Review: The Land of Oz

The Land of Oz by Tim Hollis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you ever visited North Carolina in the 70s, you likely heard of the little amusement park The Land of Oz based on the popular children's novel and MGM movie Wizard of Oz written by L. Frank Baum. The park was nestled atop Beech Mountain near Banner Elk / Boone, North Carolina. During the winter, the park was a ski resort, but in order to extend the revenue season, the summers saw the area transformed into a park complete with Uncle Henry's Home, The Yellow Brick Road, and the Emerald City. As you walk along the brightly painted walk you would encounter Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tinman, the Cowardly Lion, and the Wicked Witch. For anyone who was even a remote fan, the park provided an afternoon of fun. The park officially closed in the 80s and has since fallen into disrepair, until a few old fans and local realty agent began to bring it back to life. The park is now opened on a limited basis on special weeks(ends) in the spring and fall. This book is basically a photo journal of the park from its inception through its current state. Most of the photos are from the original park's publicity shots and souvenir book, as well as some photos from park employees and realty agency that is currently the owner of the property.

I vividly remember visiting the park as a young girl. I was always a fan of the Oz books, and the movie. I still have the souvenir book we purchased at the park and L. Frank Baum's Land of Oz book that I bought at the park bookstore. This was a great little book to stroll down memory lane. I hope to someday visit again on one of the park's special weekends.

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