Beech Bend Park
Encyclopedia
Beech Bend Park is an amusement park
, campground and automobile
race track
located in Warren County
, Kentucky, USA
, just outside the limits of the city of Bowling Green
.
s as early as the 1880s. Charles Garvin purchased the park property in the early 1940s, adding amusements over the years. The first ride was a pony
ride, followed by a roller skating
rink, dance hall, bowling
center, and swimming pool
.
, Garvin added mechanical rides to Beech Bend Park, beginning with a Ferris wheel
purchased from the Chicago World's Fair
. Racing began about that same time with motorcycle
s. Auto racing began on a 3/8-mile (600 m) oval
dirt track; that same track, now paved, is still in use today. A drag strip
was added in the 1960s.
s, with promotions known as "County Days," spotlighting a county within the Bowling Green area each week. Carnival-type rides were abundant, with the famous Wild Mouse the most popular; midway
games such as Skee Ball
and Fascination
were a hit with guests. The campground grew over the years, with more than 1,000 spaces advertised at its peak, billed at one time as the world's largest. (The campground was home to the original store of what is now Camping World
, a large camping supply retailer founded by David Garvin, Charles Garvin's son.) A small zoo
was also added.
in nearby Nashville, Tennessee
. Garvin's health was also in steady decline. When he died in 1979, the park closed, though the racing facilities stayed open under a lease agreement to a third-party operator. The park was purchased by an ownership group that included country music
singer Ronnie Milsap
, which operated it unsuccessfully in 1981 and 1982. The park closed again, with ownership reverting back to Garvin's heirs.
events sanctioned by the National Hot Rod Association
. The racetracks did well, and three years later, the couple purchased the rest of the park, which had by then fallen back into nature. No work was done on the old park until the 1990s, when the Jones' began to clear out the park and renovate the campground. The pool was then reopened, and the owners gradually added amusement rides back to the park — much as Charles Garvin had done in the park's early years.
, and large picnic pavilions. The race tracks host numerous Corvette
racing events (the park is only a few miles away from the General Motors
factory
that produces the sports car
), plus the annual NHRA Hot Rod Reunion.
In 2005 the park opened a Zamperla Twisting Wild Mouse coaster, Zamperla Steam boat ride, and a drop tower called the Shock Drop.
In 2006, the park added the Kentucky Rumbler
wooden roller coaster
.
2007 brought permanent replacements for some of the older mobile rides. In October the park announced the Holiday Lights Spectacular that ran through January. The Kentucky Rumbler was operating along with other smaller flat rides open.
In 2008 the park added a brand new Carousel, The Grand Carousel. A new show called "The Magic of Music" that involved music from the '60s, '70s, and the '80s. They also had Cirque Africa Show that ran June 16 through June 23. For the kids the park introduced a new park character show, "Singing with Sammy the Squirrel, and from July 14 through July 23 the park had a Kid's Festival. Thrill seekers received a brand new Scat 2.
In 2009, Beech Bend debuted the Chance Sea Dragon ride http://www.beechbend.com/parknews.htm which was purchased from Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch and was alleged to be his favorite ride. The Looping Star Roller Coaster was removed at the end of the season.
In 2010, Beech Bend was to debut a large waterpark expansion (wave pool, lazy river, and a water play structure), a family tea cups ride, a kid's quad runner, and a new amphitheater, billed as the largest in Beech Bend's history and was to open in early May. The expansion was delayed by two months due to the 2010 Tennessee floods
, and the water play structure and amphitheater did not open until the 2011 season. The first ride at the park, the Ferris Wheel, was standing but not operating the whole season, and was removed for the 2011 season.
In 2011, the old Haunted House ride was completely overhauled, with new effects and cars added to it.
Jim Varney
's first commercial
as character Ernest P. Worrell
was for Beech Bend. Varney's character was advertising an appearance by the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
in 1980.
The owners of Beech Bend used their savings to build the Kentucky Rumbler instead of building a beach house.
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
, campground and automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
race track
Race track
A race track is a purpose-built facility for racing of animals , automobiles, motorcycles or athletes. A race track may also feature grandstands or concourses. Some motorsport tracks are called speedways.A racetrack is a permanent facility or building...
located in Warren County
Warren County, Kentucky
Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky, specifically the Pennyroyal Plateau and Western Coal Fields regions. It is included in the Bowling Green, Kentucky, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 113,792 in the 2010 Census. The county seat is Bowling Green...
