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| Pete Smythe |
Pete Smythe was a well-known Denver radio and TV personality in the
1950s and 60s, and a better-than-average piano player. His show --
"Pete Smythe's General Store" -- was a kind of Prairie Home Companion of
its day, set in the fictitious town of East Tincup, Colorado, and
broadcasting over the "bobwire" network.
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| Entrance to East Tincup, Colorado, on West Colfax Avenue |
East Tincup was a mythical creation patterned after an old
Colorado mining town, and used as the setting for Smythe’s show. The site of the
town was 18195 W. Colfax Avenue, 12 miles west of Denver and one-half mile east of the multi-million
dollar Magic Mountain, which was under construction at that time.
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| The "town" of East Tincup, Colorado |
An entire town of 1880
vintage was set up on the site and admission was charged. The town included Centennial Village, a Colorado Centennial Celebration attraction
formerly located in Denver’s Civic Center Park, now relocated to the East
Tincup site, and a three-story recreation of the city’s famed, old-time Windsor
Hotel. The upper floors of the hotel were made into a museum.
You could pan for gold, there was a miniature mechanized farm layout
with small figures with a man chopping wood, etc, and a room where the water
ran uphill!
Posts
just would like to say the legend will live on with the opening of the New East TIN CUP MINI MARKET which is in the heart of "East Tin Cup".....on West Colfax Ave in Golden Co. ...good luck Easy and Big MONEY!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI remember the theme song was based on Pete Seeger's song Little Boxes about ticky tacky houses.
ReplyDeleteDid his jingle song say
ReplyDeletePut the key in the door
Oen up the store
Now were ready for business
Does anyone remember the place in East Tin Cup with all the miniature wood carvings like a dentist pulling a tooth in the old days, and there was a life size outhouse that when you pulled the door open a lady said something and us kids would jump back scared yet laughing. Where is this museum now? Someone thought it was somewhere near the Black Hills.
ReplyDeleteI think you may be referring to Dr. Niebachs House of Carving that was located by the Chuckwagon Restaurant, Hwy 40 & entrance to Mt Vernon (kinda across the hwy from the old Rockland Church). We visited similar House of Carving in Custer So Dakota.
DeleteChris Beebe, I worked in the Theme Park, thought is was a terrific experience. We had set up robberies when the tourists were perfectly gathered and placed, rode through on a real stage coach and acted the part. Mayor Pete was an inspiration for everyone.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was 5 years old my parents contracted to open the western wear store in East Tin Cup. They later branched out and operated the candle shop. Eventually my mom took over Pete Smythe's General Store and the post office. My sister and I used to spend many hours running around East Tin Cup and I have many memories and stories of the place. The small wood carving exhibit JB refers to was Dr. Niblack's House of Carvings. Following the closing of East Tincup it was moved to South Dakota and billed as the National Museum of Wood Carving. I understand that the museum recently closed so I am not sure as to the location of the collection now.
ReplyDeletePete also had some connection with the Centennial Race Track in Littleton. I was a member of the Westernaires, and we did a recording of a song written by Pete called "Centennial", which was played before the start of racing at the track. Anyone know where I can get a copy of the recording of the song?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it was on the North side. My cousin worked there as a cowboy when I was 15. He brought his new friend in to meet me and that's when I got the autograph of Steve McQueen. Such a thrill.
ReplyDeleteI was on this show, sometime in the 1960 -1962, I sang a song, but I do not remember what song. Anyway can anyone direct me as to how I might find a copy of that show
ReplyDeleteI remember my dad bought stock in Magic Mountain. The hole thing went bust and my mom never let him forget it.
ReplyDeleteMine, too!
DeleteBeside Magic Mountain and Pete I remember Centennial Race tract too. Horse racing near downtown old town Littleton.
ReplyDeleteGot a old polaroid pic of 5 year old me sitting on a bench in East Tincup shaking hands with Dan Blocker.
ReplyDeleteWe have photos of my sister and Dennis the Menace at east tin cup. They both have black eyes
ReplyDeleteDid it used to have a kiddie train ride? After It closed down, there was a mobile home on the property somewhere that I lived in when I was 5 or 6 back in the early 60’s.
ReplyDelete