...The park has changed a lot since the 1920s, according to its current operator, 78-year-old Adrienne Rhodes. But one thing has remained the same: The 10-acre, spring-fed lake through which the park's Boat Chute ride has sent sunburned patrons for more than five generations.

But this time of year, visitors might be surprised to see the big body of water more resembling a rocky mud puddle than the 10-to-12-foot-deep lake around which the 100-acre theme park is based.

The lake is drained every winter as park employees inspect rides and make repairs.

"We find lots of coins, lots of sunglasses, and these days, we find cell phones," said Rhodes, walking through the park last week as workers prepared feverishly for Lake Winnie's first day of operation April 8....

Park preparations are part of Rhodes' blood at this point. Her grandfather, Carl Dixon, opened the park in 1925. She is the third generation in her family to run the park. Now, Rhodes, along with her daughters, Talley Green and Tennyson Dickinson, run the park. They get help from a fifth generation of grandchildren who assist during the busy season.

"It was a great place to grow up," said Talley Green, who handles marketing and communication for the park. "But it's really two different places. You come here when it's open and then when it's closed, it's so different."...

With picture:

http://timesfreepres...innie-runs-dry/

We really enjoyed Lake Winnie last year. The park is not far off of I-75 just south of Chattanooga, Tn. We did it last year as part of a LW, SFOG, CW trip.

Lake Winnie is one of my favorite places of all, especially if your lucky enough to be there at night. Of course there's the boat chute, but they also have one of the oldest carousels there is, but it's the Fly-o-planes that have scared me in a way no other ride has scared me.

Fly-o-plane is fun if you get it spinning, painful if you don't.

I just checked out a video of the Fly O Plane. The whole thing looks down right nauseating! How does it compare to a ride in the Rock O Planes?

I believe both had the same manufacturer...and the Fly-O-Planes are far more difficult to maneuver than are the Rock-O-Planes....the Fly-O-Planes can also be quite a bit more fun (or nauseating, depending on one's susceptibility to the latter).

Yep, both are made by the Eyerly Aircraft Corporation. I have never been on a Fly O Plane before. But I can attest to the fact that many people will loose their stomachs on Rock O Planes. I`ve cleaned up my fair share of spills on that ride.