Make no mistake, Dollywood’s success is driven by the people who work mostly behind the scenes. Hard-working amusement park elves operate the rest of Dollywood. I swear my wife thinks of Dolly as if she’s Santa Claus. Some folks picture Dolly hand-selecting rides and approving day-to-day operations. Her presence is so ubiquitous that many, including my wife, operate as if Dolly herself is leading boardroom meetings. Over the next 30 years Dolly’s imprint on the park itself, as well as the amusement park industry, is undeniable.įor example, her presence serves as a giant umbrella, looming over park management and her continued partners in the Herschend Family. Dollywood? Is she for real?ĭolly is driven by the desire to help her hometown grow. Yet, nobody thought of her as the next Walt Disney. It’s hard to overstate just how omnipotent Dolly was to the culture in the early 80s. Queue the harps and angel choir.ĭolly’s arrival gave the park an immediate boost of national recognition. Read Also: Uncovered Silver Dollar City photos offer a rare look at pre-Dollywood days The Log Flume at Silver Dollar City eventually became part of Dollywood, but no longer exists today (photo contributed by Richard Melton) When was Dollywood opened? Under the 10-year solo ownership of Jack and Pete Herschend, the park grew substantially. This made it a sister park to the new owners’ park in Branson, Missouri. Then, it was rechristened to Silver Dollar City. Thomas Chapel (photo contributed by Richard Melton) Goldrush Junction becomes SIlver Dollar City in 1976 Read Also: Dollywood’s chapel: How a real church ended up inside a theme park According to Dollywood, in 1973, it cost less than $35,000 to build the Robert F. Under Modell’s ownership, the park added a log flume ride, an outdoor theater and the Robert F. It makes sense for Modell, who was seen as a progressive NFL owner, to be the one to change the name. That’s when the park was purchased by Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell. Some reports indicate it was in the mid-60s. There is inconsistent reporting on when Rebel Railroad changed its name to Goldrush Junction. Read Also: Dollywood train history: Meet the attraction that pre-dates the park A vintage postcard from Goldrush Junction (archive photo circa 1970) Rebel Railroad changes its name to Goldrush Junction Rebel Railroad continued through the mid-1960s when it would undergo what would be the first of many transformations to come. The park featured a blacksmith shop, a saloon and a general store. The park was modeled after Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock. A vintage postcard from Rebel Railroad (archive photo circa 1960) What is the history of Dollywood?ĭolly Parton was just 15 years old when a pair of enterprising brothers from Blowing Rock, North Carolina, doubled down on their railroad-related mountain tourism business. In fact, looking back to 1961, it’s almost hard to comprehend the evolution. The park continues to grown under the the hands of Dolly Parton, Pete Herschend and Jack Herschend and is currently the top tourist attraction in the state of Tennessee.It’s taken nearly 60 years of growth for Dollywood to become the elite, award-winning example of theme park excellence it is today. The additional of Dolly Parton as part of the ownership pushed forward redevelopment into what is now known as Dollywood. The theme park had some changes, including the name to Silver Dollar City Tennessee.ĭolly Parton came into the picture in 1986 when she bought into the theme park.

The park changed hands again in 1976 when it was bought by Jack and Pete Herschend. In 1970, the Cleveland Browns football organization purchased Goldrush Junction theme park and expanded it to include a log flume thrill ride and several smaller rides with the name remaining the same. The name changed several years later to Goldrush Junction when it was transformed into a Wild West theme park. The history of Dollywood is a great one! The original theme park was built in 1961 as a Civil War attraction known as Rebel Railroad. Want to know more about the history of Dollywood? Well here ya go! Dollywood is a theme park and entertainment center located southeast of Knoxville, Tennessee in Pigeon Forge.

Log flume ride goldrush juncton