Trolley park

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.

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.

History

Coney Island

One such location was Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York City, where in 1829 a horse-drawn streetcar line began to bring pleasure seekers to the beach. In 1875, a million passengers rode the railroad to Coney Island; the next year doubled that. Hotels and amusements were built to accommodate the upper classes and the working class. The first carousel was installed in the 1870s, the first Switchback Railway roller coaster in 1881. In 1895, the first permanent amusement park in North America opened in Coney Island: Sea Lion Park, which was also one of the first parks to charge admission for entrance, not just tickets for individual rides.

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. It was later joined by Luna Park in 1903 and Dreamland in 1904. Coney Island was a huge success, and by 1910 attendance on a Sunday could reach a million people.

Heyday

The "golden era" of trolley parks began in the early 20th century, by which time there were hundreds of amusement parks, many of them starting as trolley parks, in operation around the United States. Every major city boasted one or more parks, often based on (or named after) Coney Island, Luna Park, or Dreamland. The era saw the typical workweek shrink and 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.

Decline Attendance at urban trolley parks generally declined in the 1920s. Changing demographics in the urban areas also played a role. So did the rise of the automobile in American life. 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.

By the end of the 1920s, amusement parks had suffered steep declines for various reasons, particularly the Great Depression.

Extant trolley parks

ParkLocationOpenedTrolley companyNotesBushkill ParkEaston, Pennsylvania1902Camden ParkHuntington, West Virginia1903Camden Interstate Railway CompanyCanobie Lake ParkSalem, New Hampshire1902Massachusetts Northeast Street Railway CompanyDorney Park & Wildwater KingdomAllentown, Pennsylvania1884KennywoodPittsburgh, Pennsylvania1898Monongahela Street Railways CompanyDesignated as a U.S. National Historic Landmark.Lake CompounceBristol, Connecticut1846Oldest continuously operating amusement park in the US, technically this is not a trolley park. While it had trolley service, the park had been in operation for forty years before the trolley was invented and was never owned or operated by a trolley company.Lakemont ParkAltoona, Pennsylvania1894Altoona & Logan Valley Electric RailwayHome to the oldest standing roller coaster in the world. The park's amusement rides have not operated since 2023.Lakeside Amusement ParkDenver, Colorado1907Denver TramwayAccording to the book Denver's Lakeside Amusement Park, the park was developed by private interests as a separate company who then encouraged the Denver Tramway Company to extend a line to their new enterprise. It was closely linked to the trolley line, it was not a true "trolley park".Midway State ParkMaple Springs, New York1898Jamestown and Lake Erie RailwayOaks Amusement ParkPortland, OregonOregon Water Power and Railway CompanyQuassy Amusement ParkMiddlebury, Connecticut1908Ravinia ParkHighland Park, Illinois1904Chicago and Milwaukee Electric RailroadThe park is not a proper amusement park, but instead serves as the grounds for music festivals.Seabreeze Amusement ParkRochester, New York1879Rochester and Lake Ontario RailroadWaldameer & Water WorldErie, Pennsylvania1896Erie Electric Motor CompanyGlen Echo ParkMontgomery County, Marylandca.1902Washington Railway and Electric CompanyOf the original rides, only the Dentzel Carousel is in operation. Glen Echo, however, remains open as a National Park Service historic site, and an arts and cultural center managed by the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture. Renovated structures still in use include the historic Spanish Ballroom, the Bumper Car Pavilion, the Puppet Co. Playhouse, the Arcade building, the Yellow Barn, Adventure Theatre, the Candy Corner, the Chautauqua Tower, the Ballroom Annex, and the Hall of Mirrors Dance Studio.

