Kings Island Postcards

Last month was my Kings Island 40th anniversary palooza, and here's something that I never got around to posting until now - it's a Kings Island postcards book from the late 1970's...

Here's a great closeup of the Turnpike Ride above...

It looks to me like you needed to show your AARP card in order to drive.  Sorry Junior I know this looks like a kiddie ride, but you're gonna have to let Grandma drive.

Your Guide Through Rock City

This is guide to Rock City from the 1970's, but the layout looks like it was designed in the 1950's. I assume they got a lot mileage out of this guide, and updated the individual pictures when necessary. For example the family in #5 "Goblins Underpass" is less modern looking than the happen'n 1970's ladies in #10 "See Seven States."

If you'd like to learn more about Rock City, Jill over at Jill's Quirky Landmarks has nice little writeup, and a wonderful a picture post of her 10 year wedding anniversary at Rock City. Wow Jill, I sure hope your husband appreciates a wife who's dream is trip to Rock City.

Anyway this guide was also a multitasker. After you were done using it you were urged to use it as a postcard to send to a friend.

So what the heck happened to the Boatyard Shopping Village?

Back in 1983 I was on a family vacation in Florida, and my parents were visiting some friends who lived in Clearwater, FL. One sunny afternoon our Clearwater friends took us to the Boatyard Shopping Village. Here's a postcard I just found while looking through some old junk.

Click to enlarge, or don't

Look, here's another Boatyard Shopping Village postcard I found online.



The Boatyard Shopping Village was a full of specialty shops and a few restaurants themed to look like an old timey fishing village. It sorta reminded me of Sweethaven from that live action Popeye movie. Well that is a less detailed Sweethaven, and one made out of rusting sheet metal.

Hey those Popeye sets are still standing! Imagine that!



Anywho, here's the back of the post card where you can read the official description for the Boatyard Shopping Village.



So now here's the mystery - what the heck happened to the Boatyard Shopping Village? As you can see from the Google satellite image below, it appears that all traces of the Boatyard Shopping Village have been thoroughly removed.


View Larger Map

Also except for the postcards I've found, I can't find any other evidence that this place ever existed. I thought the place was reasonably cool when I visited as a kid. Didn't anyone else? I thought for sure I'd find someone reminiscing about the Boatyard Shopping Village on some obscure message board.

This place is more mysterious than Brigadoon.

UPDATE:  Be sure to read the comments if you'd like more info on what happened to the Boatyard Shopping Village.  A big thank you to all the people who have left great comments so far!