Tombstone Junction
Encyclopedia
Tombstone Junction was a small western town themed park located on Kentucky Route 90
in McCreary County, Kentucky
near Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
. Operation was started in the 1960s and continued uninterrupted until the park was heavily damaged by fire in 1989. After this first fire the park continued limited operation until completely destroyed by a second fire in 1991. The park featured a recreation of a small western frontier town complete with train station, working saloon, dance hall
, jailhouse, shanty's, and shops. There was also an outdoor amphitheater which hosted live shows featuring many popular names in country and western music of the period.
The leading attraction at Tombstone Junction was a full-sized standard gauge
operating steam train
which was unheard of in parks of that era, especially one as small as Tombstone.
including its small size and the laid back "mom and pop" way the park was run.
The park developed from the building and operation of the "Cumberland Falls Scenic Railroad" in the 1960s. The railroad was built by Millard and Morris Stephens from nearby Whitley City
as an attraction to compliment The Falls Motel (which they owned) which was near Cumberland Falls
State Resort Park, both of which were a very short distance down the road.
The railroad was built and laid around the edges of a large cut between two mountains that had been filled in enough so that a 2½ mile "L" shaped circle of track could be laid. This was almost a copy of the idea behind the "Rebel Railroad" in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee which eventually grew into what is known as the Dollywood
themepark today.
For the second season of operation, the railroad's developers made in-house additions of buildings, shops, and The Red Garter Saloon using help from the local residents. The various stages of development of a functional park were planned out with each season adding new attractions, shops, stores and shows. The town portion of the park went by the operating name of "Tombstone Junction" and the railroad went by the operating name of "Old #77". However, the corporate name for the entire operation was "Cumberland Falls Scenic Railroad, Inc." Locals referred to the park as simply "The Junction."
It is interesting to note that the mailboxes in the town's post office
were from the post office where Sgt. Alvin York
received his draft notice. This moment was made famous in a dramatic scene in the movie, "Sgt. York," which was based on his journey struggling with being drafted into service in WW 1 as he was a conscientious objector
based on religious beliefs
to becoming a Congressional Medal of Honor
winner due to his service of valor in the war.
The Junction was perhaps most known for bringing nationally known entertainers to the South Central Kentucky area and offering family entertainment to the area for a reasonable price. Entertainers such as The Judds
, Randy Travis
, Dolly Parton
, Kenny Rogers
, Barbara Mandrell
, Conway Twitty
and Loretta Lynn
(just to name a few) were part of the Sunday Concert
Series that took place every Sunday from April to October. Every Sunday brought a famous recording artist
or band to The Junction and they performed on the Outdoor Stage.
operation, but a full-sized fully operational steam train.
Passengers boarded and departed at the park's only station. This was situated almost directly in the center of the park and served as a focal point for the rest of the operation. The station also housed the park's business offices where files were kept and housed an extensive collection of autographed photos from stars that had visited the park.
The route was a 2½ mile "L" shaped circle track with the town of Tombstone Junction on one end that traveled through the wooded hills of the Falls area and came back again. The line featured steep overlooks, sharp turns, and rough track. It was actually a very close representation of what riding a hastily laid turn of the century
rail line would have been. In fact the 180-degree turn the line made in front of the train station was so tight that running the locomotive through it proved problematic sometimes. A notable occurrence being when the locomotive was being operated by engineer Bill Johnson and fireman Don Vanover and derailed next to the amphitheater stage just prior to the start of a Loretta Lynn
performance because the drive wheels had "bit the rail" and the locomotive literally lifted itself off the tracks. This was at the top of the 8% grade that the train had to pull which made re-railing the locomotive a tricky proposition.
At the halfway point, the ride featured a train robbery where the train was stopped by "bandits" who would rob the train until the Tombstone Junction sheriff rode up and had a drawing match with the ringleader. The winner varied depending on what the locals playing cowboys decided how things should end each time. The "robbery" was held at the bottom of the grade and was not only for the entertainment of the tourists, but also gave the engine crew time to service the engine and build a full head of steam to pull the steep mountain grade which started at 4%, then 6%, then a section of 8% which is probably one of the steepest grades pulled by a conventional rod-type steam locomotive.