Defunct trolley parks

ParkLocationOpenedClosedTrolley companyNotesAl Fresco Amusement ParkPeoria, IllinoisBay Shore ParkEdgemere, Maryland (Baltimore County), Maryland (near Baltimore, Maryland19061947Some structures remain in North Point State ParkBig Island Amusement ParkMinneapolis, Minnesota19061911Bonnie Brae Park Phoenixville, PennsylvaniaBraddock Heights ParkBraddock Heights, Maryland18931964Hagerstown and Frederick RailwayBrandywine Springs Amusement ParkNewport, Delaware18861923Burnham ParkBurnham, Pennsylvaniaca 19031916Relocated to Kishacoquillas ParkC&ST Trolley ParkBlue Island, IL19111914The site is now owned by the Cook County (IL) Forest Preserve District in use as a picnic grove.Cascade ParkNew Castle, PennsylvaniaOriginally opened as Brinton Park in 1891. Cascade Park opened in 1897. While the rides are gone, the park remains as a site for community events.Chevy Chase LakeChevy Chase, MarylandChutes Park Los Angeles, California18871914Clementon Park and Splash WorldClementon, New Jersey19072026Atlantic City RailroadOriginally closed in September 2019, but reopened in 2021 after having been purchased by IB Parks & Entertainment.Contoocook River Amusement ParkPenacook, New Hampshire18931925Council Crest Amusement ParkPortland, Oregon19071929Crescent Park Riverside, Rhode IslandDellwood ParkLockport, IllinoisChicago and Joliet Electric RailwayDixieland Amusement ParkSouth Jacksonville (Jacksonville), FloridaSouth Jacksonville Municipal RailwaysDestroyed in a hail stormDominion ParkMontreal, Canada19061937Montreal Suburban Tramway and Power companyMontreal Suburban Tramway was a precursor to today's publicly owned transit commissionEldora ParkEldora, Pennsylvania, (Carroll Township, Washington County)1901mid-1940s Electric Park,Detroit19061928Electric Park, Kansas City18991925Electric ParkFunkstown, MarylandHagerstown and Frederick RailwayElectric ParkNiverville, New York19011917Albany and Hudson Railroad"Largest amusement park on the east coast between Manhattan and Montreal"Elkins ParkMartinsburg, West Virginia1892Martinsburg Street RailwayEuclid Beach ParkEuclid, Ohio, then Cleveland, Ohio18951969When first opened, visitors came to the park on two steamers from downtown Cleveland. When the Humphrey Family took over direction of the park they agreed to discontinue boat service in return for one street car fare charge to the park from the provider. Initially a street car stop was built inside the park. (Euclid Beach Park, is Closed for the Season, 1977)Excelsior Amusement Park Excelsior, Minnesota19251973Fleishhacker Pool and Zoo San Francisco, California19251971Fontaine Ferry ParkLouisville, Kentucky19051975Forest Hill Park, Richmond, Virginia18891932Forest ParkBallston Lake, New York19021927Saratoga and Schenectady RailroadForest ParkGenoa, OhioFort George Amusement ParkManhattan, New YorkGlen Park, west of Watertown, New YorkGlen Park, New YorkGlen Echo ParkGlen Echo, Marylandearly 1900s1968Golden Spur Amusement ParkNiantic, ConnecticutNew London and East Lyme Street RailwayGreat Falls ParkGreat Falls, VirginiaWashington and Old Dominion RailwayHighland ParkYork, Pennsylvania18911921Idora ParkOakland, California19041929Idora ParkYoungstown, Ohio18991984Indian ParkMontoursville, PennsylvaniaThe park remains as a site for community events.Indianola ParkColumbus, Ohio19051937Jantzen Beach Amusement ParkPortland, Oregon19281970Kaydeross ParkSaratoga Springs, New YorkDelaware and Hudson RailwayKishacoquillas ParkBetween Burnham, Pennsylvania and Lewistown, PennsylvaniaRelocated from Burnham Park in 1916; property and some structures survive as community park.Lake Lansing Amusement ParkHaslett, MichiganDemolished 1972Lake View ParkSheboygan, WisconsinLakeview Park (Lake Nipmuc Amusement Park)Mendon, MassachusettsLakeview Park (Lake Mascuppic)Dracut, Massachusetts18891970sLakewood AmusementAtlanta, Georgia19061985Lexington ParkLexington, Massachusetts19021920Lincoln ParkDartmouth, Massachusetts18941987Lincoln ParkHallville, ConnecticutNorwich and Westerly RailwayLuna ParkAlexandria County (now Arlington County), Virginia19061915Luna ParkCharleston, West Virginia19121923Luna ParkCleveland, Ohio19051929Luna ParkPittsburgh, Pennsylvania19051909Luna ParkScranton, Pennsylvania19061916Manawa ParkCouncil Bluffs, Iowa1928Merrimack ParkMethuen, Massachusetts19211938Minerva Park Minerva Park, Ohio18951902Mountain ParkHolyoke, Massachusetts18971987Mount Holly ParkMount Holly Springs, Pennsylvania19011930Neptune BeachAlameda, California19171939Norumbega Park Newton, Massachusetts18971963Oakland ParkRockport, Maine1902Ocean View ParkNorfolk, Virginia18791979Olentangy ParkColumbus, Ohio18961937Olympic ParkIrvington/Maplewood, New JerseyOndawa ParkGreenwich, New YorkDelaware and Hudson RailwayPalisades Amusement ParkCliffside Park and Fort Lee, New Jersey18981971Paxtang Park Harrisburg, PennsylvaniaPine Island ParkManchester, New HampshirePiney Ridge ParkBroad Brook, ConnecticutLocated on a branch of the Hartford & Springfield Street Railway, now along the line of the Connecticut Trolley MuseumPlaylandSan Francisco, California19271972Also known as Playland at the BeachPonce de Leon amusement parkAtlanta, GeorgiaPuritas Springs ParkCleveland, OhioRiverhurst ParkWeston Mills, New YorkRiverside Amusement ParkIndianapolis, Indiana1901970Rock City ParkAllegany, New YorkRock Springs ParkChester, West VirginiaRocky Glen ParkNear Moosic, PennsylvaniaLater became Ghost Town at the Glen before becoming New Rocky GlenRamona ParkEast Grand Rapids, MichiganRorick’s GlenElmira, New York19011917Savin Rock Amusement ParkWest Haven, Connecticut1870s1966Scarboro Beach Amusement ParkToronto, Ontario19071925Shady Grove Park Uniontown, PennsylvaniaShellpot Park Near Wilmington, DelawareSuburban GardensWashington, D.C.Sutro BathsSan Francisco, California18961966Terrapin ParkParkersburg, West VirginiaVanity FairEast Providence, Rhode IslandWest View ParkWest View, PennsylvaniaWhalom ParkLunenburg, MassachusettsWhite CityAtlanta, Georgia19101925White CityIndianapolis, Indiana19061908White CityPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania18981912White CityShrewsbury, MassachusettsWildwood Amusement ParkMahtomedi, MinnesotaWillow Grove ParkWillow Grove, Pennsylvania18961976Now the Willow Grove Park Mall, but still has a carousel inside the shopping mall.Woodside Amusement ParkPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania18971955Wonderland Amusement ParkIndianapolis, Indiana19061911 Wonderland Amusement ParkRevere, Massachusetts19061910Wonderland Amusement ParkMinneapolis, Minnesota19051911