Palo Duro Canyon Coin
(click graphic for larger view)
(Printed in the Matador Tribune, May 26, 1949)
Palo Duro Canyon Making Plans for 1949 “Gold Rush”
Treasure and pleasure hunters over the Panhandle will head for Palo Duro Canyon, Saturday, May 28, to participate in a modern “gold rush.”
The crowd of 49ers and gold seekers will watch from the rim of the canyon as 10,000 goldline coins are scattered from an airplane over the entire area of Palo Duro Canyon.
After the coins have been dropped, Governor Beauford H. Jester will cut a ribbon at the entrance of the canyon at 2 o’clock to launch the gold rush and a long-range project to promote the Palo Duro Canyon as a major tourist attraction in the Panhandle.
The project, sponsored by the Palo Duro Canyon Boosters Club, will continue from May 28th until Labor Day in September. All outstanding prizes then will be awarded on Sept 11.
Each goldline coin is a potential prize hunter. The 10,000 coins are numbered on one side. On the other side is a line drawing of the Lighthouse. All coins ending in the number “seven” are prize-winning coins. All other coins are potential winners of supplemental and grand prizes. All “seven” coins will be valid through Labor Day.
Top prizes included two all-expense paid eight day vacations to Havana, Cuba via Braniff Airways and the proposed grand prize will be an expense paid vacation to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The Palo Duro “gold rush” is being held by the boosters Club to solicit membership and appropriate funds and gifts to advertise the Palo Duro Canyon attractions throughout the country. A program of events will be scheduled to attract people to this region and to draw steady tourist trade to the Panhandle.
Goal of the organization is to obtain a membership of 10,000 persons. Everyone in this region is eligible. Members will pay $1 each for the cards.
F.W. “Fist” Ansley, Amarillo is chairman of the Boosters Club. Also on the agenda for the opening week-end will be a spectacular house show and parade Sunday afternoon, May 29 at 8:30 o’clock by the Will Rogers Range Riders atop the large flat mesa below Coronado Lodge. Over 100,000 spectators can view this event from Boys Ranch are scheduled to appear under direction of Leonard Stroud. High point of entertainment will be a massed-formation of flags held by Range Riders and boys from Boys Ranch.
The Will Rogers Range Riders will also direct square dances. The usual gate fees will be the only charge for admission into the park during the rush season. Gate fees are 42 cents for driver and car, 24 cents for additional adults and 12 cents for children. Ninety per cent of the gate revenue goes to the Texas State Park Boards to be used to pay off revenue bonds against the park.