This page is about the former theme park that existed from 1969-2020. The park was mostly demolished in 2020 and whatever happens since will not be posted about or endorsed on this page. This page does not represent, support or acknowledge Johnny Morris or his enterprises. Dogpatch USA was a theme park that operated from 1968 to 1993 and sat abandoned from 1994 to 2020. It was purchased in 2020 by
Johnny Morris of Bass Pro fame with a quote of preservation and restoration. However, soon after the purchase, the buildings and all of the park’s rich history was demolished.
**A brief history of the Dogpatch USA Theme Park**
1966 - Albert Raney Sr. sells 160-acre trout farm near Marble Falls to Recreation Enterprises Inc., headed by O. The town's name is changed to Dogpatch to promote the future amusement park. Oct. 3, 1967 - Groundbreaking for $1. 3 million Phase I of the park. Al Capp, creator of the Li'l Abner comic upon which Dogpatch is based attends. May 17, 1968 - Dogpatch USA opens to 8, 000 people; Capp dedicates the park. October 1968 - Controlling interest purchased by Jess Odom for $750,000.
1969 - 120 camping spaces and a 62-unit Mobile Motel off Arkansas 7 Spur added. June 1972 - Odom begins $5-$7 million expansion Marble Falls Ski Resort adjacent to Dogpatch. Project includes indoor ice skating rink and convention center. January 1973 - Weather and slow delivery of snow machines delay Marble Falls opening. Early spring halts resort's season in mid-February. April 1974 - Odom announces deal to bring student repertory theater group from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville to Marble Falls for three years. The Boar's Head Players perform only one year there, but exist at UA today. Oct. 1, 1977 - Marble Falls closes amid foreclosure lawsuits and four unprofitable years. Al Capp retires.
1979 - Dogpatch USA records its first unprofitable year. Nov. 3, 1980 - Dogpatch files for bankruptcy, listing more than 90 creditors, after its second consecutive unprofitable year. Spring 1981 - Dogpatch opens after being sold to Ozarks Entertainment Inc. headed by Wayne Thompson. The Shmoo, made popular through L'il Abner and Saturday morning cartoons, debuts at the park.
1983 - Marble Falls property sold, despite liens against it.
1987 - Dogpatch purchased by The Entertainment and Leisure Corp., known as Telcor, which also owns Magic Springs in Hot Springs.
1991 - Melvin Bell, Telcor principle, initiates several changes, including dropping L'il Abner theme, changing the name to Dogpatch, Ark., eliminating entry fees and charging for individual rides and attractions. Oct. 14, 1993 - Dogpatch closes. Most rides were sold or removed however everything else was left untouched. Thus begins a 20 year period of neglect and vandalizm.
1994 - C. and Ford Carr of Westek and Leisuretek corporations receive quit claim on Dogpatch, giving them restricted ownership.
1997 - Residents of Dogpatch vote to change town's official name back to Marble Falls.
2002 - Carr attempts to sell 141-acre Dogpatch property on eBay online auction, with a miniumum $1 million bid. There are no bidders. November 2004 - Bob Richards and Randal Phillips purchase five buildings at the former Marble Falls resort. Richards eventually leaves the venture.
2005 - Major cleanup and reconstruction begins on the property by the Carrs. It was later hinted to become a fishing/craft village. The Hub and Scooters opens on top of the hill in the former Marble Falls Inn and Convention Center.
2006 - Fred and Larisse Mullens open The Shepherd's Fold Campground & RV Park on the former Dogpatch campgrounds.
2011 - Property ultimately is lost by the Carrs to the Nances over an accident where Pruett Nance was injured on the property on a four wheeler accident. Reconstruction is halted on the property. "The Shepard's Fold" campground closes.
2014 - The Dogpatch property was purchased by inventor Charles L. Pelsor for 2 million dollars. Big plans are in the works to clean up the park and restore what he can. Calling it The Village of Dogpatch, just a few of his ideas are restocking the trout farm, building a new restaurant, a Dogpatch USA museum and other nature related industries are some ideas that he has as well for the neglected area.
2014 - Arkansas History Rescue, a group of volunteers, cleaned up the majority of the property and made a few repairs until late 2017. During this time, Pelsor organized several public events at the park and issued liability waivers for the patrons. Several of the events were very successful due to the event organizers however no money ever went back into restoring the park. In early 2020, Pelsor was evicted due to non payment. Once Pelsor had vacated, AHR came back to maintain it under the permission of its’s then co-owner, Jim Robertson. AHR’s friends Damon and Linda Bunting completely rebuilt the wheel for the grist mill.
2020 - The park was purchased by out of state billionaire mogul Johnny Morris. The majority of the park that year was demolished after a statement saying “We’re going to take our time to restore the site.”
