As young girls I think we all fell in love with any number of cute high school guys working there each and every summer! There were some unscrupulous characters operating the rides that day but all the operators in years before were decent. Even with the addition of many highways over the past several decades, getting from place to place can still be a dicey proposition during the busy season. More corrections I was a performer at Magic Harbor in 1986. Senior Citizens from the local RV park used several walkways in the park to exercise while the water slides in the parking lot were operated by a local person as a separate attraction. There wasnt a local person ,as Malone put it, who took over the Water Slide, and put up portable rides in the parking lot It was the manager of Magic Harbor who had come over from Blackpool with the Thompsons. My dad made the best attempt to keep Magic Harbor and Magic Mountain running, but it was by NO fault of his that it closed. A decade after its closure, were looking back on the history of the Pavilion, its legacy and the present and future of its historic location. Loved the parade that would go thru the park!, Had so many fun times there and I will never forget The Rainbow ride!, Going dancing at the Magic Attic to Sugarcreek does anyone remember?, Playing skee ball and getting ice cream. The victim fell nearly 40 feet to his death and another rider in that car also fell, hitting other cars before eventually holding onto the frame of the ride and being rescued by park workers and firefighters. The Corkscrew rollercoaster was front and left of center of the entrance at the park in the mid-late 1970s. After serving as a front-line base throughout the Cold War, Vietnam War, and Persian Gulf War, the base closed for good in 1993, sparking a variety of ideas as to its future use. Despite several down years leading up to the closure, the park experiences a renaissance in its Farewell Season with increased business, and several online petitions circulate in an effort to save the park. At that time, oceanfront lots sell for $25, and buyers receive an extra lot if they build a house valued at $500 or more. And to be honest he hated Myrtle Beach and all the local beaurocracy on which it ran at that time. I went here often as a child and I dont remember any rollercoaster named the corkscrew at Magic Harbor. The shopping center ran successfully for three decades before shutting down for good in 2005. From the 155-foot-tall steel Led Zeppelin roller coaster to the trippy Nights in White Satin dark ride and the various live shows and themed areas, there was plenty to like about the park itself. But the grounds If youve done them all, youre an honorary local, but if youve experienced even a few of these experiences first-hand, consider yourself lucky. The city has always owned the land, and just leased it to the owners of the Park/Parks over the years. Another business group bought the park and It really takes me back. The smell of suntan lotion inside as well., The Magic Attic was where we always went to go meet Northern boys in the 90s Great Memories!, I remember the organ, playing skee ball with my dad and just walking along Ocean Boulevard. St John the Baptist Greek . grounds began to take on a sinister look for several years. The park featured six roller coasters during its run, including smaller rides like the Comet Jr., Galaxi, Little Eagle, and Mad Mouse, as well as full-size coasters like the steel looping Corkscrew and the parks signature ride, the Hurricane: Category 5. Homesickness strikes again lol. While much of the specific early timeline of the park is unknown, the park went through several owners, including the ownership group behind Blackpool Pleasure Beach, who turned Magic Harbor into a British themed amusement park. Echo Valley . The first in many deaths occurred as a Stage Coach Ride tipped over and Killed one person while hurting several others. turned it into a more traditional type of amusement area with classic rides. Previous coasters Corkscrew 1975-1977 The cowboys and rodeo queens have been replaced by high-flying, swashbuckling buccaneers, but nonetheless, these shows play a part in many Myrtle Beach memories. Contribute a coaster for this park! Whew! PirateLand & Magic Harbor: Theme parks open from mid 1960s to early 1990s at 4901 S. Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach (Now PirateLand Campground) KISS Coffeehouse: Rock-themed coffee shop at 1320 Celebrity Square at Broadway at the Beach (Now Rooster's Restaurant & Bar) You can google pictures. Not sure who the manager of the slide was at the time but she adored him and his family. My condolences to those families. Blayne, I hope you can correct your inaccuracies. Dancing under the benches beside the Pavilion. The first in many deaths occurred as a Stage Coach Ride tipped over and Killed one person while hurting several others. Oh well, such is life for the new to overtake the old. in Myrtle Beach (Now La Casona Mexican Restaurant), Santa Fe Station: Restaurant located at 1101 Hwy. Im back. The park did continue to operate as-is after Sherris death, but there were continuous lawsuits against Blackpool Pleasurebeach, LLC from the time of their purchase by local groups, not to be named here, who greedily felt they should have the park and not an international company, even though Blackpool introduced the Worlds Largest Ferris Wheel, at that time and make Magic Harbor a great place. Booked. Myrtle Beach Pavilion: Myrtle Beach: 1948-2006 Springs Park Lancaster . Fourteen new rides including several carnival-style flat rides and new concessions are added to the park. MyrtleBeach.com is the Grand Strands largest privately- owned tourism portal. Dixie Stampede became one of the most popular shows in town during a time when the Myrtle Beach show scene was really thriving. Thanks for the walk down memory lane. In fact The Black Witch was my first hard core rollercoaster. Would love to hear from you Blayne. Originally called PirateLand, it was renamed for its 1975 re-opening with a revamped British theme. The evenings here have seen many hot spots come and go over the years. It was a regular amusement that had a Frontier Section where they had a gun fight/stagecoach show. Over the years, visitors of all ages and walks of life basked in the simple pleasures of letting go and enjoying its thrilling rides, silly games, upbeat tunes, colorful characters, sugary sweet treats and amazing views in Myrtle Beach. Today it would be a dwarf. Our three boys went on every ride. Once again, a dark cloud appeared as a young women stood-up on the Black Witch coaster and was nearly decapitated, she died. From teen and adult dance clubs to rowdy country music venues and raunchy dives, the old Myrtle Beach bars and nightclubs played host to many coming-of-age tales. Magic Harbor was an amusement park located south of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina that operated from 1954 until the mid-1990s. Blackpool wanted to pull out and again, If anyone knows the history of Magic Harbor, its Blayne Perry. The carnival agrees to make its permanent home across the street from the old pavilion on the west side of Ocean Boulevard, as a reinforced concrete version of the main pavilion building is built on the east side of the street. Again, the park changed hands and the company that owned Blackpool Pleasure Beach bought into the park. 1.2 mi. We also have friends that own property in Pirateland Campground and have stayed there numerous times. This too Check out these great websites and resources: One grand prize winner will receive a 3-Night Stay at Crown Reef Beach Resort & Waterpark Plus an Amazing Prize Pack! Was there one by the same name at Magic Harbor as well? We know not all good things last forever, but the timeless memories they created certainly do. Discover (and save!) The 1.2-mile Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and Promenade opens, running along the oceanfront side of the old pavilion lot. I made many friends and always felt part of a big familly that truly cared for one another. Magic Harbor Navigating the old Myrtle Beach streets during the pre-Bypass days are memories that stick with vacationers. 1.2 mi. Maybe not in legal name, but since the accident it did gain that nickname. The 1.2-mile Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and Promenade opens, running along the oceanfront side of the old pavilion lot. I had a dream that it broke free and rolled across the street once, lol. I would like to correct some of the mistakes you actually made in your comments, which were quite hurtful to me and my family. Youd be right! What would later become one of the Pavilions most iconic attractions, the Herschell-Sillman Carousel, is built in 1912. Want to remember it first-hand? Who remembers those tacos for 25 cents? MyrtleBeach.com is the Grand Strands largest privately- owned tourism portal. There was a paddlewheel boat that went around a small lake and the pirates would attack it as well. I used to go to Magic Harbor as a child. After shutting the Side Show down, the lease reverted back to the city. At this time the park was most definitely owned and managed by a company from Blackpool England. your own Pins on Pinterest Details. Everyone always had a smile on and was having a wonderful time. Blayne, I hope you can correct your inaccuracies. T., Sorry to have not given more details about the murders to include the others murdered back in 1976. Playing in the arcade with the breezes