1880 Silver Dollar City Missouri

The Wild West in the 20th century.

The history of Silver Dollar City is a fascinating one. A mining magnate in search of lead first found what he called ‘Marble Cave’ (it was really limestone) in Missouri in the late 1860’s, though it’s possible the Spanish were there centuries earlier. It was later mined for bat guano and, by the turn of the century, was open for public tours. An amusement park grew around the site in the style of the late 19th century and continues to operate today as Silver Dollar City.

This view, published in 1973, shows the Wild West town in all its grandeur just five years after it first started charging admission. The theme is evident throughout the vast grounds, and the aforementioned headline attraction is relegated to an inauspicious ‘Cave Entry’ near the foreground.