Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Births Obituaries Aviation Business Capitol City Communication Crime Education Entertainment Exploration Farm and Ranch Indian Affairs Labor Lifestyles Media Military Music National Oil Political Railroads Religion Science Society Sports Technology Transportation Travel Veterans Weather 1600s 1700s 1800s 1810s 1820s 1830s 1840s 1850s 1860s 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s

Vol 8, No 217

August 5, 1961

Saturday Evening

Six Flags Theme Park opens in Arlington

Born This Date
Blues legend, John Vandiver born in Dallas
DALLAS  (1945)   On this date in 1945, Texas Blues legend, John Vandiver was born in Dallas. John was murdered along with his girlfriend/manager Debbie Davison Feb. 22, 1985 in their home near Magnolia. His recording of St James Infirmary is a classic.   

Six Flags Over Texas
ARLINGTON  (1961)   On this date in 1961, Six Flags Over Texas theme park in Arlington opened. Visitors could ride canoes, stage coaches, join a watermelon eating contest, ride on the LaSalle adventure boats, or visit Skull Island. The original narrow gauge steam railroad surrounding the park is still in operation.
   The six flags represent the six nations that have at one time or another, staked claim to the territory of Texas: Spain, France, Mexico, The Republic of Texas, The Confederacy, and the United States.
   In 1961, Disneyland in California was the largest theme park in the country. Other amusement parks, like Coney Island, were scattered along the East and West coasts. Six Flags was Mid-America's answer to Disneyland.
    Today, Six Flags owns and/or operates over fifty amusement, theme, and water parks worldwide.