. When the railroad was originally built in the 1960s two former U.S. Army 0-6-0 saddle tank locomotives were brought in with the idea that they would power the train ride. However, the steep grades proved too much for these engines and their use was abandoned almost from the start. They were sidelined to a sidetrack and displayed next to the railroad shop building for several decades until the parks closing.
The third engine and the one that proved powerful enough to pull the train was a 90-ton 0-6-0 ALCO switcher originally built for the Union Railroad in Pennsylvania as their #77. It later operated in Morehead, KY
on the Morehead and North Fork Railroad as their #14. It was purchased for the park from the M&NF and renumbered #77. #77 was moved by rail from Morehead to the Kentucky and Tennessee Railway yards at Stearns, Kentucky. From there it was trucked into the park where it was put into operation on the tourist railroad.
The locomotives were hand painted and usually featured a paint scheme
consisting of flat black and large hand painted banners with "Cumberland Falls Scenic RailRoad" in large block letters
. Sometime in the parks last couple of decades this was changed to "Tombstone Junction Railroad"
The 5 passenger cars were modified wooden B&O Railroad
cabooses. These had the cupolas removed, large open windows cut out of the sides, and seating installed from old scrapped school buses. The cars were painted a bright shade of red with large painted banners reading "Cumberland Falls Scenic Railroad" attached to the sides. In later years the coaches were painted each a bright shade of orange, blue, yellow, and green with a hand painted banner reading "Tombstone Junction". The 5th coach retained its original red color and was usually seen on a side track as an "extra" coach in the parks later years.
Also on site was an extremely old open top hopper car presumably used as ballast spreader car when the railroad was built. This was always kept on a siding next to the displayed 0-6-0 saddle tankers during the parks operation. It was most likely scrapped after the park closed.
After Tombstone Junction ceased operation, the rail equipment was sold at auction. Harmon Taylor of Stearns, KY bought the 0-6-0 Alco "Old 77" so that it would stay in McCreary County. The two smaller locomotives were sold to other interests.
As of eary 2010 #77 is under restoration to operation at the Big South Fork Scenic Railway in Stearns, KY. She is 80% completed and in late 2009 the governor's office of Kentucky announced the project would receive a $600,000 grant to get #77 up and running.
One of the 0-6-0 saddletankers was sold to a private collector who currently has it stored at the Kentucky Railway Museum in New Haven, KY. The other saddletanker was sold to the California State Railroad Museum and reportedly was returned to operation there.
The first Red Garter Saloon was a nice representation of a "movie western" saloon featuring a main floor surrounded by an upper deck with more tables for extra seating. It also featured a saloon-type bar for soft drink
sales beverage sales. In the center of the saloon was a large elevated stage complete with ornamental curtains where the shows were staged. This building was where all of the music shows for "house band" were performed. There were also special Saturday Night Concerts offered by the house band
during the summer which was a separate ticket event that took place after the "town" and closed for the day. This saloon burned near the end of the 1974 season. When the 1975 season opened a new Red Garter Saloon opened with a raised stage on the south end and a fast food
counter at the north end of the first floor. The second floor of the Saloon housed apartments where members of the Stephens family lived during the summer season. Another change occurred when the new saloon opened in that the house band's music shows moved to the new outdoor stage and the new Red Garter Saloon became the permanent home of the magic shows. Three world-class magicians who "learned the ropes" of entertaining by beginning their professional careers at Tombstone Junction are Lance Burton
, Mac King
and Whit Haydn
. During their years at The Junction these soon-to-be-famous magicians performed three shows a day in The Red Garter Saloon.
