Wet Willys Waterslide - Defunct
Fenton, Missouri
June 20, 2008
Page One




I have always been fascinated by abandoned places.  I guess it comes from stumbling onto the ruins of a rumored World War Two era camp in O'Hara Woods by Romeoville, IL when I was about eight.  It's neat seeing how nature was reclaiming the site and trying to figure out how it was before being abandoned.

I've passed Wet Willy's Waterslide on my way to Six Flags St. Louis for years.  I remember noticing it because it was similar to a waterslide that I used to frequent as a kid.  Then the area around Wet Willy's went through some massive development and I eventually forgot that it was there.  Then when we were on the way to Six Flags St. Louis for opening weekend this year I noticed a little of it on top of the hill and decided to go and check it out someday.

Well the day after Evel Knievel's opening I was heading back to the park after spending the night at Greg's.  He was busy that day so I was going solo and decided to go a bit early and take a look at what was left of Wet Willy's Waterslide.  I pulled up the hill surprised not to see it gated off or covered with no trespassing signs so I continued on up.  At the top pointing to the stairs to the waterslide was this wonderful sign.  Well it's good to know that if I ever need some now I know where to go.



Past the old foundation to what was where you paid for an afternoon at Wet Willy's and picked up your mat to slide on or bought snacks are these steps up to the slides.



Back in the 1970's and 80's before waterslides became fiberglass and water parks filled the land if you wanted a water slide you had to have a hill then you had to have a bunch of concrete to create the slide down it.



This chamber between the two big slides at Wet Willy's was where the water was pumped into before it spilled over into the slides making it so you could take a fast and wet trip down the hill.



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Copyright 1999 - 2009 Paul B. Drabek