Old Ghost Towns Near Me – Ghost Town in the Sky opened on May 1, 1961 and quickly became one of the state’s most popular tourist attractions. It was promoted as “North Carolina’s mile-high theme park.”
At one time, Ghost Town was a worthy competitor to the previous Dollywood Silver Dollar City/Goldrush Junction theme parks. As Dollywood and Pigeon Forge grew, Ghost Town began to disappear.
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Ghost Town in the Sky was the vision of businessman Rob Coburn, originally from Virginia, who moved to Maggie Valley, North Carolina. Coburn was inspired to create a western-themed amusement park after visiting several ghost towns in the American West. In 1960, he purchased Buck Mountain at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains for the location of his new roller coaster. The park was designed by Russell Pearson and cost $1 million to build. The park is divided into several towns located at different heights of the mountain, each with a different theme. Every hour, the shooting took place in the middle of the street, and visitors lined up to watch. The heart of the park is an old western town that includes two saloons, a school, a bank, a jail and a church.
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New rides and attractions have been added over the years. At its peak, Ghost Town attracted more than 400,000 visitors each season. A double inclined train was built to take visitors to the top of Buck Mountain. The slope was created with a 25-ton bulldozer attached to a winch attached to another bulldozer that pulled the bulldozer up the mountain. The train made for an interesting ride to the top of the mountain, with varying slopes ranging from 30 to 77 degrees. Tourists could only reach the mountaintop amusement park by taking a train or cable car up the slope. In the spring of 1962, a two-seater cable car was added alongside the inclined train to take visitors up the mountain. The chairlift is the longest in North Carolina and the second longest in the United States. It travels at a speed of 310 feet per minute and weighs 3,370 feet.
When construction began in 1960, more than 200 locals were hired to build 40 replica buildings that recreated the western city located on top of Mt.
Approximately 300,000 feet of lumber, 200,000 feet of plywood, and 20,000 pounds of nails went into the construction of Ghost Town.
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R.B. Coburn sold Ghost Town in 1973, but bought it back ten years later in 1986. In 1988, he hired Hopkins Rides to build a new $2 million steel roller coaster on the side of Buck Mountain. The new coaster was part of the park’s renovation plan by Coburn. He hoped the new attraction would bring in 25-30% more visitors. Unfortunately, its summer opening was delayed due to construction and harsh weather conditions. The
, with a red and white paint scheme, opened in September 1988 with little fanfare. Owned by R.B. Coburn, a ghost town suffered from lack of maintenance and mismanagement. Since the chair lift and the inclined train are the only way for tourists to enter the park, both of them need constant maintenance. Coburn spent thousands to maintain both. In July 2002, the chairlift broke down and passengers were stuck in the rain for over two hours. A few days later, Coburn decided to close the park and sell the property. The amusement park sat empty and unimproved for the next four years, giving many the impression that no one would buy the park due to the condition of the rides. Without proper security, the park was subject to vandalism.
The attraction operated until the park closed in 2002. It was painted yellow again and renamed.
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However, for the 2007 season opener, the drive remained closed due to a necessary state code update.
It finally opened in June 2009, but the ride was closed two days later after inspectors discovered a hairline crack in one of the train’s frames.
Roller coaster Ghost Town has filed for bankruptcy. The Great Recession of 2008 was blamed for the park’s problems, but the owners insisted the park would reopen and continue operating. By May, the ride had not been inspected and the owners needed $330,000 to reopen. A default on the loan would likely mean the loss of 200 jobs and a loss of revenue for local businesses from park visitors. An anonymous donor provided the funds that allowed Ghost Town to reopen for the 2009 season. However, the park struggled to make payroll and employees complained that they were not getting paid. Kiddie Rides and Wild West City are operational, but attractions that attract a more mature crowd than this
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In February 2010, a massive landslide hit the mountain after retaining walls on the property failed. Although no one was injured, 40 homes had to be evacuated and several were damaged. Ghost Town itself has suffered damage, but how much is not publicly known. After the incident, local media reported that the park would reopen on Memorial Day weekend, but it did not. A month later, a judge ordered foreclosure to begin and the property to be auctioned. Ghost Town was sold at public auction in February 2012 to Presley, Alaska, a local businessman and longtime supporter of the park, for $1.5 million. The new regulations required him to spend millions in labor and time lost to government inspections. Another problem arose when it was discovered that the water was never turned off after the park closed, so the old pipes were subject to the mountain’s freeze-thaw cycle. Private water wells were condemned because they were too close to potentially unacceptable facilities. Four new wells were drilled and all but one failed with limited production. Ultimately, the city water option was decided upon, meaning that almost every part of the old system had to be replaced.
In 2013, the amusement park was fined $2,000 by the Department of Labor after an actor was injured by shrapnel from a staged explosion. Investigators discovered that the actors were actually using real .45 caliber revolvers and real shotguns that were loaded instead of stock guns that can only shoot blanks. A year later, in 2014, Alaska Presley listed the lower portion of the property, which includes an Old West town, for sale for $3 million. Presley planned to redevelop the upper portion as a “Russian Land Replica Theme Park”. The listing was pulled from the market after a few months due to lack of interest. To prevent vandalism, Presley hired security guards and installed cameras on the mountain. In 2015, the park announced a rebranding to Ghost Town Village. This was partly due to the inability to reopen any rides or attractions due to repair costs. However, the park never opened. Local news outlets expected it to reopen in 2019, but it never happened. Today, the park is closed, but a team of new investors continues to restore the former amusement park in hopes of opening one day.
In August 2021, the main person behind the redevelopment of Ghost Town made a rare public appearance and explained the main plans before the local Chamber of Commerce, which will involve an investment of up to $200 million. More information, including specific timelines and reopening dates, will be available in early 2022. Water and sewage problems plaguing the park have been addressed, paving the way for improvements. The park’s main street, with its red dog cabin, castle and several cafes, will be transformed and completely redesigned. The ground floor of the buildings will house unique shops and boutiques and maybe even some brand name retail or dining outlets. The second floor of the buildings will be sold or leased with residential space. A new hotel will be built at the foot of Buck Mountain and will have a lodge-like appearance that will blend in with its surroundings. Behind the lodge will be small holiday cottages. No word yet on what the original attractions will be. There are rumors of a Ferris wheel being added.
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A heavy level of skepticism remains, as previous attempts have only promised failure. The process will be fascinating, even if they just open the doors. The nostalgia factor alone can bring in thousands of people who grew up in Maggi Valley. These people want to share their experiences with their children and grandchildren. A big part of the revitalization plans are better infrastructure and housing plans to help Maggi Valley become a tourist destination. About 200 employees will be needed to run the new Ghost Town in the sky. The area needs affordable housing, restaurants, a grocery store and an emergency center to support the local economy and the park.
As beautiful as Maggi Valley is, doubts remain as to whether it can attract the tourists to support an amusement park.
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