Courtesy of John Bueker An official groundbreaking ceremony for Legend City was held on December 30, 1961, with Arizona musician Dolan Ellis and KPHO’s Wallace and Ladmo entertaining a large crowd. Bueker: Wallace and Ladmo were involved from the beginning and were a big part of Legend City’s history and vice-versa. Dolan Ellis was everywhere at the time. He fit into the Old West paradigm and could play music appropriate to the theme of the park. Dolan Ellis, musician and Arizona’s official state balladeer: I was doing a travelogue show on Channel 12, and Western Savings and Loan was my sponsor. Louis Crandall [did their advertising] and he contacted me to write and record music for some 45-rpm records to promote Legend City. I was well known for my Arizona music and knowl- edge of [local] folklore, so he wanted me to help publicize the new project. I recorded “Desert Silhouette” and “Ghost of Legend City” at Audio Recorders of Arizona with [producers] Floyd Ramsey and Jack Miller. Dixon: They were trying to drum up business, so why not spend a little money and put out records to get airplay or draw attention? It was a cool promotional item. Legend City was built over the next 18 months at an estimated cost of $5 million, according to Bueker. (That’s about $9 million in today’s dollars.) Leading up to its debut, Louis Crandall told a local newspaper the “time was ripe” for Phoenix to have its own theme park. Critics disagreed, calling his project a folly. Bueker: There were a lot of naysayers, people who didn’t think [Legend City] was practical. Some thought Phoenix wasn’t ready for a world-class theme park or didn’t have the population to support it. Louis didn’t let any of it get to him and just kept pursuing his dream. The late Wallace (right) and Ladmo (center) ride in one of Legend City’s antique cars while Gerald (left) attempts some sabotage. Janie Crandall: I remember going every day during construction because Dad included the whole family in everything. My mom used industrial sewing machines to create this huge [Legend City] flag. My grandparents and brother were involved with all the concession stands. It felt like they were building something magical. It looked just gorgeous and majestic and just fun. How the West Was Fun Turnout was huge for Legend City’s opening on June 29, 1963, with more than 28,000 people passing through the front gate. What awaited inside was a Disneyland-like park separated into six themed areas, each offering different rides, attractions, and eateries. Up front was the Gay ‘90s Village, a turn-of-the-century-themed analog to the Magic Kingdom’s Main Street, U.S.A. It led to other parts of the park, including the rustic Boom Town and the haunted Ghost Town, as well as the Indian and Mexican villages. Elsewhere, the Modern Era offered the Autopia-like Blakely Arizona Speedway, spinning teacups, and a modest roller coaster. There was also a river boat ride, a sky ride overhead, and a steam locomotive circumnavigating the park. Beuker: The Gay ’90s had shops, restaurants, and a penny arcade, which was one of my favorite parts as a kid. You could also go on the antique car ride, which very a popular ride and expensive to maintain because the cars kept breaking down. Boom Town had the Golden Palace Saloon, a marshal’s office, and a general store. The Indian Village was on an island and had Native American dancers performing. Ghost Town >> p 20 19 phoenixnewtimes.com | CONTENTS | FEEDBACK | OPINION | NEWS | FEATURE | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | PHOENIX NEW TIMES SEPT 29TH–OCT 5TH, 2022