The outdoor amphitheater was where concerts were held starring local bands as well as famous name stars from the country and western music
genre. Regulars included Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn. The theater was an octagonal structure with a roof supported by posts covering rows of bench seats that spread from the stage in three tiers. There were no walls except the three that covered the back portion of the stage to force sound out into the crowd. There was no floor as the roof and stage were simply built over an open spot of gravel.
The saloon was damaged in the 1989 fire; however concerts continued using the amphitheater until the park was shut down in 1991.
of the region in the early 1990s
when most of the major mines went under. The park's patronage consisted almost entirely of local people whose livelihood was based on mining coal, therefore attendance fell off dramatically as people were more worried about feeding their families instead of going to parks.
The second blow was the deaths of Millard and Morris Stephens who were the heart, soul and visionaries for the park. Millard Stephens died in November 1974 and Morris Stephens died in August 1976.
Finally was the rise of Dollywood
and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
as a tourist location. Being so close and offering much more than Tombstone Junction detracted attendance even more.
The Stephens Family sold the park to another party in the spring of 1989.
the park had done well enough in recent years to be able to survive for sometime until things got better or marketing plans to bring in outside tourists could be established. However the park was damaged when a fire in late 1989 heavily damaged the park. The park operated in a limited fashion directly after the 1989 fire hosting outdoor concerts and operating the train ride.
The final nail in the coffin for the park was a second fire in late 1990 or early 1991 that destroyed the rest of the park except for some out-buildings and the train. This gave rise to the rumor that the park was done in as an "insurance job" which is a rumor still alive to this day. To disspell the insurance scam rumor there were talks directly after the 1989 fire of rebuilding even perhaps with improvements to bring people back, but these were abandoned after the 1991 fire when rebuilding the entire park would have proved too expensive.
In 1992 what was left of the park was sold off at auction. The Kentucky & Tennessee Railway bought the rail and a scrap company bought the old converted wooden caboose rail cars. At the bottom of the grade was a point where the line was close to Highway 90 and the K & T personnel were at that point pulling the rail. At the top of the grade, the scrapper was beginning the process of dismantling the old cars and decided that the most expeditious method would be to burn the old wood bodies off of the frames. The old seasoned wood burned fast and the fire was quickly creeping toward the front of the train and the locomotive. The person working for the scrapper pulled the cut lever of the coupling between the lead car and the locomotive tender only to have the big safety cable that had been added between the equipment keep the equipment from separating on the steep grade in the event of a coupler failure. He then cut the cable with his cutting torch and the cars, which had no hand brakes set, took off down the steep grade. The K & T Rwy crew heard a rumbling sound and looked up the mountain to see the flaming train heading down the grade toward them. They immediately picked up their tools and walked up the side of the mountain to a safe location and watched the flaming train hit the section of removed rail and crash into a pile of flaming wreckage. It was a rather ignoble end to the cars that had hauled thousands of vacationing families during the happier years of Tombstone Junction.
, the rusting entrance gate, the fire gutted remains of the train station, and the railroad shop building. There are also the foundation of the saloon and the water stand pipe used to fill the locomotive's boiler for the train ride is still in place.
The most well preserved piece is a "Mystery House" that was called Pa's Cabin when the park was in operation. It's a small cottage building with a tilted interior patrons would have to negotiate. With the exception of graffiti this structure is still in sound shape.
The large sign that greeted people at the parking lot entrance located on KY 90 stood until around 2004–2005. It featured a large painted portrait of a gunslinger under an arched herald reading "Tombstone Jct". Under which a gas station
like sign with moveable letters read what acts were playing in a particular week. This stood in reasonable condition through the 1990s but began to deteriorate quickly in the 2000s until collapsing completely. The phone poles used to support the sign have been dragged over into the entranceway to hinder traffic from curious onlookers.
of the park in operation. Some photos are available among several blog websites of people who remember the park. These photos are usually from the 1970s era and mostly consist of pictures of and from the train. Pictures of the actual park are even rarer.