, Kentucky, USA
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, just outside the limits of the city of Bowling Green
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Bowling Green is the third-most populous city in the state of Kentucky after Louisville and Lexington, with a population of 58,067 as of the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Warren County and the principal city of the Bowling Green, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area with an estimated 2009...
.
History
The park takes its name from a bend in Barren River where stands of beech trees are scattered throughout the area. The area was used for picnicPicnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
s as early as the 1880s. Charles Garvin purchased the park property in the early 1940s, adding amusements over the years. The first ride was a pony
Pony
A pony is a small horse . Depending on context, a pony may be a horse that is under an approximate or exact height at the withers, or a small horse with a specific conformation and temperament. There are many different breeds...
ride, followed by a roller skating
Roller skating
Roller skating is the traveling on smooth surfaces with roller skates. It is a form of recreation as well as a sport, and can also be a form of transportation. Skates generally come in two basic varieties: quad roller skates and inline skates or blades, though some have experimented with a...
rink, dance hall, bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
center, and swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
.
Mechanics arrive
Shortly after World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Garvin added mechanical rides to Beech Bend Park, beginning with a Ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
purchased from the Chicago World's Fair
Century of Progress
A Century of Progress International Exposition was the name of a World's Fair held in Chicago from 1933 to 1934 to celebrate the city's centennial. The theme of the fair was technological innovation...
. Racing began about that same time with motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s. Auto racing began on a 3/8-mile (600 m) oval
Oval
An oval is any curve resembling an egg or an ellipse, such as a Cassini oval. The term does not have a precise mathematical definition except in one area oval , but it may also refer to:* A sporting arena of oval shape** a cricket field...
dirt track; that same track, now paved, is still in use today. A drag strip
Drag strip
Drag strip may refer to:*Dragstrip, track used for drag racing*Drag Strip , Transformer character who is one of the Stunticons*Videocart-9: Drag Strip, drag racing videogame released in 1976-See also:*Dover Drag Strip...
was added in the 1960s.
The 1960s
The 1960s marked the park's heyday. Gate admission was ten centCent (currency)
In many national currencies, the cent is a monetary unit that equals 1⁄100 of the basic monetary unit. Etymologically, the word cent derives from the Latin word "centum" meaning hundred. Cent also refers to a coin which is worth one cent....
s, with promotions known as "County Days," spotlighting a county within the Bowling Green area each week. Carnival-type rides were abundant, with the famous Wild Mouse the most popular; midway
Midway (fair)
A midway at a fair is the location where amusement rides, entertainment and fast food booths are concentrated....
games such as Skee Ball
Skee ball
Skee ball is a common arcade game and one of the first redemption games. It is similar to bowling except it is played on an inclined lane and the player aims to get the ball to fall into a hole rather than knock down pins...
and Fascination
Fascination
Fascination may refer to:In music:*Fascination!, 1983 synth pop album by The Human League**" Fascination", a song in The Human League album Fascination!...
were a hit with guests. The campground grew over the years, with more than 1,000 spaces advertised at its peak, billed at one time as the world's largest. (The campground was home to the original store of what is now Camping World
Camping World
Camping World is an American corporation specializing in selling parts and service for recreational vehicles and supplies for camping. The company is based in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and is privately held. Camping World has 70+ retail/service locations throughout the United States, and also sells...
, a large camping supply retailer founded by David Garvin, Charles Garvin's son.) A small zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
was also added.
The 1970s
In the 1970s, the park went into a state of decline, largely due to competition from theme parks such as Opryland USAOpryland USA
Opryland USA was an amusement park located in suburban Nashville, Tennessee. It operated seasonally from 1972 until 1997...
in nearby Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. Garvin's health was also in steady decline. When he died in 1979, the park closed, though the racing facilities stayed open under a lease agreement to a third-party operator. The park was purchased by an ownership group that included country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer Ronnie Milsap
Ronnie Milsap
Ronnie Lee Milsap is an American country music singer and pianist. He was one of country’s most popular and influential performers of the 1970s and 1980s...
, which operated it unsuccessfully in 1981 and 1982. The park closed again, with ownership reverting back to Garvin's heirs.
