Trolley park

1910, Idora Park, Oakland, California at the end of the trolley line.

In the United States, trolley parks, which started in the 19th century, were picnic and recreation areas along or at the ends of streetcar lines in most of the larger cities. These were precursors to amusement parks. Trolley parks were often created by the streetcar companies to give people a reason to use their services on weekends.[1]

The parks originally consisted of picnic groves and pavilions, and often held events such as dances, concerts and fireworks. Many eventually added features such as swimming pools, carousels, Ferris wheels, roller coasters, sports fields, boats rides, restaurants and other resort facilities to become amusement parks. Various sources report the existence of between 1,500 and 2,000 amusement parks in the United States by 1919.[2]

Coney Island

One such location was Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York, where a horse-drawn street car line brought pleasure seekers to the beach beginning in 1829. In 1875, a million passengers rode the Coney Island Railroad, and in 1876 two million reached Coney Island. Hotels and amusements were built to accommodate both the upper-classes and the working-class. The first carousel was installed in the 1870s, the first "switchback railway" in 1881. It wasn't till 1895 that the first permanent amusement park in North America opened: Sea Lion Park at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. This park was one of the first to charge admission for entrance to the park in addition to selling tickets for rides within the park.[2]

In 1897, it was joined by Steeplechase Park, the first of three major amusement parks that would open in the area. George Tilyou designed the park to provide thrills and sweep away the restraints of the Victorian crowds. The combination of the nearby population center of New York City and the ease of access to the area made Coney Island the embodiment of the American amusement park.[2] Often, it is Steeplechase Park that comes to mind when one generically thinks of the heyday of Coney Island, but there were also Luna Park (opened in 1903) and Dreamland (opened in 1904). Coney Island was a huge success, and by 1910 attendance on a Sunday could reach a million people.[2]

Trolley parks decline

The Jack Rabbit Derby Racer at Ramona Park, a trolley park in East Grand Rapids, MI. The park closed in 1955.

By the early 20th century, there were hundreds of amusement parks, many of them starting as trolley parks, in operation around the USA. Every major city boasted one or more parks, often based on (or named) Coney Island, Luna Park, Dreamland. This began the era of the “golden age” of amusement parks that reigned until the late 1920s. This was an era when the number of hours worked was reduced, while the amount of disposable income rose. The amusement parks reflected the mechanization and efficiency of industrialization, while serving as a source of fantasy and escape from real life.[2]

With the increasing number of automobiles in use, urban trolley parks gradually declined, due to lack of parking and changing demographics in the urban areas. Although the automobile provided people with more options for satisfying their entertainment needs, amusement parks that were accessible by car continued to be successful and new parks were developed. It was urban trolley parks that saw declining attendance. By the end of the 1920s, amusement parks were to suffer steep declines for various reasons, particularly the Great Depression.[2]

List of trolley parks still operating

While some trolley parks remain open as public parks without amusements, these locations are still operating as amusement parks as of summer 2018. They are listed In alphabetical order, followed by the year in which they opened. [3]

Lakemont Park was closed for the end of the 2016 season and will remain closed throughout the 2018 summer season to modify the facility to be more like a public park with free admission, though the plan is to maintain its amusements. As of 2018, it was slated to open in spring 2019.[9] Bushkill Park, in Easton, Pennsylvania,[10] has been hit by flooding several times, and as of 2018 planned to reopen. It opened in 1902.[11]

List of trolley parks now closed

Roller coasters of Palisades Amusement Park are visible atop the Palisades, as seen from the trolley terminal in Edgewater, New Jersey, in the early 20th century
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Harpaz, Beth J. (Associated Press) (2010-07-21). "Survivors of earlier era: 11 beloved trolley parks". Living. Palm Beach County, Florida: The Palm Beach Post. Archived from the original on 2010-07-30. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Adams, Judith A. (1991). The American Amusement Park Industry: A History of Technology and Thrills. Boston, Massachusetts: Twayne Publishers. ISBN 0-8057-9821-8.
  3. ↑ https://www.tripsavvy.com/what-is-a-trolley-park-3225649
  4. ↑ Camden Park website
  5. ↑ CanobieLakePark.com
  6. ↑ Seed, Douglas; Khalife, Katherine (1996). Trolleys, Canobie Lake, and Rockingham Park. Images Of America. II. Salem, New Hampshire: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-0438-5. .
  7. ↑ midway-park.com
  8. ↑ Quassy.com
  9. ↑ https://www.wearecentralpa.com/news/lakemont-park-to-remain-closed-re-open-in-2019/1013540302
  10. ↑ BushkillPark.com
  11. ↑ Bushkill Park: Another flood
  12. ↑ concord.nh.us
  13. ↑ Gottlock, Wesley; Gottlock, Barbara H. "1905 ELECTRIC PARK – KINDERHOOK LAKE". Retrieved 2017-09-10.
  14. ↑ Reynolds, Rick. "An Amusement Park on Ballston Lake?" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  15. ↑ King, Don. "Narrative: Montoursville's history presented by chapter". Christopher Garneau. Archived from the original on 2006-12-09. Retrieved 2007-05-02.
  16. 1 2 Delaware and Hudson Company (1901). Seventy-second Annual report of the Delaware and Hudson Company. p. 56.
  17. ↑ Dippel, Beth (2016-04-22). "Before Six Flags, Sheboygan had Lake View". Sheboygan Press. Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Retrieved 2018-02-17.
  18. ↑ RCDB.com
  19. ↑ southernspaces.org
  20. ↑ Russell, Jenna (2006-10-19). "Coasting to a stop at Whalom Park". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts.
  • "Street Railway Parks". Transit Journal. 17 (5): 186. February 2, 1901.
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