Here's another popular installment of vintage amusement park postcards from the collection of Ken Martinez! Magic Mountain (in Valencia, California) has an interesting history for fans of such things. Like me! Here's Ken:
Magic Mountain, Part 5
It’s time for another vintage visit to Southern California’s Magic Mountain.
Here’s the original marquee for Magic Mountain before it became Six Flags Magic Mountain. I assume it’s still standing.
One of the early thrills at Magic Mountain was the “Log Jammer” Arrow flume ride. Like a lot of Magic Mountain’s custom rides it was built into the terrain. At the top of the hill is the Shangri-La Station for both of the Eagle’s Flight sky rides (the Galaxy and El Dorado) and next to it, the Four Winds Restaurant. The Log Jammer was an opening year attraction that lasted for forty years from 1971-2011 until “Full Throttle” was built in its place. Another Arrow flume ride the “Jet Stream” opened in 1972 and is still operating at the park to this day.
The Swiss Twist was a Schwarzkopf Bayern Kurve with an Olympic theme which operated at the park from 1973 to 2008. It was eventually removed due to aging parts and maintenance costs. In the backdrop is the Galaxy double wheel.
Here is a mix of opening year attractions all of which are gone from Magic Mountain. In view are the Galaxy (1971-1979), the Eagle’s Flight (1971-1994) coming into the Galaxy Station and the Metro Monorail (1971-2011). It appears Six Flags isn’t into scenic attractions in its current offerings.
The “Grand Centennial Railroad” (1975-1985) opened before Six Flags purchased the park and shifted its focus on extreme thrills. The railroad took a trip through the back of Magic Mountain through a buffalo corral with a stop at Spillikin’ Corners.
This is the ride that put Magic Mountain on the map and foreshadowed its destination as Southern California’s premier thrill park. Since the opening of The Revolution in 1976, Magic Mountain has had 26 roller coasters throughout its history and stands as the current record holder for having more roller coasters than any other single amusement park in the world with a count of 19.
Hope you all enjoyed the return visit to Magic Mountain!
Information Source material:
www.scvhistory.com
THANK YOU, Ken Martinez!!
THANK YOU, Ken Martinez!!
Ken-
ReplyDeleteIn spite of the early years of Magic Mountain having seemingly immature foliage, it's hard to tell from these lovely images. This is the park I remember fondly.
Thanks, Ken, for sharing more images from 'MM'.
Yes, that sign with it's gift shop and information room at the base are all still there, although that little building is abandoned now and it's windows are covered with blinds. The sign has also been altered to read, "Six Flags California." That parking next to it is now used for a Wendy's that was built just a few feet away, but those funky silver lampposts are still standing!
ReplyDeleteI remember riding the Grand Centennial Railroad during a visit to the park and seeing the gondolas/cages from the Galaxy attraction just sitting alongside the tracks. I think the buffalo were gone by then too.
That fountain below the Metro Monorail in the postcard with the blue border has now been filled in with dirt and turned into a planter. And those white bas-relief panels are now barely visible through the overgrowth of shrubbery.
They really do ruin everything, don't they? I miss THIS Magic Mountain very much! Thanks for sharing these with us, Ken!
I always enjoyed the Arrow log flumes that ran the "track" through a large pool, as shown here (Cedar Point and King's Island both did the same thing). I think it added to the scenic value and reinforced the theming of freshly-cut logs being sent downstream to the saw- or pulpmill.
ReplyDeleteI found a picture of that fountain at Vintage Disneyland Tickets as it appeared in 2009, looking similar to the way TM! describes it above. The post itself and its two predecessors are interesting reading, both for the historical information about Magic Mountain as well as a glimpse of a few familiar "faces" in the comments.
Man, I wish I'd seen this Magic Mountain. Thanks, Ken, for another great post!
I concur with all. This is the park I remember before it turned into the thrill junkie coaster park of today. Thanks Ken for providing and Major for posting. I love the big rotating carosel entry on the "Jet Stream" (a la Peoplemover). Funny you mentioned Spillikin' Corners as I look on my desk at the "tin type" photo my family (dressed in civil war era garb)took there back in the day. I will have to scan it and send it in for a future share. Maybe Major can scare up some other shots of that short lived part of the park to flesh it out.
ReplyDeleteChuck, thanks for the link. I remember that post, but I didn't remember my question, or the answer to it! I went to Magic Mountain five years after that (for the first time in 20 years) for Auto Club night, and thought I had trouble seeing those relief panels because of all the shrubbery and also because it was nighttime. Well, no wonder I had trouble seeing it...it's no longer there! Sad!
ReplyDeleteNanook, Nowadays the trees have matured so much that parts of The Revolution are hidden. I have a fondness for the 1970's theme park era as it seemed a few of them would open every year and the concept was still new.
ReplyDeleteTokyo Magic!, Thanks for that bit of info about the gift shop. I knew it was an information center, but not a shop too. I agree. They really do ruin everything.
Chuck, I can see why I don't remember seeing the fountain and now planter last visit. It's practically covered up. It isn't quite the same, is it? Thanks for the links. Your input always adds much to these posts.
Alonzo P. Hawk, Up here when Great America was owned by Marriott we had two Arrow flumes, one log and the other boat, and both had the rotating platforms. I like them too. BTW, I'd love to see the tin type photo you had done at Spillikin' Corners. Definitely check with the Major.
What Nanook said. I didn't visit MM more than a few times, but always enjoyed the time. I remember noticing the theming differences with Disneyland, MM wasn't focused on an immersive experience, but it was a fun park anyway.
ReplyDeleteI don't really remember the train and definitely not the big coaster, so my visits must have ended before those were added. Everything else, including the amazing sign, all so familiar.
Thanks Ken and Major.
JG