1961 : Texans head for the thrills at Six Flags
On this day in 1961, amusement park lovers "head for the thrills" as
Six Flags Over Texas, the first park in the Six Flags chain, opens.
Located on 212 acres in Arlington, Texas, the park was the first to
feature log flume and mine train rides and later, the first 360-degree
looping roller coaster, modern parachute drop and man-made river
rapids ride. The park also pioneered the concept of all-inclusive
admission price; until then, separate entrance fees and individual
ride tickets were the standard. During its opening year, a day at Six
Flags cost $2.75 for an adult and $2.25 for a child. A hamburger sold
for 50 cents and a soda set the buyer back a dime.
The park, which took a year and $10 million to build, was the
brainchild of Texas real estate developer and oilman Angus Wynne Jr.,
who viewed it as a short-term way to make a buck from some vacant land
before turning it into an industrial complex. Wynne reportedly
recouped his personal investment of $3.5 million within 18 months and
changed his mind about the park's temporary status. With 17.5 million
visitors in its first 10 years, the park became the Lone Star State's
top for-profit tourist attraction. Today, average annual attendance at
the park is over 3 million.
One of Six Flags' unique aspects was that it wasn't just a random
collection of rides; it was developed around a theme: the history of
Texas. The park's name was a nod to the six flags that had flown over
the state at various times--France, Spain, Mexico, the Confederacy,
Texas and the United States. The park's rides and attractions were
grouped into six themed sections that represented the cultures of
these governments and enabled visitors to experience everything from
cowboy culture to Southern belles and pirates. Originally, the park
was to be called Texas Under Six Flags, before it was decided that
Texas should never be under anything.
Angus Wynne sold Six Flags in 1969 and in the coming years, the
company expanded and was resold. Today, Six Flags, Inc. is the world's
largest regional theme park company and owns and operates 30 theme,
water and zoological parks in North America. In 2005, almost 34
million people spent a combined 250 million hours at Six Flags parks.
history.com/tdih.do
1498 : Columbus lands in South America
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5224
1914 : First World War erupts
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=6976
1944 : Warsaw Revolt begins
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5225
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On this day in 1961, amusement park lovers "head for the thrills" as
Six Flags Over Texas, the first park in the Six Flags chain, opens.
Located on 212 acres in Arlington, Texas, the park was the first to
feature log flume and mine train rides and later, the first 360-degree
looping roller coaster, modern parachute drop and man-made river
rapids ride. The park also pioneered the concept of all-inclusive
admission price; until then, separate entrance fees and individual
ride tickets were the standard. During its opening year, a day at Six
Flags cost $2.75 for an adult and $2.25 for a child. A hamburger sold
for 50 cents and a soda set the buyer back a dime.
The park, which took a year and $10 million to build, was the
brainchild of Texas real estate developer and oilman Angus Wynne Jr.,
who viewed it as a short-term way to make a buck from some vacant land
before turning it into an industrial complex. Wynne reportedly
recouped his personal investment of $3.5 million within 18 months and
changed his mind about the park's temporary status. With 17.5 million
visitors in its first 10 years, the park became the Lone Star State's
top for-profit tourist attraction. Today, average annual attendance at
the park is over 3 million.
One of Six Flags' unique aspects was that it wasn't just a random
collection of rides; it was developed around a theme: the history of
Texas. The park's name was a nod to the six flags that had flown over
the state at various times--France, Spain, Mexico, the Confederacy,
Texas and the United States. The park's rides and attractions were
grouped into six themed sections that represented the cultures of
these governments and enabled visitors to experience everything from
cowboy culture to Southern belles and pirates. Originally, the park
was to be called Texas Under Six Flags, before it was decided that
Texas should never be under anything.
Angus Wynne sold Six Flags in 1969 and in the coming years, the
company expanded and was resold. Today, Six Flags, Inc. is the world's
largest regional theme park company and owns and operates 30 theme,
water and zoological parks in North America. In 2005, almost 34
million people spent a combined 250 million hours at Six Flags parks.
history.com/tdih.do
1498 : Columbus lands in South America
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5224
1914 : First World War erupts
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=6976
1944 : Warsaw Revolt begins
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=5225
#########################################
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