Brothers Harry and Grover Robbins in 1965 began looking for a way to turn ski resort Beech Mountain into a year-round attraction.

[1] The songs that were lip-synced by the characters on the Yellow Brick Road and at Emerald City were composed by notables Alec Wilder and North Carolina native Loonis McGlohon (with the exception of E.Y.

Land of Oz opened on June 15, 1970, with actress Debbie Reynolds cutting the ribbon with her daughter Carrie Fisher.

Visitors would start off in Kansas, "experience" the tornado that struck Dorothy's house, and walk down the Yellow Brick Road to visit with the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Cowardly Lion, and Wicked Witch of the West.

The original Emerald City consisted of gift shops and an amphitheater where the Magic Moment Show would be staged every half hour.

An artificial balloon ride, a specially modified ski lift installed by Goforth Brothers, allowed visitors to get a bird's-eye view of the park and mountain scenery before leaving Oz.

A small museum showcased props and costumes from the MGM film, including one of Judy Garland's Dorothy dresses.

At the same time, many items were stolen from the park's museum, including Judy Garland's Dorothy dress[1] and the gatekeeper's jacket.

Watauga High School in nearby Boone, N.C. had staged a production of The Wizard of Oz as its spring musical a few months earlier and the student actors appeared in character and in costume to greet visitors as they came off the ski lift.

Visitors then made their way to Dorothy's house, which was then the home of the property's owner, Alex Hufty Hays, and viewed a collection of original costumes and props from the 1939 movie.

Urban explorers often visit the park, shooting photos near or stealing relics from the site, including pieces of the yellow brick road.