No, that's not a typo. Western North Carolina has a real western theme town called Ghost Town in the Sky situated in Maggie Valley. The original owner, R.B. Coburn, had taken a trip out west and decided he could do a western town in the mountains of North Carolina just as well as any town he had visited in the west. So he came back and purchased Buck Mountain. He leveled the top of the mountain and began construction in 1960.
History of Ghost Town in the Sky
The park opened in May of 1961 and was quickly a big hit. Visitors would come to the area and spend several days at the park. It attracted popular TV and Movie actors of the time such as Tony Dow (The "Beav" from Leave it to Beaver), Burt Reynolds and Dan Blocker ("Hoss" from Bonanza). In it's hey day of the early 1970's, the park attracted over 400,000 visitors annually. Unfortunately the park suffered from mismanagement and lack of maintenance and closed it's doors in 2002.
The park reopened with new owners in 2007. The new owners spent millions of dollars refurbishing the park and making improvements. After a brush with bankruptcy in mid 2009 the park has managed to stay open but is still trying to find it's foothold and attract new visitors.
Ghost Town in the Sky Attractions
Ghost Town in the Sky is divided up into different theme or town areas such as the Indian Village, Mountain Town, Mining Town. The park is a combination of street fair meets old west as there are several fair type rides mixed in with the 40 western replica buildings. There are roller coasters and Can Can shows. Gunfights and a Geronimo Drop Tower. One of the hi-lights is the chairlift ride up the mountain to get to the park. It offers spectacular views of the Valley and the Smokey Mountains. New for 2009 they have a House of Terror from September until November which include over fifteen rooms, a life sized cemetery, and two mazes all designed to scare visitors.
When to Go to the Ghost Town in the Sky and Where to Stay
The park is only open from May until November each year so be sure to check the Ghost Town in the Sky website for operating days and hours. For lodging there are several small motels in the area. Smoky Falls Lodge is a popular pick.
So don the cowboy boots and head to the mountains for a taste of the West.
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