THE ARCHITECTURE WHICH DEFINES OUR LANDSCAPE IS A TANGIBLE PART OF OUR COLLECTIVE HISTORY. WHEN HISTORIC STRUCTURES ARE DEMOLISHED, A PART OF OURSELVES IS RELEGATED TO MEMORY AND CONDEMNED TO BE FORGOTTEN. IN THE REDISCOVERY OF OUR ABANDONED, OFF-LIMITS, OR OTHERWISE HIDDEN ENVIRONMENTS, I DOCUMENT THEIR EXISTENCE AS WELL AS OUR OWN THROUGH THE PHOTOGRAPHY AND ADVENTURES PRESENTED HERE
June 27, 2011
Injun Joe’s Theater
I went camping this weekend and was surprised to find this abandoned outdoor theater at Injun Joe’s Campground. This may have been called Mark Twain Outdoor Theater at one time. The seats are on one side of the lake and the stage is on the opposite side, thus utilizing the geography as a natural amphitheater. Apparently there used to be several prop buildings on the stage side and even a riverboat.
Thanks for the memory jog! The family took a trip out there back in theearly 80's when I was a wee lad. Tried to find it as an adult on a business trip, just knowing it was on the highway leading into town. When I couldn't find any sign of it, I just figured it was my childhood imagination.
I think there was actually a "riverboat" that sat on the far side of the lake. Any sign of it?
Wow, working at that play was my first job. Sad to see it in such state, but it brings back memories. There were real chairs the opening season. I worked that patch panel among other jobs.
Played Mark Twain six nights a week in the late 90s. My kids were in the play as well. Still friends with a lot of the cast. Great, great memories. Sad to see it like this.
My family owns this campground and have 9-5 jobs like everyone else on top of it. It is a chore keeping everything going and my family spends all their free time and weekends running it. Until you are in that situation maybe you shouldn't judge or make comments about it getting "run down" or sad.
It wasn't my intention to disparage the establishment or its proprietors and I don't think I was being rude at all so I'm not sure why you decided to lecture me. But the fact is that the theater is clearly in a disused state. So I explored and photographed it because that's what I do.
As far as the rest of the campground, on my last visit: the go kart track was totally overgrown and I don't think the mini golf was in operation either. The batting cages were only semi-operational and the bathrooms were filthy. If you'd rather, I could return and photograph the rest of the property and let viewers decide for themselves?
I'll stand by my "kind of run down" comment because I'm not the only one who thinks this as evidenced by most of the reviews online. Campgrounds don't get off the hook just because their owners are too busy.. If your family owns it and you are concerned about people like me calling it run down, then it is up to you to help turn things around and I hope you guys can do just that.
Thanks for posting. I remember seeing this play here, it was my first family vacation that I remember as a child, I was probably 5 years old. We stayed at Injun Joe’s campground too. I also remember a big waterslide nearby. And the most amazing cinnamon rolls at a little restaurant or house that was right there near the campground or maybe part of it. I’m 43 now, wow time flies.
Thanks for posting. I remember seeing this play here, it was my first family vacation that I remember as a child, I was probably 5 years old. We stayed at Injun Joe’s campground too. I also remember a big waterslide nearby. And the most amazing cinnamon rolls at a little restaurant or house that was right there near the campground or maybe part of it. I’m 43 now, wow time flies.
My first paid job, loved it! Lots of great friends and memories from mid-ninties. I will always have fond memories. Every summer spent at the campground pool, gokarts, batting cages, old waterslide, literally most of my teen years right here. Family still lives within visual and walking distance, knew lots of the family that owned it and still do. Just sad to see it like this, but the world moves on, life changes, hopefully the best memories remain.
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Thanks for the memory jog! The family took a trip out there back in theearly 80's when I was a wee lad. Tried to find it as an adult on a business trip, just knowing it was on the highway leading into town. When I couldn't find any sign of it, I just figured it was my childhood imagination.
I think there was actually a "riverboat" that sat on the far side of the lake. Any sign of it?
No sign of a riverboat. The campground is still in operation, but it's getting kind of run down..
Wow, working at that play was my first job. Sad to see it in such state, but it brings back memories. There were real chairs the opening season. I worked that patch panel among other jobs.
Played Mark Twain six nights a week in the late 90s. My kids were in the play as well. Still friends with a lot of the cast. Great, great memories. Sad to see it like this.
I worked here when I was about 8 until I was at the end of my high school years… I miss this place.
My family owns this campground and have 9-5 jobs like everyone else on top of it. It is a chore keeping everything going and my family spends all their free time and weekends running it. Until you are in that situation maybe you shouldn't judge or make comments about it getting "run down" or sad.
It wasn't my intention to disparage the establishment or its proprietors and I don't think I was being rude at all so I'm not sure why you decided to lecture me. But the fact is that the theater is clearly in a disused state. So I explored and photographed it because that's what I do.
As far as the rest of the campground, on my last visit: the go kart track was totally overgrown and I don't think the mini golf was in operation either. The batting cages were only semi-operational and the bathrooms were filthy. If you'd rather, I could return and photograph the rest of the property and let viewers decide for themselves?
I'll stand by my "kind of run down" comment because I'm not the only one who thinks this as evidenced by most of the reviews online. Campgrounds don't get off the hook just because their owners are too busy.. If your family owns it and you are concerned about people like me calling it run down, then it is up to you to help turn things around and I hope you guys can do just that.
Thanks for posting. I remember seeing this play here, it was my first family vacation that I remember as a child, I was probably 5 years old. We stayed at Injun Joe’s campground too. I also remember a big waterslide nearby. And the most amazing cinnamon rolls at a little restaurant or house that was right there near the campground or maybe part of it. I’m 43 now, wow time flies.
Thanks for posting. I remember seeing this play here, it was my first family vacation that I remember as a child, I was probably 5 years old. We stayed at Injun Joe’s campground too. I also remember a big waterslide nearby. And the most amazing cinnamon rolls at a little restaurant or house that was right there near the campground or maybe part of it. I’m 43 now, wow time flies.
The proper name was Mark Twain Outdoor Theater.
My first paid job, loved it! Lots of great friends and memories from mid-ninties. I will always have fond memories. Every summer spent at the campground pool, gokarts, batting cages, old waterslide, literally most of my teen years right here. Family still lives within visual and walking distance, knew lots of the family that owned it and still do. Just sad to see it like this, but the world moves on, life changes, hopefully the best memories remain.