The Land of Oz
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in their associate Jack Pentes to come up with an idea. As a long-time fan of The Wizard of Oz,
Pentes planned and developed the Land of Oz theme park, opening in June 1970. The park did
not resemble the famous 1939 MGM movie or the Oz as depicted in L. Frank Baum's book.
Instead, Pentes interpreted his own vision of Oz, with a comical Wicked Witch and a wizard
who did not turn out to be a fake. The Land of Oz closed after its 1980 operating season and
was left to deteriorate. Since 1990, however, its remnants have been secured and restored. The
property is now available for special events, and a giant Oz celebration takes place each autumn.
Author Tim Hollis specializes in topics pertaining to broadcasting, popular culture, and all
things nostalgic. For this work, Hollis scoured his own collection of tourism memorabilia,
as well as those belonging to former employees and park visitors, resulting in the most
comprehensive retrospective to date about this short-lived but fondly remembered attraction.