In 1961, one of the most significant and unique theme parks opened on top of Buck Mountain, with an elevation of 4,650 ft. The popular Western-themed amusement park, founded by R.B. Coburn, originally from Virginia but relocated to Maggie Valley, would forever capture our memories and the surrounding scenic landscape.
Ghost Town in the Sky was a huge success from the 1960s until the mid-1980s, bringing some of the biggest stars to western North Carolina. It was once promoted as North Carolina’s mile-high theme park, attracting over 500,000 annual visitors. The iconic chairlift moved over 1,200 people per hour, climbing over 1,250 ft. in elevation. At the top, the park was divided into distinct towns and themes, including Indian Village, Mountain Town, Old West Town, and Mining Town, each featuring several rides.
But like a famous country song by Alan Jackson, the boy doesn’t always get the girl, or in this case, the cowboy, and hard times would soon hit.
In 1986, Coburn purchased the park and constructed the famous Red Devil roller coaster. Online reports suggest that the park suffered from mismanagement and maintenance issues in later years, with rides breaking down and causing parkgoers to stop visiting. Soon, word of mouth became too much, and attendance dwindled.
On July 16, 2002, the chairlift stopped, stranding passengers for hours. Ultimately, the park was closed and put for sale. Some have dubbed it a cursed amusement park. Many efforts have since been made to reopen Ghost Town, but to this point, all have failed.
Today, the real Ghost Town still exists as a landmark and reminder of the good old days.
Written By: John G. Clark Jr.
Photo By: Blue Ridge Mountain Life (Dan Baucom)