FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM)-- A local director spent time in Fayetteville Sunday (Jan. 22) to gather more stories for his documentary about Dogpatch USA.
Jason Hurley said he had been working on the project for about four months.
He said during that time he has talked to people about their memories of the amusement park and to the current owner on what happens next.
Hurley explained all of his interviews have been unique.
The stories range from fishing with grandparents to seeing a live music performance, for the first time, at Dogpatch USA.
Hurley said he moved to the area around 1993 and only knew that the high school kids would go to the park to drink and vandalize.
While walking through the park with the owner, he realized this may still be the case.
“We walked through this doorway and he goes, they stole my door," said Hurley. "And I was like what? He was like there was a door here two days ago and it’s gone. I say well why did they steal the door? He goes, 'well they steal the door so I can’t lock it up so they can come in here and get the rest of it.'”
He did not understand why people continued to destroy what is left of Dogpatch USA.
It may look abandoned, but Hurley said the owner is working to keep the park alive.
“I saw a battle of the bands there, they’ve had a ghost hunting group from Arkansas in there ... and you know he holds, like on full moons, he holds tours," Hurley said.
Through his travels and interviews, Hurley discovered there was more to Dogpatch than just an old amusement park.
He said Sunday was more than just getting more stories for the documentary.
It was also about starting his fund raising campaign.
Hurley paid for most of the project out of his own pocket.
He said he has hit a wall financially and is in need of some help to finish.
There is a Go Fund Me page set up for anyone interested in helping.
Hurley hopes to have the movie finished in the fall of this year.
He said when it is done, he would like to post it online for anyone to watch.
“It’s Arkansas’ story, it’s not mine to sell," Hurley said.