Home video of the park is almost non-existent; however, there is a rare video (less than two dozen copies) that is in circulation among the Kentucky railfan community. It was taken by the engineer of the train ride in 1989 just before the first fire and features probably the best (if short) views of the park in its last days of operation. The rest of the video consists of run-bys of the train as well as a trip around the entire track loop from the cab of the locomotive.
Kentucky Route 90
Kentucky Route 90 originates at a junction with KY 70 near I-65 in Cave City in Barren County. The route continues through Metcalfe County, Cumberland County, Clinton County, Wayne County, Pulaski...
in McCreary County, Kentucky
McCreary County, Kentucky
McCreary County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 17,080. Its county seat is Whitley City. The county is named for James B. McCreary, a Confederate war hero and Governor of Kentucky from 1875 to 1879. It is the only Kentucky county to not have a...
near Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park is a park located just southwest of Corbin, Kentucky and is contained entirely within the Daniel Boone National Forest. The park encompasses and is named for its major feature, tall Cumberland Falls...
. Operation was started in the 1960s and continued uninterrupted until the park was heavily damaged by fire in 1989. After this first fire the park continued limited operation until completely destroyed by a second fire in 1991. The park featured a recreation of a small western frontier town complete with train station, working saloon, dance hall
Dance hall
Dance hall in its general meaning is a hall for dancing. From the earliest years of the twentieth century until the early 1960s, the dance hall was the popular forerunner of the discothèque or nightclub...
, jailhouse, shanty's, and shops. There was also an outdoor amphitheater which hosted live shows featuring many popular names in country and western music of the period.
The leading attraction at Tombstone Junction was a full-sized standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
operating steam train
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
which was unheard of in parks of that era, especially one as small as Tombstone.
Affordable Entertainment comes to South Central Kentucky
Several things made Tombstone Junction unique among theme parksAmusement 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...
including its small size and the laid back "mom and pop" way the park was run.
The park developed from the building and operation of the "Cumberland Falls Scenic Railroad" in the 1960s. The railroad was built by Millard and Morris Stephens from nearby Whitley City
Whitley City, Kentucky
Whitley City is a census-designated place in McCreary County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 1,111 at the 2000 census. Despite its name, it is not an incorporated city; however, it is the county seat of McCreary County. Whitley City is one of two non-city county seats in Kentucky the...
as an attraction to compliment The Falls Motel (which they owned) which was near Cumberland Falls
Cumberland Falls
Cumberland Falls, sometimes called the Little Niagara, the Niagara of the South, or the Great Falls, is a large waterfall on the Cumberland River in southeastern Kentucky...
State Resort Park, both of which were a very short distance down the road.
The railroad was built and laid around the edges of a large cut between two mountains that had been filled in enough so that a 2½ mile "L" shaped circle of track could be laid. This was almost a copy of the idea behind the "Rebel Railroad" in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee which eventually grew into what is known as the Dollywood
Dollywood
Dollywood is a theme park owned by entertainer Dolly Parton and the Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation. It is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Dollywood has 3,000 people on its payroll, making it the largest employer in that community....
themepark today.
For the second season of operation, the railroad's developers made in-house additions of buildings, shops, and The Red Garter Saloon using help from the local residents. The various stages of development of a functional park were planned out with each season adding new attractions, shops, stores and shows. The town portion of the park went by the operating name of "Tombstone Junction" and the railroad went by the operating name of "Old #77". However, the corporate name for the entire operation was "Cumberland Falls Scenic Railroad, Inc." Locals referred to the park as simply "The Junction."
It is interesting to note that the mailboxes in the town's post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
were from the post office where Sgt. Alvin York
Alvin York
Alvin Cullum York was one of the most decorated American soldiers in World War I. He received the Medal of Honor for leading an attack on a German machine gun nest, taking 32 machine guns, killing 28 German soldiers and capturing 132 others...
received his draft notice. This moment was made famous in a dramatic scene in the movie, "Sgt. York," which was based on his journey struggling with being drafted into service in WW 1 as he was a conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
based on religious beliefs
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
to becoming a Congressional Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
winner due to his service of valor in the war.
