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I thought I’d share one of my all-time favorite Oregon places today. It’s a family-owned theme park called Enchanted Forest, right outside Salem.
What does this have to do with crafting? You’re absolutely right to ask.
Enchanted Forest is really a handmade, DIY kind of theme park. I’m enthralled with the story of how it was created.
It’s the brainchild of Roger Tofte, who is an artist, and who had a dream to create a theme park for children. But he had to chip away at this dream slowly, because he worked full-time for the Oregon State Highway Department in order to support his family. He saved up to buy a piece of land, and then seven spent years of nights and weekends doing the construction. He finally opened for business in 1971. (You can read the full story here.)
When you walk around the park, you can see evidence of Roger’s loving attention to detail everywhere. And the buildings are fabulous — in addition to the European village pictured above, there’s a Western town, a castle, a giant shoe (as in, The Old Woman and the), an awesome network of caves to explore, and . . .
A gingerbread house!
A giant witch-head!
(Imagine the building permit applications for these things.)
. . . And every one of these structures is built so that you can walk around inside. (Including that witch-head. You can climb up and look out through her eyes.)
Inside most of these structures, you’ll find wonderful dioramas. Some of them have soundtracks, and some have animatronics. Roger painted the backgrounds, his son Ken does the animatronics, and his daughter Susan composes and records the theme music that plays all over the park. His daughter Mary handles the finances. It’s truly a family enterprise.
. . . And again with the attention to detail. Here in the Three Bears’ cabin, the diorama has handmade quilts.
Now, think for a moment of all the things the Tofte family has had to learn about in order to make this dream a reality. Construction. Ride design (because, yes, there are all kinds of rides, too). Concessions management. Animatronics. Traffic control. Maintenance. Hiring and staffing. But ultimately, it all combines into this very earnest and delightful place. And the family is constantly updating the park and opening new attractions. A life’s work.
Whatever your creative dream is, I hope it carries you into all kinds of new frontiers.
Taking crafting to a whole new level……….wow, I wonder how he found the time to sleep?
Taking crafting to a whole new level……….wow, I wonder how he found the time to sleep?
Wow, what a cool place – thanks for posting about it!
Wow, what a cool place – thanks for posting about it!
whoa! i am soo going!
whoa! i am soo going!
I thought you might be interested in this Enchanted Forest in Old Forge, NY, which I think far preceded the one you post about, but looks startlingly similar. I remember going to the NY EF as a child in the early 60′s. Sadly, it’s been turned now into an odd mix of the original sites and a water park, so it’s not as charming as it once was. In its prime, though, it was an amazing place and I treasure the pictures of my brothers and me there. I particularly remember the crooked house and Cinderella’s coach. Here’s the link to the site: http://www.watersafari.com/postcard/postcard.cfm.
I thought you might be interested in this Enchanted Forest in Old Forge, NY, which I think far preceded the one you post about, but looks startlingly similar. I remember going to the NY EF as a child in the early 60′s. Sadly, it’s been turned now into an odd mix of the original sites and a water park, so it’s not as charming as it once was. In its prime, though, it was an amazing place and I treasure the pictures of my brothers and me there. I particularly remember the crooked house and Cinderella’s coach. Here’s the link to the site: http://www.watersafari.com/postcard/postcard.cfm.
Thanks, Tammy – wow, that’s fascinating. You got me researching the Adirondack Enchanted Forest, and I found:
More pictures, including that Cinderella coach:
http://theimaginaryworld.com/efoa.html
Some data on the original owner:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enchanted_Forest_Water_Safari
An account of Charles Phoenix and Paul Rubens visiting!
http://www.godblessamericana.com/enchanted-forest-adirondacks-old-forge-ny-1956/?PHPSESSID=7f265c8001f11c12b70c88dbf65699ee
Thanks, Tammy – wow, that’s fascinating. You got me researching the Adirondack Enchanted Forest, and I found:
More pictures, including that Cinderella coach:
http://theimaginaryworld.com/efoa.html
Some data on the original owner:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enchanted_Forest_Water_Safari
An account of Charles Phoenix and Paul Rubens visiting!
http://www.godblessamericana.com/enchanted-forest-adirondacks-old-forge-ny-1956/?PHPSESSID=7f265c8001f11c12b70c88dbf65699ee
my husband grew up in salem and has many memories of the enchanted forest. he says that it’s pretty surreal, like coney island in the forest.
my husband grew up in salem and has many memories of the enchanted forest. he says that it’s pretty surreal, like coney island in the forest.
neat! i’ve always wondered about that place!
neat! i’ve always wondered about that place!
I’d like to bake a ginger bread house like that. What a wonderful spirit, to have the dream as well as the fortitude to chip away at it like that. He’s defiantly an inspiration. Thanks for sharing!
I’d like to bake a ginger bread house like that. What a wonderful spirit, to have the dream as well as the fortitude to chip away at it like that. He’s defiantly an inspiration. Thanks for sharing!
What a sweet place. It reminds me very much of Storybook Land in N.J. Also a family run businees for over 50 years!
Bonnie
What a sweet place. It reminds me very much of Storybook Land in N.J. Also a family run businees for over 50 years!
Bonnie
Wow! I remember being totally scared at the Enchanted Forest when I was a kid, and my dad took me thru the Haunted House. I forgot all about that place! Great pictures, thanks for sharing.
Wow! I remember being totally scared at the Enchanted Forest when I was a kid, and my dad took me thru the Haunted House. I forgot all about that place! Great pictures, thanks for sharing.
Wow, this place is amazing and awesome and, um, a little bit scary! I totally understand your fear, Christine!
Wow, this place is amazing and awesome and, um, a little bit scary! I totally understand your fear, Christine!
I am sitting out at Enchanted Forest with my father, Roger Tofte, and we just read ‘A Kind of DIY Disneyland.’ Wow! Great photos and thoughts about our place. It is very inspiring to hear from people who appreciate the handmade detail. This really gives us an extra boost of energy to get out in the rain today in the middle of November and work on our never ending list of things to do. Thanks!
I am sitting out at Enchanted Forest with my father, Roger Tofte, and we just read ‘A Kind of DIY Disneyland.’ Wow! Great photos and thoughts about our place. It is very inspiring to hear from people who appreciate the handmade detail. This really gives us an extra boost of energy to get out in the rain today in the middle of November and work on our never ending list of things to do. Thanks!