Cochise's
Stronghold
The "River of Legends" river ride was a
centerpiece attraction when Legend City first opened. The original
ride
incorporated a number of defining elements that remained present throughout the entire run of the
river ride attraction, such as the Indian attacks and the earthquake. However,
after
the ride was renamed "Cochise's Stronghold" in the mid '60s, most of the scenes became loosely
based on actual place names in southeastern Arizona such as the San Simon River,
Fort Bowie and Apache Pass. The fact that the San Simon was not navigable and
Fort Bowie never had a port seemed minor
details at the time. The water for the river ride came from the effluence
of the Phoenix Zoo next door to the park. Heaven forbid anyone ever fell into
this cauldron of animal waste! Except where otherwise noted, these photos are
courtesy of Dick Kraus, who created many of the animated effects.
Click on photos for closer views and detailed notes.
