Rishi Chugh
"Beech Mountain in Avery County is actually the particular western United States' greatest town, in five,606 inches above sea stage. Community citizens talk about this mountain using various resort communities together with Ski Beech, the popular ski resort. In the course of the particular 1970s Beech Mountain has been additionally home that will the Land of Oz, any subject park in which provides taken their position amid the actual rich folklore connected with the actual Appalachian Mountains.
All through this early portion associated with any twentieth century, Beech Mountain seemed to be part involving a good necessary logging field. Whilst sparsely populated, them was dotted with compact cabins in which loggers lived in the course of the particular 1 week even though many people proved helpful. Skiing arrived for you to your mountain establishing in the thirties, along with pupils via community Lees-McRae University applying skis produced inside your college's timber buy.
Yellowish Brick Street, Land regarding Oz. Image courtesy regarding Flickr end user _rockinfree. The Robbins brothers-Grover, Harry, in addition to Spencer-purchased a new good sized tract of land upon best involving your mountain with 1962. Your Robbinses, which in addition owned Tweetsie Railroad along with any Hound Ears Resort, joined together with other buyers for you to make your Carolina Caribbean Corporation in 1965. Carolina Caribbean planned a new ten,000-acre resort along with homesites regarding seven,000 family members, a strong eight-slope ski resort, a the hot months recreation space, a new golfing training, and a new design park. Grover Robbins enlisted Charlotte artist together with creator Jack Pentes that will create the notion regarding a concept park of which might attract men and women in order to this mountain for the duration of the particular off-season. Pentes dreamed regarding a set in which would certainly enchant persons as well as enable these individuals to be able to escape the particular tough realities associated with the actual late nineteen sixties.
With regard to inspiration Pentes drew upon timeless children's tale of enchantment together with escape, This Wizard regarding Oz, getting pointed out that similarity amongst gnarled beech timber upon that property or home together with any chatting apple trees with this tale. Using your help associated with a pair of fellow Charlotteans, composer Loonis McGlohon together with choreographer Alice Lamar, Pentes created your connected with Oz theme park. When it is to begin with summer ended with the particular slide of 1970, attendance had hit any six-figure tag. Through hot air balloons in addition to the actual magical cyclone to flying monkeys in addition to happy melodies, the Land connected with Oz permitted guests that will experience every minute associated with your famous journey for itself as they walked your fifty five,000 bricks associated with the particular park's yellow-colored brick road. Guests had been joined by just every connected with this beloved figures since that they went to Kansas, Munchkinland, the actual Wicked Witch's Fortress, as well as any Emerald Metropolis.
Around 1975 your Carolina Caribbean Corporation went bankrupt. Shortly afterward, vandals arrangement hearth to the particular Emerald Town in addition to stole Judy Garland's unique dress coupled using some other artifacts coming from the particular park's Oz museum. Your Land involving Oz, presently strike by simply a lack involving repeat website visitors, by no means recovered. Since the asset modified fingers, the park dropped victim to be able to your lack connected with constant management in addition to inadequate funding, closing inside 1980.
The actual residence had been ordered inside 1990 by means of your Emerald Mountain progress corporation, which often established homesites upon 450 acres available any outdated design park. Each and every drop, Emerald Mountain remains some sort of Autumn with Oz celebration, that lovers involving any Land involving Oz might consider any nostalgic stroll reducing your yellow hue brick street in addition to find out remnants regarding this style park which have been very carefully preserved. Some other artifacts from this park usually are upon display with this Appalachian Cultural Museum in Boone."
