About 10,000 regular Arizonans helped pay to build this place. That’s part of why people still talk about it more than 40 years later. Legend City opened on June 29, 1963, near Papago Park on the Phoenix-Tempe border. It was the vision of Mesa advertising executive Louis E. Crandall, who wanted to build an Arizona version of Disneyland based on local Wild West stories like the Lost Dutchman Mine and the Red Ghost. He even sold shares directly to the public, with roughly 10,000 Arizonans investing about $4 million to help make it happen. Opening day drew a huge crowd. Within six months, the park was bankrupt. Legend City survived anyway, changing owners several times over the next two decades. At different points, the park featured the Lost Dutchman Mine ride, River of Legends, Gila Monster roller coaster, Boot Hill, a ghost town, antique cars, burro rides, mini golf, an arcade and more. Wallace and Ladmo also performed there live, and the original Compton Terrace was located on...