Country Western Environment
Local residents were also used as characters to populate the "town" of Tombstone Junction. The involvement of the local community and the park's operation standpoint of focusing on audience-involving stage shows, gunfights, music shows, and a group of gunfighters who interacted with the visitors gave The Junction a communal sense which added charm and character which made up greatly for what was a theme park with basically no rides.The Junction was perhaps most known for bringing nationally known entertainers to the South Central Kentucky area and offering family entertainment to the area for a reasonable price. Entertainers such as The Judds
The Judds
The Judds were an American country music duo composed of Naomi Judd and her daughter, Wynonna Judd. Signed to RCA Records in 1983, the duo released six studio albums between then and 1991. One of the most successful acts in country music history, The Judds won five Grammy Awards for Best Country...
, Randy Travis
Randy Travis
Randy Travis is an American country music singer and actor. Since 1985, he has recorded 20 studio albums and charted more than 30 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, 22 of which were number one hits...
, Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
, Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
, Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Ann Mandrell is an American country music singer best known for a 1970s–1980s series of Top 10 hits and TV shows that helped her become one of country's most successful female vocalists of the 1970s and 1980s...
, Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty , born Harold Lloyd Jenkins, was an American country music artist. He also had success in early rock and roll, R&B, and pop music. He held the record for the most number one singles of any act with 55 No. 1 Billboard country hits until George Strait broke the record in 2006...
and Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn is an American country music singer-songwriter, author and philanthropist. Born in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky to a coal miner father, Lynn married at 13 years old, was a mother soon after, and moved to Washington with her husband, Oliver Lynn. Their marriage was sometimes tumultuous; he...
(just to name a few) were part of the Sunday Concert
Sunday Concert
Sunday Concert is Canadian singer Gordon Lightfoot's fifth album, released in 1969 on the United Artists label. It was Lightfoot's first live album and until the release of a live DVD in 2002, remained Lightfoot's only officially released live recording...
Series that took place every Sunday from April to October. Every Sunday brought a famous recording artist
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
or band to The Junction and they performed on the Outdoor Stage.
The Cumberland Falls Scenic Railroad (Old #77)
The park's biggest attraction was "Old #77". This was not a "kiddie train" or narrow gaugeNarrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
operation, but a full-sized fully operational steam train.
Passengers boarded and departed at the park's only station. This was situated almost directly in the center of the park and served as a focal point for the rest of the operation. The station also housed the park's business offices where files were kept and housed an extensive collection of autographed photos from stars that had visited the park.
The route was a 2½ mile "L" shaped circle track with the town of Tombstone Junction on one end that traveled through the wooded hills of the Falls area and came back again. The line featured steep overlooks, sharp turns, and rough track. It was actually a very close representation of what riding a hastily laid turn of the century
Fin de siècle
Fin de siècle is French for "end of the century". The term sometimes encompasses both the closing and onset of an era, as it was felt to be a period of degeneration, but at the same time a period of hope for a new beginning...
rail line would have been. In fact the 180-degree turn the line made in front of the train station was so tight that running the locomotive through it proved problematic sometimes. A notable occurrence being when the locomotive was being operated by engineer Bill Johnson and fireman Don Vanover and derailed next to the amphitheater stage just prior to the start of a Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn is an American country music singer-songwriter, author and philanthropist. Born in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky to a coal miner father, Lynn married at 13 years old, was a mother soon after, and moved to Washington with her husband, Oliver Lynn. Their marriage was sometimes tumultuous; he...
performance because the drive wheels had "bit the rail" and the locomotive literally lifted itself off the tracks. This was at the top of the 8% grade that the train had to pull which made re-railing the locomotive a tricky proposition.
