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Not much remains today of Camp Snoopy, the woodsy indoor theme park where Charlie Brown and the gang once came to life inside the Mall of America.
The giant red dog bowl where groups met up, the Snoopy bounce house, the whimsical fountain — all were replaced years ago by the characters and branding of Nickelodeon Universe.
But Camp Snoopy still conjures nostalgic memories for the people who grew up visiting this unique attraction. People at the mall can still experience pieces of the original park, like the Log Chute.
Sam Kennedy, who grew up in Hudson, Wis., was just tall enough to climb aboard the log ride when his parents first took him there. The North Woods lumber camp-themed water flume ride is flanked by animatronics that sing, cook and perform other folksy chores.
These days, Kennedy finds them charming. At the time, they were terrifying.
“I remember going into the section with Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox,” Kennedy said. “And when Babe blew mist out of her nostrils, I started freaking out and I was crying.”
Despite his terror, the ride is now a happy “core memory,” he said. He asked Curious Minnesota, the Strib’s community-driven reporting project fueled by reader questions: What happened to Camp Snoopy?