Busch Gardens from the archives
- Updated
- 0
Busch Gardens opened in Williamsburg in May 1975. On May 16, 1975, more than 6,000 guests visitors led by Governor Mills E. Godwin Jr. and television personality Ed McMahon, dedicated and officially opened “The Old Country at Busch Gardens.”
The park held its weekend opening a week earlier on May 10 and 11, with 31,000 people in attendance. Busch Gardens’ officials waited a week to have the formal opening ceremonies to launch their third park in the U.S.
- Masaaki Okada
- Updated
05-17-1975 (cutline): Busch League Racers Gov. Mills E. Godwin Jr. and Mrs. August Busch III start in the lead car around the LeMans track at the French Village of the Busch Gardens Old Country at Williamsburg. The governor, Busch executives, and government officials took part in the official dedication of the new park yesterday.
- Gary Burns
- Updated
10-20-1974: Castle at Busch Gardens under construction.
- Gary Burns
- Updated
10-11-1974 (cutline): Busch Gardens developers post a sign showing ecology consciousness.
- Gary Burns
- Updated
07-13-1980: New construction at Busch Gardens.
- Gary Burns
- Updated
07-08-1980: New construction at Busch Gardens.
- Gary Burns
- Updated
10-20-1974 (cutline): The sign says it all: Williamsburg's Busch Gardens Project is still on target.
- Gary Burns
10-20-1974 (cutline): Several exterior sections were rushed to completion to be filmed. Commercials were done at site in mid-October. Busch Gardens Williamsburg received its first national advertising exposure on Thanksgiving evening on the NBC television network.
- Times-Dispatch
- Updated
04-02-1974 (cutline): Archways will form base of tower structure in French section of Busch Gardens at Williamsburg. Buildings will reflect appearance of typical village during the 17th century in Europe.
- Bruce Parker
- Updated
06-27-1984 (cutline): Charlie Dean makes a close inspection of the Big Bad Wolf ride at Busch Gardens.
- Gary Burns
- Updated
07-13-1980: Busch Gardens Williamsburg rides.
- Carl Lynn
- Updated
05-11-1975 (cutline): A dozen visitors to Old Country took a fast-paced ride.
More like this...
- Masaaki Okada
05-17-1975 (cutline): Busch League Racers Gov. Mills E. Godwin Jr. and Mrs. August Busch III start in the lead car around the LeMans track at the French Village of the Busch Gardens Old Country at Williamsburg. The governor, Busch executives, and government officials took part in the official dedication of the new park yesterday.
- Gary Burns
10-20-1974 (cutline): Several exterior sections were rushed to completion to be filmed. Commercials were done at site in mid-October. Busch Gardens Williamsburg received its first national advertising exposure on Thanksgiving evening on the NBC television network.
More like this...
Tags
Locations
As featured on
In 1978, the Loch Ness Monster roller coaster was unveiled at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.
The number of Virginia felons who are getting their right to vote back dropped for the second year, after Gov. Glenn Youngkin halted his predecessors’ practice of automatically restoring rights.
Hunting Hills Place resident Jeannie Brown, who is disabled, accuses the homeowners association of discrimination.
More information
Post a comment as anonymous
Report
Watch this discussion. Stop watching this discussion.
Most Popular
-
Lawsuit against state trooper on behalf of Franklin County girl moves forward
-
Rocky Mount man charged with killing his brother
-
Franklin County considers 7-cent real estate tax increase
-
Kids invited to annual Cops and Bobbers event by Rocky Mount PD
-
Smith Mountain Lake saw increase in boating incidents and deaths in 2025
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.