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Six Flags Over Texas is a major amusement park located in Arlington, Texas and was the first park of the Six Flags chain. The park opened on August 1, 1961 following just a year of construction and initial investment of $10 million dollars by real estate developer and oil baron Angus G. Wynne, Jr.
Since its opening, Six Flags Over Texas has consistently performed well, in terms of attendance and revenue, despite its history of ever-changing owners and expansions. The park currently has several multi-million dollar rides and attractions, bringing in thousands of visitors daily.
Following a visit to the recently opened Disneyland in Anaheim, California, wealthy oil tycoon and real estate developer Angus G. Wynne, Jr. decided that his home of Texas should have a local park for entertainment. Planning for such a place began in 1959 under the leadership of Wynne and the Great Southwest Corporation, along with the backing of various New York investors. Construction on the park later began in August, 1960.
The name was decided to be 'Six Flags Over Texas' to stand for the six different nations' flags which have governed over Texas, including: France, Spain, Mexico, The Republic of Texas, The Confederate States of America, and the United States of America. Wynne originally intended the parks name to be 'Texas under Six Flags' until his wife apparently notified him that "Texas isn?t under anything." The actual park was split into separate regions as well, such as the Spain and Mexico section having Spanish-themed rides, attractions, and buildings.
The Silver Star Carousel at Six Flags Over Texas opened in 1963 at the park, but was actually built in 1925 by the Dentzel Carousel Company in Philadelphia. Some of the hand-crafted wooden horses on the carousel were actually built around 1900, years before the ride itself was finished. The Silver Star Carousel has changed locations several times throughout its history, and is now located at the parks front gate behind the entry plaza fountains.
The Six Flags Over Texas Railroad is the only attraction still operating from the parks initial 1961 season. Two engines transport guests on a one-mile journey around the park, stopping twice at two stations located on opposite sides of the park for entering or exiting riders. Both train engines were originally built for a sugar cane plantation in Louisiana at the turn of the century. Engine #1, known as the "Green Train" (due to its color scheme) or the "Mary Ann," was built in 1901 by the American Locomotive Company. The smaller engine #2, known as the "Red Train" or "Lydia," was created earlier in 1897 by the Porter Company for the plantation.
The engines were later rebuilt for $50,000, and renamed the "General Sam Houston" (originally the 'Mary Ann') and the "Marabou B. Lamar" (originally the 'Lydia') in honor of the Texan heroes. The rebuilding also involved several minor changes, including the conversion of the wood-burning steam engines to being oil-operated. Photos of the original engines can be found at the train station in the 'Texas' section of the park.
The Railroad continues to run at the park daily, with overall having very little changed from the trains original operating day on August 1, 1961. Six Flags continues to maintain the trains as close as possible to their original specifications, with taking occasional breaks to refill the engines with water to power the steam engines. Despite a popular movement to transform theme park railroad engines from steam-powered to the newer diesel-powered trains for lower maintenance and operating costs, Six Flags Over Texas has resisted to favor a more authentic experience.
Six Flags Over Texas has also been home to many of theme park 'firsts' including:
*This is often disputed with Geauga Lake?s Double Loop roller coaster, despite Six Flags claiming it publicly on their website.
Superman Tower of Power ? The Superman Tower of Power ride was introduced to the park in 2003 as a combination freefall/launch tower created by S&S Power with a Superman theme.
Titan ? Titan is a massive, orange, 255-foot tall steel roller coaster which combines tall, swooping drops with tight helixes. The ride was designed and built by Giovanola.
Texas Giant ? The world-renowned Texas Giant wooden roller coaster has consistently ranked at the top of wooden coaster ranking lists such as Amusement Today?s Golden Ticket Awards.
Mr. Freeze ? Themed to Batman's arch nemesis, Mr. Freeze launches riders at 70 m.p.h. into a top hat inversion and overbanked turn before rising up a 242-foot tall vertical tower, subsequently repelling the train back down and through the course in reverse.
Batman the Ride ? One of the cloned (same layout) Batman the Ride inverted roller coasters, the Bolliger & Mabillard-designed roller coaster sends riders through 5 inversions with nothing but air beneath the train and riders? legs.
Shockwave ? Shockwave is a Schwarzkopf-designed steel roller coaster, often considered to be one of the few rides in the world to successfully combine inversions (with its two vertical loops) and airtime (the sensation caused by negative G?s) with only a lap bar used as a restraining device.
Runaway Mountain ? Billed as "the coaster that dares the darkness," Runaway Mountain sends passengers on a ride course filled with tight turns, helixes, drops, and hills ? all in the complete dark.
Judge Roy Scream ? A smaller wooden roller coaster catering mostly to the family, Judge Roy Scream is offset from the rest of the park and resides next to the parks large entry lake.
Mine Train ? Originally called the "Runaway Mine Train," the Mine Train takes riders both old and young on a ride through a themed mining town, complete with a surprising finale.
Mini Mine Train ? A miniature version of the Mine Train takes children, still too small to experience its bigger brother?s thrills, on a smaller roller coaster ride.
Flashback ? Flashback is a shuttle coaster, built by Vekoma, which takes riders through three inversions, up a steep incline, and then through the same three inversions in reverse for a total of six inversions.
La Vibora ? A bobsled roller coaster located in the Spain & Mexico section of the park that takes riders on a trackless adventure through a trough.
Oil Derrick ? The Oil Derrick observation tower opened in 1969 providing a view of both the downtown Dallas and Fort Worth skylines at 300 feet above the park.
Looney Tunes USA - The Looney Tunes USA section of the park features several rides and attractions designed for kids under the height of 54 inches. Several Looney Tunes cartoon characters can also be spotted patrolling the area regularly, greeting the kids and providing photo opportunities.
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