Changes
In 1984, Dallas and Alfreda Jones purchased the racetracks and began hosting national drag racingDrag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
events sanctioned by the National Hot Rod Association
National Hot Rod Association
The National Hot Rod Association is a drag racing governing body, which sets rules in drag racing and host events all over the United States and Canada...
. The racetracks did well, and three years later, the couple purchased the rest of the park, which had by then fallen back into nature. No work was done on the old park until the 1990s, when the Jones' began to clear out the park and renovate the campground. The pool was then reopened, and the owners gradually added amusement rides back to the park — much as Charles Garvin had done in the park's early years.
Recent history
As of 2005, Beech Bend Park has more than 40 rides, 500 campground spaces with modern amenities, renovated racing facilities, a water parkWater park
A waterpark is an amusement park that features waterplay areas, such as water slides, splash pads, spraygrounds , lazy rivers, or other recreational bathing, swimming, and barefooting environments...
, and large picnic pavilions. The race tracks host numerous Corvette
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
racing events (the park is only a few miles away from the General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
factory
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
that produces the sports car
Sports car
A sports car is a small, usually two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability....
), plus the annual NHRA Hot Rod Reunion.
In 2005 the park opened a Zamperla Twisting Wild Mouse coaster, Zamperla Steam boat ride, and a drop tower called the Shock Drop.
In 2006, the park added the Kentucky Rumbler
Kentucky Rumbler
Kentucky Rumbler is a wooden roller coaster at Beech Bend Park in Warren County, Kentucky. It has a drop of 96 feet and a height of 80 feet.-Awards:...
wooden roller coaster
Wooden roller coaster
A wooden roller coaster is most often classified as a roller coaster with laminated steel running rails overlaid upon a wooden track. Occasionally, the structure may be made out of a steel lattice or truss, but the ride remains classified as a wooden roller coaster due to the track design...
.
2007 brought permanent replacements for some of the older mobile rides. In October the park announced the Holiday Lights Spectacular that ran through January. The Kentucky Rumbler was operating along with other smaller flat rides open.
In 2008 the park added a brand new Carousel, The Grand Carousel. A new show called "The Magic of Music" that involved music from the '60s, '70s, and the '80s. They also had Cirque Africa Show that ran June 16 through June 23. For the kids the park introduced a new park character show, "Singing with Sammy the Squirrel, and from July 14 through July 23 the park had a Kid's Festival. Thrill seekers received a brand new Scat 2.
In 2009, Beech Bend debuted the Chance Sea Dragon ride http://www.beechbend.com/parknews.htm which was purchased from Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch and was alleged to be his favorite ride. The Looping Star Roller Coaster was removed at the end of the season.
In 2010, Beech Bend was to debut a large waterpark expansion (wave pool, lazy river, and a water play structure), a family tea cups ride, a kid's quad runner, and a new amphitheater, billed as the largest in Beech Bend's history and was to open in early May. The expansion was delayed by two months due to the 2010 Tennessee floods
2010 Tennessee floods
The May 2010 Tennessee floods were 1000-year floods in Middle Tennessee, West Tennessee, south-central and western Kentucky and northern Mississippi as the result of torrential rains on May 1 and 2, 2010...
, and the water play structure and amphitheater did not open until the 2011 season. The first ride at the park, the Ferris Wheel, was standing but not operating the whole season, and was removed for the 2011 season.
In 2011, the old Haunted House ride was completely overhauled, with new effects and cars added to it.
Jim Varney
Jim Varney
James Albert "Jim" Varney, Jr. was an American stand-up comedian, actor, musician, writer, voice artist, and comedian, best known for his role as Ernest P...
's first commercial
Television advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
as character Ernest P. Worrell
Ernest P. Worrell
Ernest P. Worrell is a fictional character most principally portrayed by the late American actor Jim Varney in a series of television commercials, and later in a television series as well as a series of feature films. Ernest was created by the Nashville advertising agency Carden and Cherry and was...
was for Beech Bend. Varney's character was advertising an appearance by the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is the National Football League cheerleading squad representing the Dallas Cowboys.- 1960s :The original cheerleading squad was a made up of a male-female group called the CowBelles & Beaux. The group made its sidelines debut in 1960 during the Cowboys' inaugural...
in 1980.
The owners of Beech Bend used their savings to build the Kentucky Rumbler instead of building a beach house.