Angus G. Wynne
Encyclopedia
Angus Gilchrist Wynne, Jr. (born January 9, 1914 in Kaufman County
, Texas
- died March 12, 1979 in Dallas) was a land developer, founder of Wynnewood Shopping Center and community development in Oak Cliff, a suburb of Dallas. He also developed Six Flags Over Texas
and Six Flags Over Georgia
and Six Flags St. Louis
theme parks in Texas, Georgia, and Missouri. He was CEO of Great Southwest Corp and Great Southwest Industrial District in Arlington, Texas. Angus Wynne, Jr. later started Wynne Enterprises, conceptualizing one of the first water amusement parks in Galveston, Texas, but died before his dream could be developed.
Angus, Jr. was the son of Angus G. Wynne, Sr. of Texas and Nemo Shelmire Wynne, born in Louisiana (1920 U.S. Census reveals her place of birth as Louisiana, but newspaper articles and the 1930 U.S. Census shows his birth was in Texas). His father and grandfather practiced law in Wills Point
until his family moved to Dallas
around 1928. Angus G. Wynne, Sr. was the and first President of the State Bar of Texas
.
professional football franchise, along with Clint Murchison, Jr.
His son Angus G Wynne III is the owner of Wynne Entertainment in Dallas and has been a producer of music events since 1968.
and graduated there in 1931. Wynne attended The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey, then Washington and Lee University
in Lexington, Va. from 1934–1935, before receiving a B.A. from University of Texas at Austin
in 1938.
He was a member, along with his brother, Bedford, of Phi Kappa Psi
Fraternity, while attending UT.
He worked on Texas oil fields from 1938 to 1940 when he received an ensign's commission in the Navy. In the Navy, he was awarded six service stars for service in the European and Asiatic theaters during WWII.
, Wynne decided that his home state of Texas
should have a local park for entertainment. Planning for such a place began in 1959, under the leadership of Wynne and the Great Southwest Corporation, along with the backing of various New York
investors. Construction on the park, and its next door neighbor, the Great Southwest Industrial Park, began in August 1960. Wynne first intended to name the park "Texas Under Six Flags" until his wife notified him that "Texas ain't under nothing."
The "six flag
s" originally represented the six countries that have governed Texas: France
, Spain
, Mexico
, The Republic of Texas
, The Confederate States of America
, and the United States of America.
Wynne subsequently expanded Six Flags in 1967 with a second original park, Six Flags Over Georgia, which is located just outside Atlanta, Georgia, and finally Six Flags over Mid America, in Eureka Missouri, just outside of St. Louis in 1971.
The Six Flags
company eventually acquired numerous other properties and is currently the world's largest regional theme park chain.
With the significant cost of developing a park from the ground up becoming prohibitive, the company began acquiring parks with significant potential, but to date, had been less successful than those of Six Flags. AstroWorld
, built by Judge Roy Hofheinz in Houston, Texas
, was the first park to be acquired in 1975. Two years later, the company went on to purchase a New Jersey
park developed by the Hardwicke Companies and designed by Warner LeRoy (son of Wizard of Oz
director, Mervyn LeRoy), called Great Adventure
. The last park that Wynne would see acquired in his lifetime under the Six Flags name was California's Magic Mountain
(outside Los Angeles
) in 1979. Wynne died that same year and although he was no longer associated with the company at the time of his death, Six Flags would eventually acquire numerous other properties and become the world's largest regional theme park chain.
and Children's Medical Center of Dallas
. He also worked with the Cotton Bowl Council, the State Fair of Texas
and the National Conference of Christians and Jews.
through Arlington is officially designated the Angus G. Wynne Jr. Freeway although it is rarely referred to as such.
Kaufman County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 71,313 people, 24,367 households, and 19,225 families residing in the county. The population density was 91/sq mi . There were 26,133 housing units at an average density of 33/sq mi...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
- died March 12, 1979 in Dallas) was a land developer, founder of Wynnewood Shopping Center and community development in Oak Cliff, a suburb of Dallas. He also developed Six Flags Over Texas
Six Flags Over Texas
Six Flags Over Texas is a major amusement park located in Arlington, Texas , east of Fort Worth and about west of Dallas. It is the oldest park of the Six Flags chain. The park opened on August 5, 1961 following just a year of construction and an initial investment of US$10 million by real estate...
and Six Flags Over Georgia
Six Flags Over Georgia
Six Flags Over Georgia is a theme park located west of Atlanta, in unincorporated Cobb County. Opened in 1967, it is the second park in the Six Flags chain, after the original opening in 1961 in Texas....
and Six Flags St. Louis
Six Flags St. Louis
Six Flags St. Louis , is an amusement park owned by Six Flags, Inc. It is located in Eureka, Missouri, USA . Opened in 1971 as the third theme park of the Six Flags chain, this was the last park that was built under the Six Flags name...
theme parks in Texas, Georgia, and Missouri. He was CEO of Great Southwest Corp and Great Southwest Industrial District in Arlington, Texas. Angus Wynne, Jr. later started Wynne Enterprises, conceptualizing one of the first water amusement parks in Galveston, Texas, but died before his dream could be developed.
Angus, Jr. was the son of Angus G. Wynne, Sr. of Texas and Nemo Shelmire Wynne, born in Louisiana (1920 U.S. Census reveals her place of birth as Louisiana, but newspaper articles and the 1930 U.S. Census shows his birth was in Texas). His father and grandfather practiced law in Wills Point
Wills Point, Texas
Wills Point is a city in Van Zandt County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,496 at the 2000 census.-History:Founded in 1873, Wills Point gets its name from an early American settler, William Wills, who had arrived in the area in about 1848. Wills eventually purchased a cabin from Adam...
until his family moved to Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
around 1928. Angus G. Wynne, Sr. was the and first President of the State Bar of Texas
State Bar of Texas
The State Bar of Texas is an agency of the judiciary under the administrative control of the Texas Supreme Court. The Texas Bar is responsible for assisting the Texas Supreme Court in overseeing all attorneys licensed to practice law in Texas...
