Early History of Theme Parks in America

In America most of them gathered to a amusement parks with their family and friends. Most of Americans raise their childhood memories in the family-friendly entertainment park’s with the signature snacks or call from a carousel during the 19^th century.

Modern theme park springs from centuries old concept of a “pleasure garden”, in which the public area land set aside for entertainment purposes. In America, they grew up with amusement parks, bandstand, concert halls and zoos. A years ago, America shaped individual memories and national identity.

Amusement parks before

In United States, early amusement parks began as picnic grounds that provided a place for working men to relax every after work. They bring as well their families to enjoy the inexpensive entertainment and food.

In 1893 Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition created. It concentrated more on shows, rides and concessions to get greater crowds. Each show brings attraction and boost the public interest in the show in exchange in greater profits with the owner.

In 1880, Coney Island rise to amusement park. Steeplechase Park featured a changing array of attractions and became successful by appealing to people’s quest of novelty. Ambitious Dreamland Park offered dramatic spectacles and entertainment with rides and a freak show, featuring people with unusual features or abnormalities.

Santa Land or Santa Fe – America’s First Theme Park

The town of Santa Claus, Indiana, its new name selected in 1850s. The US post office refused to grant borough a post office because another town name the same in Indiana so the town selected a new name of Santa Claus. As the only post office named to Santa Claus in the country the town started receiving thousands of letters from children wring a holiday messages to Santa. The postmaster started to get helped from local volunteers, who worked to answer the letters from the kids all over the country.

Louis Koch of Evansville in 1940s an Industrialist, bought 260 acres of land to create an amusement park to add the town’s unique name. In 1946 Santa Claus Land opened offering a dreamy, alpine village with toy, shop, rides designed by children and daily appearances of Santa as himself. Santa Land became the first true theme park in America. The park added Halloween theme and the Fourth of July as additional holidays then changed it to the name of Holiday world.

Koch family in 1993 added a water park named Splashin’ Safari. Then over the years they added several wooden roller coasters and continue to offer free sunscreen and soft drinks. In 2006 they added Thanksgiving as a theme. This theme park entertained generations of Americans from Santa Land to Holiday World.

1920, the Walt Disney dazzled Americans with his beloved characters and innovate cartoons. The animator, voice actor, and film producer founded wed in 1951 the clear objective is to create a them park that captured the magic of Disney film experience.

He visited many amusement parks around the country conducting research. He gained funding the Disneyland project from ABC network and agreed to produce a weekly television show that introduced his dream project.

The park opened in 1955 and many Americans watched the opening on a record breaking live broadcast. The day presented some operational challenges as one ride stopped due to an electric overload while gas leak forced to close. The park visitors drew a one million during the first ten weeks.

Six Flags in Texas, August 1, 1961, Angus Wynne Jr opened in Arlington, Texas he focused on theme of Texas history  and offered an all inclusive price. Visitors paid single admission that includes all parks attraction while food and souvenirs are just additional expense to them. The rides and attractions reflected Texas’ unique heritage in culture, and industry. Six flags is the world’s largest theme park company operating 30 properties in North America with multiple amusement parks around the globe.

This is the early history of rides and games or theme parks in America.

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Reference source:

Jimmy Carter. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 25, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus_Park

Six Flags. 2017. Get ready for some wicked, maniacal fun on THE JOKER. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.sixflags.com/overtexas/attractions/joker. [Accessed 25 June 2018].

GPL Amusements. 2017. Different kindsamusement theme park attractions. [ONLINE] Available at: http://gplamusements.com.au/different-kinds-amusement-theme-park-attractions/. [Accessed 25 June 2018].