At the halfway point, the ride featured a train robbery where the train was stopped by "bandits" who would rob the train until the Tombstone Junction sheriff rode up and had a drawing match with the ringleader. The winner varied depending on what the locals playing cowboys decided how things should end each time. The "robbery" was held at the bottom of the grade and was not only for the entertainment of the tourists, but also gave the engine crew time to service the engine and build a full head of steam to pull the steep mountain grade which started at 4%, then 6%, then a section of 8% which is probably one of the steepest grades pulled by a conventional rod-type steam locomotive.
Rail Equipment at Tombstone Junction
The park owned three steam locomotivesLocomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
. When the railroad was originally built in the 1960s two former U.S. Army 0-6-0 saddle tank locomotives were brought in with the idea that they would power the train ride. However, the steep grades proved too much for these engines and their use was abandoned almost from the start. They were sidelined to a sidetrack and displayed next to the railroad shop building for several decades until the parks closing.
The third engine and the one that proved powerful enough to pull the train was a 90-ton 0-6-0 ALCO switcher originally built for the Union Railroad in Pennsylvania as their #77. It later operated in Morehead, KY
Morehead, Kentucky
As of the census of 2010, there were 6,845 people, households, and families residing in the city. The population density was 726.2 people per square mile. There were 2,356 housing units at an average density of 253.3 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 93.2% White, 3.2% African...
on the Morehead and North Fork Railroad as their #14. It was purchased for the park from the M&NF and renumbered #77. #77 was moved by rail from Morehead to the Kentucky and Tennessee Railway yards at Stearns, Kentucky. From there it was trucked into the park where it was put into operation on the tourist railroad.
The locomotives were hand painted and usually featured a paint scheme
Livery
A livery is a uniform, insignia or symbol adorning, in a non-military context, a person, an object or a vehicle that denotes a relationship between the wearer of the livery and an individual or corporate body. Often, elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or corporate body feature in...
consisting of flat black and large hand painted banners with "Cumberland Falls Scenic RailRoad" in large block letters
Block letters
Block letters are a form of writing in which the letters are upright, separated, and usually made without serifs. In English-speaking countries children are first taught to write in block letters , and later may advance to cursive writing...
. Sometime in the parks last couple of decades this was changed to "Tombstone Junction Railroad"
The 5 passenger cars were modified wooden B&O Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
cabooses. These had the cupolas removed, large open windows cut out of the sides, and seating installed from old scrapped school buses. The cars were painted a bright shade of red with large painted banners reading "Cumberland Falls Scenic Railroad" attached to the sides. In later years the coaches were painted each a bright shade of orange, blue, yellow, and green with a hand painted banner reading "Tombstone Junction". The 5th coach retained its original red color and was usually seen on a side track as an "extra" coach in the parks later years.
Also on site was an extremely old open top hopper car presumably used as ballast spreader car when the railroad was built. This was always kept on a siding next to the displayed 0-6-0 saddle tankers during the parks operation. It was most likely scrapped after the park closed.
After Tombstone Junction ceased operation, the rail equipment was sold at auction. Harmon Taylor of Stearns, KY bought the 0-6-0 Alco "Old 77" so that it would stay in McCreary County. The two smaller locomotives were sold to other interests.
As of eary 2010 #77 is under restoration to operation at the Big South Fork Scenic Railway in Stearns, KY. She is 80% completed and in late 2009 the governor's office of Kentucky announced the project would receive a $600,000 grant to get #77 up and running.
One of the 0-6-0 saddletankers was sold to a private collector who currently has it stored at the Kentucky Railway Museum in New Haven, KY. The other saddletanker was sold to the California State Railroad Museum and reportedly was returned to operation there.