.
Family
His brother Bedford S. Wynne, was one of the initial owners and founders of the Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
professional football franchise, along with Clint Murchison, Jr.
Clint Murchison, Jr.
Clint William Murchison Jr., was a businessman and founder of the Dallas Cowboys football team.A son of Clint Murchison, Sr...
His son Angus G Wynne III is the owner of Wynne Entertainment in Dallas and has been a producer of music events since 1968.
Education
Wynne attended Highland Park High SchoolHighland Park High School (University Park, Texas)
Highland Park High School is located in University Park, Texas.Highland Park is a part of the Highland Park Independent School District. It serves all of the city of University Park, most of the town of Highland Park, and portions of Dallas.-History:...
and graduated there in 1931. Wynne attended The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey, then Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
in Lexington, Va. from 1934–1935, before receiving a B.A. from University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
in 1938.
He was a member, along with his brother, Bedford, of Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at Jefferson College in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania on February 19, 1852. There are over a hundred chapters and colonies at accredited four year colleges and universities throughout the United States. More than 112,000 men have been...
Fraternity, while attending UT.
He worked on Texas oil fields from 1938 to 1940 when he received an ensign's commission in the Navy. In the Navy, he was awarded six service stars for service in the European and Asiatic theaters during WWII.
Six Flags Over Texas
Following a visit to the recently opened Disneyland in Anaheim, CaliforniaAnaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
, Wynne decided that his home state of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
should have a local park for entertainment. Planning for such a place began in 1959, under the leadership of Wynne and the Great Southwest Corporation, along with the backing of various New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
investors. Construction on the park, and its next door neighbor, the Great Southwest Industrial Park, began in August 1960. Wynne first intended to name the park "Texas Under Six Flags" until his wife notified him that "Texas ain't under nothing."
The "six flag
Flag
A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...
s" originally represented the six countries that have governed Texas: France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, The Republic of Texas
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
, The Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
, and the United States of America.
Wynne subsequently expanded Six Flags in 1967 with a second original park, Six Flags Over Georgia, which is located just outside Atlanta, Georgia, and finally Six Flags over Mid America, in Eureka Missouri, just outside of St. Louis in 1971.
The Six Flags
Six Flags
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. is the world's largest amusement park corporation based on quantity of properties and the fifth most popular in terms of attendance. The company maintains 14 properties located throughout North America, including theme parks, thrill parks, water parks and family...
company eventually acquired numerous other properties and is currently the world's largest regional theme park chain.
With the significant cost of developing a park from the ground up becoming prohibitive, the company began acquiring parks with significant potential, but to date, had been less successful than those of Six Flags. AstroWorld
Six Flags Astroworld
AstroWorld was a seasonally operated theme park located on approximately of land between Kirby Drive and Fannin Avenue, directly south of Loop 610 in Houston, Texas, USA...
, built by Judge Roy Hofheinz in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, was the first park to be acquired in 1975. Two years later, the company went on to purchase a New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
park developed by the Hardwicke Companies and designed by Warner LeRoy (son of Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
director, Mervyn LeRoy), called Great Adventure
Six Flags Great Adventure
Six Flags Great Adventure is a theme park in Jackson Township, New Jersey, owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corp., the world's largest amusement park corporation...
. The last park that Wynne would see acquired in his lifetime under the Six Flags name was California's Magic Mountain
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Six Flags Magic Mountain is a theme park located in Valencia, California north of Los Angeles. It opened on Memorial Day weekend on May 30, 1971 as Magic Mountain, by the Newhall Land and Farming Company. In 1979, Six Flags purchased the park and added the name Six Flags to the park's title. In...
(outside Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
) in 1979. Wynne died that same year and although he was no longer associated with the company at the time of his death, Six Flags would eventually acquire numerous other properties and become the world's largest regional theme park chain.
Civic Involvement
Angus Wynne’s civic involvement included developmental work for the University of Texas, Baylor University Medical CenterBaylor University Medical Center
Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas is a faith-based, not-for-profit hospital. In 1903, the hospital opened with 25 beds; today it is a patient care, teaching and research center for the Southwest. Baylor Dallas has 1025 licensed beds and serves as the flagship hospital of Baylor Health...
and Children's Medical Center of Dallas
Children's Medical Center (Dallas)
Children's Medical Center is the only academic healthcare system in Dallas-Fort Worth dedicated solely to the comprehensive care of children from birth to age 18. Its mission as a private, not-for-profit, pediatric hospital system is “to make life better for children.”Children's has grown to...
. He also worked with the Cotton Bowl Council, the State Fair of Texas
State Fair of Texas
The State Fair of Texas is an annual state fair held in Dallas, Texas . The fair season usually begins the last Friday in September and ends 24 days later. The fair is held at the historic Fair Park where it has been held since 1886. The 2012 State Fair of Texas will run from September 28th...
and the National Conference of Christians and Jews.
Honors
State Highway 360State Highway 360 (Texas)
State Highway 360 or SH 360 is a north–south state highway in the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex in the U.S. state of Texas.-History:The freeway was constructed in different stages over the course of several decades...
through Arlington is officially designated the Angus G. Wynne Jr. Freeway although it is rarely referred to as such.