Arizona, United States |
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| Coordinates | 33°26′49″N 111°57′27″W / 33.447012°N 111.957577°W |
| Status | Removed |
| Opened | 1963 |
| Closed | 1983 |
| Owner | Louis E. Crandall |
| Website | Official website: http://www.legend-city.com |
Legend City was a fun amusement park located near Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona. It opened its gates in 1963 and closed down in 1983. Many people who visited the park still remember it fondly today.
Contents
Park History: Legend City's Journey
Legend City was first imagined by a Phoenix artist named Louis E. Crandall. He wanted to create an Old West-themed park, similar to Disneyland. However, the park faced many challenges over the years. It went through several closings, money troubles, and changes in ownership during the 1960s and 1970s. It never became a huge financial success.
Early Days and Challenges
Legend City opened with a lot of excitement on June 29, 1963. But after only six months, it ran into money problems and went bankrupt. Louis Crandall left his role as president. This led to the first of many times the park would change owners.
New Owners and Popularity
Later, Sam Shoen, who owned U-Haul, bought the park. Under his ownership, Legend City became a popular place for children. This was probably the park's most successful time. After a while, Mr. Shoen lost interest in the park. It was then sold to the Mitsubishi Corporation from Japan. They used it to show off their amusement rides to people who might want to buy them.
Final Years and Closure
The Japanese owners eventually left the park, and it started to fall apart. The Capell family, who had experience in the carnival business, then bought Legend City. However, they couldn't bring it back to its best days. In 1982, the land was bought by the Salt River Project. They closed the park for good after the 1983 season. Legend City was then taken apart and torn down to make way for new offices.
Fun Attractions at Legend City
Legend City had many popular and memorable rides and attractions. These included the exciting Lost Dutchman Mine ride and Cochise’s Stronghold river ride. Visitors could also enjoy the Sky Ride and play games at the Penny Arcade. There was also Miniature Golf, the Log Jammer, and the Iron Horse. The Iron Horse was a narrow gauge train on the 3 ft (914 mm) Legend City Railroad.
Entertainment and Special Guests
Local kids' TV show hosts, Wallace and Ladmo, often appeared at Legend City. They were there almost every weekend during the park's entire run. In the early days, Vonda Kay Van Dyke performed a popular ventriloquism act. She later became Miss America in 1965. In 1965, the park also added the 1000-foot-long 'Pipeline'. This was an early type of skateboarding skatepark with a gently sloped and twisting track.
Legend City's Legacy
Even though Legend City is gone, its legacy lives on. The Metro Phoenix area is one of the largest cities in the United States. However, it still doesn't have a very large amusement park. The biggest one currently is Castles N' Coasters.