Stage shows
The park's other large draws were the stage shows produced in The Red Garter Saloon and the outdoor stage.The first Red Garter Saloon was a nice representation of a "movie western" saloon featuring a main floor surrounded by an upper deck with more tables for extra seating. It also featured a saloon-type bar for soft drink
Soft drink
A soft drink is a non-alcoholic beverage that typically contains water , a sweetener, and a flavoring agent...
sales beverage sales. In the center of the saloon was a large elevated stage complete with ornamental curtains where the shows were staged. This building was where all of the music shows for "house band" were performed. There were also special Saturday Night Concerts offered by the house band
House band
For the British band that existed from 1984-2001, see The House BandA house band is a group of musicians, often centrally organized by a band leader, who regularly play an establishment. It is widely used to refer both to the bands who work on entertainment programs on television or radio, and to...
during the summer which was a separate ticket event that took place after the "town" and closed for the day. This saloon burned near the end of the 1974 season. When the 1975 season opened a new Red Garter Saloon opened with a raised stage on the south end and a fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
counter at the north end of the first floor. The second floor of the Saloon housed apartments where members of the Stephens family lived during the summer season. Another change occurred when the new saloon opened in that the house band's music shows moved to the new outdoor stage and the new Red Garter Saloon became the permanent home of the magic shows. Three world-class magicians who "learned the ropes" of entertaining by beginning their professional careers at Tombstone Junction are Lance Burton
Lance Burton
Lance Burton is a stage illusionist. He has appeared on numerous television programs, and also performed for Queen Elizabeth and President Ronald Reagan...
, Mac King
Mac King
Mac King is a comedy magician who has performed on television specials, often as a co-host. He has his own family-friendly show, "The Mac King Comedy Magic Show," at the Harrah's Las Vegas in the Clint Holmes Theater....
and Whit Haydn
Whit Haydn
Whit "Pop" Haydn is an American magician, the winner of six "Magician of the Year" performing awards from the Magic Castle, the Hollywood clubhouse of the Academy of Magical Arts...
. During their years at The Junction these soon-to-be-famous magicians performed three shows a day in The Red Garter Saloon.
The outdoor amphitheater was where concerts were held starring local bands as well as famous name stars from the country and western 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...
genre. Regulars included Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn. The theater was an octagonal structure with a roof supported by posts covering rows of bench seats that spread from the stage in three tiers. There were no walls except the three that covered the back portion of the stage to force sound out into the crowd. There was no floor as the roof and stage were simply built over an open spot of gravel.
The saloon was damaged in the 1989 fire; however concerts continued using the amphitheater until the park was shut down in 1991.
Economic turndown
The park was a popular local attraction and did fairly well through the 70s and early 80s until the late 1980s when three unforeseen things began hurting the park. The first was a large turndown in the local coal industry which led to a sharp turndown in the local economy and later on led to a total economic collapseEconomic collapse
There is no precise definition of an economic collapse. While some might consider a a severe, prolonged depression with high bankruptcy rates and high unemployment an economic collapse, others would additionally look for a breakdown in normal commerce, such as hyperinfalation, or even a sharp...
of the region in the early 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
when most of the major mines went under. The park's patronage consisted almost entirely of local people whose livelihood was based on mining coal, therefore attendance fell off dramatically as people were more worried about feeding their families instead of going to parks.
The second blow was the deaths of Millard and Morris Stephens who were the heart, soul and visionaries for the park. Millard Stephens died in November 1974 and Morris Stephens died in August 1976.
Finally was the rise of Dollywood
Dollywood
Dollywood is a theme park owned by entertainer Dolly Parton and the Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation. It is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Dollywood has 3,000 people on its payroll, making it the largest employer in that community....
and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Pigeon Forge is a mountain resort city in Sevier County, Tennessee, located in the southeastern United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 5,875....
as a tourist location. Being so close and offering much more than Tombstone Junction detracted attendance even more.
The Stephens Family sold the park to another party in the spring of 1989.
End of the Park
Even with the economic downturnRecession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
the park had done well enough in recent years to be able to survive for sometime until things got better or marketing plans to bring in outside tourists could be established. However the park was damaged when a fire in late 1989 heavily damaged the park. The park operated in a limited fashion directly after the 1989 fire hosting outdoor concerts and operating the train ride.
