From the Darkroom: Announcing construction of the White Water project in Branson

Springfield-Greene County Library District
Peter Herschend, then vice president of marketing for Silver Dollar City, Inc., unveiling details of the new White Water project in November of 1979.
Peter Herschend, then vice president of marketing for Silver Dollar City, Inc., unveiling details of the new White Water project in November of 1979.

Peter Herschend, then vice president of marketing for Silver Dollar City, Inc., unveiling details of the new White Water project in November of 1979.

The twelve-acre park, which is today firmly established as a Branson landmark and popular summer tourist destination and which has since expanded with more rides and slides, first opened in May 1980 with eighty staff members, four water slides, and its now-iconic wave pool. An ambitious project, Silver Dollar City, Inc. fully funded the project without outside financial help.

This image is presented in partnership between the Springfield-Greene County Library District and the Springfield News-Leader. For more historical images of Ozarks visit: thelibrary.org/fromthedarkroom.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: From the Darkroom: When White Water came to Branson