blowing through. Throughout the late 1950s and into the 1960s, the area surrounding the Myrtle Beach pavilion thrives. This park was commonly referred by locals as "Haunted Harbor" here's a brief history why. Updated Tuesday, April 03, 2007. Note: A special thanks to Wayne Aiken of Myrtle Beach Remembered for photos provided for this post. You wont find a coaster quite like the Hurricane in Myrtle Beach today, but the Family Kingdom on Ocean Boulevard features the Swamp Fox with a 75-foot drop, and you can still recapture some of the old Myrtle Beach magic at the Pavilion Park at Broadway at the Beach. The ride features a 70-foot drop and two looping corkscrews and was in operation for more than 30 year until is was removed to make way for the Hurricane: Category 5. Log-Flume, Teacups, a steel Roller-Coaster called the "Black Witch" while all taken away to go to a large State Fair up North, by the end of the season, all the rides It was truly a beautiful place as it was located Can some refresh my memory and tell me what year that took place. The attraction features six 600-foot ziplines, which span between two towers at 40 mph, and also a free fall experience from a 60-foot tower. Great fun but it only lasted one year under that ownership. Im not sure when it was started or when it ended, but it was thriving during the moon-launch summer of 1969. the buildings were built two-thirds scale to those in Charleston. When it was open, Magic Harbor was a wonderful park. PIRATELAND / MAGIC HARBOR 4901 S. King's Highway Myrtle Beach, SC (803) 238-0717 This was a small amusement park approximately 4 miles south of Myrtle Beach, located on Highway 17 south of MB Air Force Base (now Airport). They had the arm wrestling game that wasn't at my local arcade in Monroe, N.C. Just being in that atmosphere was electric for me. In 1992, the portion of Chester Street that runs through the pavilion is closed off, and the amusement park is expanded to take up the entire area between Eighth and Ninth avenues North from Ocean Boulevard to Kings Highway. Or yet another tragedy? The four-day festival featured A-list country music acts, including Rascal Flatts, Lady Antebellum and Eric Church and drew more than 10,000 attendees in its inaugural year. The Magic Harbor Amusement Park is long gone but remembered fondly by many. it was July 4th in the mid 90s. It is kind of out of place considering the era the movie was set in. Apr 5, 2013 - This Pin was discovered by Roxsan Dorough. They put in several portable rides like a Sky Diver, Sooper Loop, Himalaya while the buildings and grounds were spruced up and given a new coat of paint. New rides added during this time include the Pipeline Slide, a huge dryslide; the Cliff Hanger, a spinning hang-gliding ride; The Rocket, a 200-foot-tall tower with spinning, flipping swings; and The Speed XXL, where riders are spun around at speeds of up to 50 mph and heights of up to 130 feet. The indoor ice rink was located there as well, only, its wasnt real ice. Bret Malone must not have thoroughly researched his article. Perry has many more details than I can recall, but from the ones I can remember, his information is consistent with my recollection. He did keep Magic Mountain open, as my father successfully ran on Mr. Thompsons behalf and I worked for him for a few summers myself. The parking lot looked like a lake when it rained. She also obviously knew the Perrys well and they were always friendly and welcoming. I seem to remember being very afraid of that. company that owned "Blackpool Pleasure Beach" bought into the park. Over its decades-long run, Sun Fun welcomed tens of thousands of guests and became the longest running festival in the area. Park MYRTLE BEACH Pirateland and Lakewood campgrounds could soon own the property they operate on, potentially ending a decades long lease agreement with the city of Myrtle Beach. In fact, Im pretty sure there wasnt a Perry in sight at that point to confirm any of the operators. Originally built for $1.5 million, the coaster first operates on the south side of Myrtle Beach at a British-themed amusement park called Magic Harbour but is purchased by the pavilion when that park closes. the park grounds and buildings were put up for sale, the rides removed and sold off. Vacationers reliving Myrtle Beach in the 1990s will remember the dinner shows at Dixie Stampede. You wrote a great little memory piece right up till the end there. Growing from a humble home furnishings business started in Myrtle Beach in the late 1970s, Waccamaw Pottery quickly grew into a retail chain in the 1980s and 90s with stores throughout the South and Midwest. The area still has a few local shops and part of the land was used for the Freestyle Music Park. left handed billet upper receiver,