The final nail in the coffin for the park was a second fire in late 1990 or early 1991 that destroyed the rest of the park except for some out-buildings and the train. This gave rise to the rumor that the park was done in as an "insurance job" which is a rumor still alive to this day. To disspell the insurance scam rumor there were talks directly after the 1989 fire of rebuilding even perhaps with improvements to bring people back, but these were abandoned after the 1991 fire when rebuilding the entire park would have proved too expensive.
In 1992 what was left of the park was sold off at auction. The Kentucky & Tennessee Railway bought the rail and a scrap company bought the old converted wooden caboose rail cars. At the bottom of the grade was a point where the line was close to Highway 90 and the K & T personnel were at that point pulling the rail. At the top of the grade, the scrapper was beginning the process of dismantling the old cars and decided that the most expeditious method would be to burn the old wood bodies off of the frames. The old seasoned wood burned fast and the fire was quickly creeping toward the front of the train and the locomotive. The person working for the scrapper pulled the cut lever of the coupling between the lead car and the locomotive tender only to have the big safety cable that had been added between the equipment keep the equipment from separating on the steep grade in the event of a coupler failure. He then cut the cable with his cutting torch and the cars, which had no hand brakes set, took off down the steep grade. The K & T Rwy crew heard a rumbling sound and looked up the mountain to see the flaming train heading down the grade toward them. They immediately picked up their tools and walked up the side of the mountain to a safe location and watched the flaming train hit the section of removed rail and crash into a pile of flaming wreckage. It was a rather ignoble end to the cars that had hauled thousands of vacationing families during the happier years of Tombstone Junction.
The Park Today
As of 2011, little remains of Tombstone Junction. All that is left is the two-tier parking lotParking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
, the rusting entrance gate, the fire gutted remains of the train station, and the railroad shop building. There are also the foundation of the saloon and the water stand pipe used to fill the locomotive's boiler for the train ride is still in place.
The most well preserved piece is a "Mystery House" that was called Pa's Cabin when the park was in operation. It's a small cottage building with a tilted interior patrons would have to negotiate. With the exception of graffiti this structure is still in sound shape.
The large sign that greeted people at the parking lot entrance located on KY 90 stood until around 2004–2005. It featured a large painted portrait of a gunslinger under an arched herald reading "Tombstone Jct". Under which a gas station
Filling station
A filling station, also known as a fueling station, garage, gasbar , gas station , petrol bunk , petrol pump , petrol garage, petrol kiosk , petrol station "'servo"' in Australia or service station, is a facility which sells fuel and lubricants...
like sign with moveable letters read what acts were playing in a particular week. This stood in reasonable condition through the 1990s but began to deteriorate quickly in the 2000s until collapsing completely. The phone poles used to support the sign have been dragged over into the entranceway to hinder traffic from curious onlookers.
Rebuild talks
Ever since the park shut down, rumors have been circulated in the area that people were looking to rebuild the park and operate it again. Other rumors claim that companies have looked into building a casino resort on the property should the state of Kentucky ever lift its laws on gambling. However as of 2011 the property remains vacant with no activity save the occasional curious onlooker.Photos and video
Another unique feature of Tombstone Junction is the rarity of photographs and almost utter lack of home videoHome video
Home video is a blanket term used for pre-recorded media that is either sold or rented/hired for home cinema entertainment. The term originates from the VHS/Betamax era but has carried over into current optical disc formats like DVD and Blu-ray Disc and, to a lesser extent, into methods of digital...
of the park in operation. Some photos are available among several blog websites of people who remember the park. These photos are usually from the 1970s era and mostly consist of pictures of and from the train. Pictures of the actual park are even rarer.
Home video of the park is almost non-existent; however, there is a rare video (less than two dozen copies) that is in circulation among the Kentucky railfan community. It was taken by the engineer of the train ride in 1989 just before the first fire and features probably the best (if short) views of the park in its last days of operation. The rest of the video consists of run-bys of the train as well as a trip around the entire track loop from the cab of the locomotive.