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.
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