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| Myrtle Beach Pavilion | |
|---|---|
| Location | Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States  |
| Website | Myrtle Beach Pavilion |
| Owner | Burroughs & Chapin |
| Opened | 1948 |
| Closed | September 24, 2006 |
| Operating season | mid March-late September |
| Area | 11 acres (45,000 m2) |
| Rides | 36 total
|
| Slogan | One More Ride, One More Thrill, One More Memory, One Last Time (Farewell Season) |
The Myrtle Beach Pavilion was an amusement park located on the corner of 9th Avenue and Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Considered by many as the "heart" of Myrtle Beach, the Pavilion sat one block away from the beach itself in a pedestrian-populated area, surrounded by similar attractions. The pay-per-ride Pavilion park was once a major destination in Myrtle Beach, even being voted #1 Family Attraction in Myrtle Beach by the Travel Channel.
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History
Located along Ocean Boulevard in the heart of Myrtle Beach, S.C., The Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park entertained generations of families for 58 years. An 11-acre (45,000 m2) amusement park by the Atlantic Ocean, The Pavilion featured more than 40 rides ranging from the kiddie variety to the one known as Hurricane Category 5, the largest wooden roller coaster in South Carolina. The Pavilion’s main building, which housed The Attic, was located on the east side of Ocean Boulevard, while the amusement park itself occupied the west side.
The first Pavilion building was a one-story wooden structure attached to Myrtle Beach’s first hotel, the long-since demolished Seaside Inn. This first Pavilion was used as an annex and gathering place for Inn guests. It burned to the ground in 1920 and was replaced by a wooden two-story Pavilion in 1925. It was in this Pavilion building that “shagging” became the hot new dance at the beach. In 1944 this second Pavilion building was also destroyed by fire, but in 1948, owner Burroughs & Chapin constructed a new Pavilion, this time using reinforced concrete walls, the first structure of its kind along the Grand Strand. It weathered Hurricane Hazel, which in 1954 destroyed much of Myrtle Beach’s oceanfront, and it was this building that remained in use until it was demolished in late 2006.
The gradual development of the Pavilion Amusement Park on the west side of Ocean Boulevard across from the main Pavilion building began in 1948 when a traveling carnival playing the annual Tobacco Festival in nearby Conway, S.C. caught the interest of the Burroughs & Chapin company. An agreement was eventually signed, and the carnival made its permanent home directly in front of and to the west of the Pavilion. Ice skaters, bear acts, dance troupes, and talent shows were also brought in. In 1950 Burroughs & Chapin bought out Central Amusement Company and added that company’s 14 rides to the amusement park. Thirty-eight trucks were needed to haul in the new rides which were soon joined by several concession stands. The park's evolution continued as its owners searched the country and abroad for new rides to add. For decades, the Myrtle Beach Pavilion provided family entertainment to residents and tourists alike.
Two of the amusement park’s offerings have been recognized for their historical significance; the first is the Herschell-Spillman Carousel which dates back to 1912. Most carousels feature an assortment of horses, but the Pavilion’s carousel features a menagerie of animals including frogs, lions, ostriches, zebras, giraffes, roosters, and dragons. The “lead horse”, which is, in fact, a horse, is bejeweled and decorated in great detail and, as tradition demands, is found on the outside row of the carousel. One of approximately 15 working Herschell-Spillman carousels in the country, the Pavilion carousel is a very elaborate and well-kept machine, protected at night from the wear and tear of the ocean by lowered metal doors.
The Pavilion's other historical treasure is the Baden Band Organ. This organ was built at Waldkirch Baden, Germany by A. Ruth & Sohn, who hand-carved its ornate wooden figurines and decorations. The organ was first exhibited in Paris at the World Exposition of 1900. Afterwards it was moved from town to town in Europe on a wagon pulled by a team of six horses. The organ is 20 feet (6.1 m) long, 11 feet (3.4 m) high, seven feet deep, and weighs approximately two tons. It has 400 different pipes and 98 keys, and still operates with old-style cardboard music, most of which was composed more than 50 years ago. The organ remains in excellent condition, complete with twirling ladies and cherubs that play cymbals, bells, and drums.
Rides
As the decades passed, the park added numerous rides including the two-million-dollar Arrow Dynamics roller coaster, Mad Mouse (added in 1998), the Log Flume, Hydro: SURGE, and the major expansion of 2000: Hurricane: Category 5 roller coaster.
The Myrtle Beach Pavilion featured many rides commonly found at traveling carnivals, as well as a few rides created specifically for the park. The Pavilion boasted a variety of kiddie rides, thrill rides, two major roller coasters, and several water rides.
Major Rides
- Hurricane: Category 5
- Mad Mouse
- Log Flume
- Hydro: SURGE
- Haunted Hotel
Closure
The owners of the Pavilion, Burroughs & Chapin, announced shortly before its 2006 opening that that would be its final season. The 2006 season ended for the public on September 24, 2006, although a select number of people were able to participate in a "Last Ride" event held on September 30, 2006. The farewell season proved extremely popular and the park enjoyed record attendance and profits. Several local citizens wrote songs expressing their feelings about the closing of the old park with names like "It's Hard to Say Goodbye" and "Why Do You Want to Tear the Pavilion Down?"[1]. Several online petitions were circulated in hopes of saving the Pavilion, but Burroughs & Chapin stated that financial instability would force them to shut down park operations. At about the time the closing was announced, construction on the Hard Rock Park (now Freestyle Music Park and also in Myrtle Beach) was set to begin.
The park's historic carousel and the Baden Band Organ were subsequently relocated to Broadway at the Beach, Myrtle Beach, SC.[1]; however, the Haunted Hotel and the multi-million dollar Hurricane were demolished [2]. Hurricane's trains were sold to Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, and are now used on Son of Beast.
A new, smaller "mini-park" called the Pavilion Nostalgia Park [3] has been created, featuring a few of the old rides, including the Carousel, and the German Baden Band Organ. This park is located at Broadway at the Beach, which opened in July 2007.
The ocean-front Pavilion and the amusement park area were demolished over December 2006 and January 2007. Since that time, the 11-acre lot has been unused and empty, along with a number of nearby defunct beach businesses. Although there is no longer a Pavilion, tourists still visit the area, attracted by the local businesses which remain in operation.
References
External links
- Photos of the Pavilion's "Last Ride" Event
- Photos of the Pavilion's "Last Ride" Event
- Photos of the Pavilion's "Last Ride" Event
- A Video of the Pavilion's "Last Ride" Event.
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