[swampfox43]

After a 6 month hiatus, I'd like to give a big THANK YOU to Jonathan for allowing me to upload my old Early Years site to his ISP.
I've made a few minor updates, (finally bought the domain name) but for the most part, the site still looks as it did when I first published it in 1998. I plan to update it and add lot's of new (old) photos in the coming weeks.

Carowinds - The Early Years

[Wormy]

THAT'S the site I remember! Congratulations, swampfox, and thanks for bringing it back on line, both of you. I've already spotted a few of those minor updates

[RollerBee]

http://www.carowindsearlyyears.com/aeriala.html
Unless Dora is leaving too, Carowinds has four original rides.
Scrambler
Skytower
Carolina Goldrusher
Dora

[swampfox43]

http://www.carowindsearlyyears.com/aeriala.html
Unless Dora is leaving too, Carowinds has four original rides.
Scrambler
Skytower
Carolina Goldrusher
Dora

I am not sure whether Dora is leaving, but even though technically you are right as far as it being an original ride (known as the Shortline RR), I don't count it as "fully" original because it was relocated from Country Crossroads in 1978 and reprofiled.

[Chris]

After a 6 month hiatus, I'd like to give a big THANK YOU to Jonathan for allowing me to upload my old Early Years site to his ISP.

So your the reason CC was down a couple of days ago.

Kidding, of course.

[RollerBee]

http://www.carowindsearlyyears.com/aeriala.html
Unless Dora is leaving too, Carowinds has four original rides.
Scrambler
Skytower
Carolina Goldrusher
Dora

I am not sure whether Dora is leaving, but even though technically you are right as far as it being an original ride (known as the Shortline RR), I don't count it as "fully" original because it was relocated from Country Crossroads in 1978 and reprofiled.

1975, I was just asking cause the manufacter plate says 1973, but didn't know the layout was changed. Do you have a 73 or 74 map showing the original location of Dora, I have never been able to find it in any of your pictures.

[swampfox43]

Do you have a 73 or 74 map showing the original location of Dora, I have never been able to find it in any of your pictures.

Here is a 1974 map showing the location of the Shortline RR. You had to take a bridge over the larger train tracks to get to it. You can see where I marked the bridge on the map and you can also see how close the small and the large trains came to each other.

[LocoDriver]

Do you have a 73 or 74 map showing the original location of Dora, I have never been able to find it in any of your pictures.

Here is a 1974 map showing the location of the Shortline RR. You had to take a bridge over the larger train tracks to get to it. You can see where I marked the bridge on the map and you can also see how close the small and the large trains came to each other.

What was the McClelland House and the Mule go Round? I don't remember either one of those.

[rdw]

Enjoyed looking at your site. It has been so long, I'd forgotten some of the names of the rides. Some names actually changed from conception to opening. I have some pics from construction and first year that I'll dig out and send to you if you want them.

[Davidtmp]

So the shortline was basically in the County Fair section. Guessing it was moved when Thunder Road was built back behind there.
The Mule-Go-Round was probably mules that you could ride around in a circle, like the ponies at County Fairs. That would be my guess.
And is the Country Kitchen in the map the same basic building as what is there now?? Another "original"??

[swampfox43]

The Country Kitchen is the same building. One of the few left. I think the school house is another original building although I have not been to the park lately so I do not know if it's still there.

As far as the Mule-Go-Round. I have a small video clip of it from 1973. Maybe I can post it to the Early Years site, which btw, is keeping me busy here lately. I have added photos every day and just did another update. Some of the "extras" I have added are links I added to the descriptions. I am still shuffling things and combining things without the site trying to look overblown. It's been fun so far and I have the dark circles under my eyes to prove it.

[Davidtmp]

^^^Thanks for taking the time to get the site back up. Really neat to see everything that wasn't there when I started to go to the park and how it changed over the years.

[LocoDriver]

swampfox, what do you know about the McClelland House in that 1974 map?

[RollerBee]

Wasn't it that the house that was from the plantation that used to sit where most of Carowinds is. I am pretty sure it was torn down when Thunder Road was built.

[Dukeis#1]

Oh sweet man! All the new stuff on there is great. Especially that color aerial pic looking at the park from the front.