Opryland

Opryland park came about because the Grand Ole Opry needed a new home. The decrepit old Ryman was in bad shape, to put it mildly, and they needed a way to generate funds to build a modern facility. With the theme park craze in full swing, it seemed natural to combine a park, resort hotel, shopping, and the Opry house. Randall Duell, as usual, was called in to oversee design of this uniquely American, music-themed park. And what a beautiful place it was, starting with the natural, wooded location along the Cumberland River. They kept as many trees as they could and took advantage of the topography. The result was a beloved playground that is terribly missed to this day. Here’s the opening year map.