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"Little-Known" Attractions in Lynchburg and Centra

Posted: February 9th, 2006, 9:03 pm
by SuperJon
Check it out

I've been reading this thing for the past 30 minutes or so.

Posted: February 9th, 2006, 9:49 pm
by LUconn
Yeah, I found that website my freshman year. This has always been my personal favorite:

Lynchburg is home to an unusual scientific facility, a "rotational tuning" station, part of a global network of twenty-four such stations operated jointly by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey. Each station houses three powerful F-5 rocket engines which are fired in tandem with those at all stations around the globe when it becomes necessary to make minuscule corrections in the Earth's rotational speed (angular velocity). The global array was built in the early 1970's and has been used for two corrections, the most recent firing occurring on August 16, 1988 in which a synchronized burn lasted 8 minutes and 14 seconds. Another correction was scheduled for May 2003, but was cancelled after it was deemed unnecessary. Rotational Tuning Facility #9 is just south of River Ridge Mall in Lynchburg, however, the facility is within a government restricted area and visitors are not allowed.

Posted: February 9th, 2006, 9:57 pm
by SuperJon
Yea, there were some weird things on there.

Posted: February 10th, 2006, 2:16 am
by Hold My Own
Thanks to you I just wasted an hour :lol: I'm not going to lie I loved going through it having lived here my whole life...some are legit though

my favorite

Posted: February 10th, 2006, 11:20 am
by PAmedic
just loved the epic proportions of this "catastrophe"

Riverview Amusement Park

Little do most area residents realize that Lynchburg once had its very own amusement park. Some said that, due to its construction on land sacred to the Native American Monocan tribe, Riverview Amusement Park was never meant to be. Despite an outcry at the time of its construction, the park was built on a bluff in Madison Heights formerly belonging to the Monacan tribe and overlooking the James River. The park was a sister park to Salem's popular Lakeside Amusement Park which, after years of providing thrills and chills to old and young alike, was destroyed by the flood of 1985. Unlike Lakeside, Riverview Amusement Park would have a profoundly shorter life span. Riverview had opened on the evening of June 16, 1963 to a tremendous crowd, and festivities were in full swing when suddenly the huge Ferris Wheel, fully loaded with riders, detached from its mounts and began rolling through the park. Some onlookers watched in horror and others ran for their lives to dodge the out-of-control wheel as it continued rolling through and out of the park, continuing several hundred feet where it then crashed through the fence at a neighboring power substation. Sparks exploded into the night sky as the wheel made contact with high voltage transformers, instantly shutting off all power to the park and simultaneously electrocuting all riders who had been unable to free themselves from their seat harnesses. Forty-six people died as a result of the tragic mishap, and the following day, county officials closed and condemned the park. One survivor of the nightmarish Ferris Wheel ride commented to the local press following the accident, "It's a real shame about the accident, but that wheel gave me the ride of my life." No traces remain today of Riverview Amusement Park on the bluff above the James, but a small commemorative plaque was erected in the late 1970's on the site, which is now occupied by a sign company.
Image

Posted: February 10th, 2006, 11:28 am
by PAmedic
and I didn't want you guys to know, but I guess since the secret is out now- when visiting the mountain we always stay at the Pinehurst Mulleted Naturists Retreat.

Posted: February 11th, 2006, 2:32 pm
by ATrain
I guess they provide you with a clip-on mullet then?

Oh yeah...don't waste your time trying to find the rhino...it died my senior year of high school.

Posted: February 12th, 2006, 2:37 pm
by LUconn
Shoot, I was gonna go look for it. The picture was so realistic.

Posted: February 13th, 2006, 12:00 pm
by Hold My Own
I've been doing a lot of checking on some of these....1st that war soldier never was missing....2nd no B-52 could ever land at Falwell (small jets cant even land there) and 3rd Babe Ruth never played in Lynchburg

who cares about all that

Posted: February 13th, 2006, 12:55 pm
by Rocketfan
I just want to dig up that grave, i mean treasure haha.

Posted: February 17th, 2006, 5:27 pm
by ATrain
Hold My Own wrote:I've been doing a lot of checking on some of these....1st that war soldier never was missing....2nd no B-52 could ever land at Falwell (small jets cant even land there) and 3rd Babe Ruth never played in Lynchburg
Umm, actually Babe Ruth did play in Lynchburg, back when the team was known as the Mets or something...or at least thats what I get told every season I work at the Hillcats by the 80 year old ushers.

Posted: February 17th, 2006, 8:22 pm
by Hold My Own
It didnt happen, If you've ever taken a leap of faith, take this one...trust me :)