The 1961 Arlington theme park where employees have long attributed flickering lights and unlocked doors to Annie, a girl said to have died near Johnson Creek before the park was built.
2201 E Road to Six Flags St, Arlington, TX 76011
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$$
General admission and season pass options; see sixflags.com/overtexas for current pricing.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Paved theme park with accessible pathways; some attractions have height/mobility requirements.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1961 · Founding park of the Six Flags chain (1961) · Pioneered the regional theme park model in the United States · Texas Giant roller coaster debuted 1990
Six Flags Over Texas opened on August 5, 1961, in Arlington, making it the founding park of what became one of the largest theme park chains in North America. Angus G. Wynne Jr., a Texas oil and real estate developer, conceived the project as a large-scale family destination themed around the six governments whose flags have historically flown over Texas: Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States, and the United States. Each section of the park reflected one of those historical periods in its architecture and programming.
The land selected for the park was undeveloped terrain along the Trinity River watershed in Tarrant County. Johnson Creek, a tributary that historically ran through what is now the park's footprint, was part of the local geography before development. The area had no significant prior development or documented history of tragedy, though local legend would later attach a drowning story to the creek.
The park expanded substantially over subsequent decades, adding roller coasters that became nationally significant: the Texas Giant wooden coaster (1990), later redesigned in steel as the New Texas Giant (2011), became one of the park's signature attractions. By the early 21st century, the park featured more than 100 rides and shows. Six Flags, Inc. (the corporate entity) filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and emerged restructured in 2010; the Arlington park continued operating throughout.
Sources
The Annie legend predates the park's current ownership and appears to have circulated among employees since at least the 1980s. The core account: a young girl named Annie died in or near Johnson Creek sometime in the early twentieth century, before the theme park was built on the site. Her preferred location is a yellow house in the Texas section of the park, near the entrance to the Texas Giant roller coaster. Employees report that the lights in the house — particularly in an upstairs room described as Annie's bedroom — switch on and off without explanation and without anyone in the building.
The activity extends beyond the yellow house. Workers have reported seeing what appears to be Annie in the Mine Train attraction, where the darkness makes visual identification difficult. Doors in the park's Candy Shop section have reportedly been found unlocked after closing, with curtains pulled. The railroad track area and music venues on the park grounds have also been associated with unexplained activity attributed to her.
Annie's death story has been reported with slight variations across different sources — drowning in Johnson Creek, being struck by a train, or simply disappearing — and no historical record has been located corroborating any specific incident. The legend has nonetheless proved durable, passed down through employee culture at the park for more than four decades.
Notable Entities
Six Flags Over Texas features more than 100 rides and attractions including 15 roller coasters. The Annie legend is centered on the Texas section of the park near the Texas Giant roller coaster, where a yellow house associated with the ghost story stands.
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