Roller Coaster Almanac (CAUTION: 59k!)
Dave Althoff
I've just finished making big changes to the way I handle the Roller
Coaster Almanac, and I just generated a new text version. There are now
more than 500 entries, and the text version is now about 59k. As usual,
if you have anything to add, let me know! Oh, I already have the entry
for Helen Hunt's birthday, but it isn't entered yet 8-)
The Roller Coaster Almanac
Last updated 01/11/1997
Compiled by Dave Althoff, Jr. (dalt...@capital.edu)
---- January ----
January 3--
1984: A woman was killed when she fell from the {Matterhorn
Bobsleds} roller coaster at Disneyland.
January 6--
1985: Death of Patrick Duffy, owner of Idora Park,
Youngstown, Ohio.
January 8--
1982: Fred Moran, owner of the Coney Island, NY.
{Thunderbolt} dies at the age of 64. Mr. Moran lived
in the house underneath the roller coaster.
1990: A fire at Americana Amusement Park (Middletown, Ohio)
destroyed the bathhouse and the former Stardust
Gardens ballroom.
January 12--
1990: The {Star Tours} simulator ride opens at Disney-MGM
Studios, Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
January 15--
1975: {Space Mountain} opens at Walt Disney World.
January 17--
1990: At about 3:00 pm, visitors at Boardwalk & Baseball,
Haines City, Florida, were asked to leave. The park
then closed permanently.
January 20--
1885: LaMarcus A. Thompson granted patent for {Switchback
Railway}.
January 26--
1993: {Mickey's Toontown} opens at Disneyland. Anaheim, CA.
1994: {Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin} ride opens at
Disneyland, Anaheim, California.
January 30--
1933: Summit Beach Park (Akron, Ohio) equipment auctioned.
High bid of $1,100 by a group of bondholders makes
continued operation of the park possible.
January 31--
1993: ACE - {<A>merican <C>oaster <E>nthusiasts} - members
are invited to tour the Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters
factory.
---- February ----
February 1--
1977: United States Patent #4,005,877, "Vehicle Passenger
Restraint System," granted to Thomas Humphries and
assigned to Arrow Development Corp. for the Corkscrew
seat and bar mechanism.
1989: Death of Cyril Wagner, former owner of Walled Lake
Amusement Park (Walled Lake, MI) and Edgewater Park
(Detroit, MI).
1992: Death of Parker Beach, former owner of Chippewa Lake
Park, Ohio, at age 86.
February 2--
1862: George Arthur Boeckling (1862-1931) born. Boekling
was the showman largely responsible for the
development of Cedar Point into a major seasonal
resort.
February 4--
1985: Rides and attractions from Petticoat Junction
Amusement Park (Panama City, Florida) auctioned off.
1986: Death of Mel Heavener, General Manager, Bushkill Park,
Easton, Pennsylvania.
February 8--
1992: Camden Park (Huntington, West Virginia) auctioned off
its carousel in pieces.
February 10--
1993: Boblo Island, Amhertsberg, Ontario, auctioned intact.
February 12--
1936: A fire consumed the bathhouse at Wildwood Amusement
Park, Mahtomedi, Minnesota.
February 13--
1988: The 1917 C. W. Parker carousel from San Antonio's
Playland was auctioned in pieces.
February 14--
1859: Birth of George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. in
Galesburg, Illinois. Ferris was the engineer,
entrepreneur, and showman responsible for the Ferris
Wheel at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago,
Illinois, 1893.
1987: Circus World, Haines City, Florida, re-opens as
Boardwalk and Baseball (closes again in 1990).
February 16--
1996: Luna Park, Sydney, Austraila closes after a brief
resurrection.
February 23--
1972: Former Euclid Beach dance pavilion burned down.
February 24--
1990: The Mangels-Illions Carousel at Boblo Island
(Amhertsberg, Ontario) is auctioned.
February 26--
1971: Kennywood finally purchases the 140 acres on which the
park sits from the Kenny family for $1,300,000.
---- March ----
March 1--
1919: Death of Theodore Marshall (T. M.) Harton, early
coaster builder, ride operator, and founder of West
View Park.
March 7--
1992: {Ninja}, a Vekoma multi-looping coaster, opens at Six
Flags over Georgia.
March 8--
1848: Birth of LaMarcus A. Thompson (1848-1919), the first
to actually patent and build a roller-coaster, the
{Switchback Railway,} in 1884. Thompson was born in
Jersey, Ohio, about fifteen miles Northeast of
Columbus.
March 9--
1988: Bankrupt Boyertown USA (Altoona, PA) sold at auction.
1991: The {Vortex} opens at Great America, Santa Clara,
California.
March 11--
1989: The {Skyhawk} ride opens at Great America, Santa
Clara, California.
March 12--
1983: ACE first EastCoaster event - {ACE Conference East.}
March 14--
1992: Fiesta Texas and the {Rattler,} designed by John
Pierce, open to the public.
1992: {Vortex} stand-up coaster by Bolliger & Mabillard
opens at Paramount's Carowinds.
1992: Death of C. V. Wood, Jr. Wood was the first
vice-president and general manager of Disneyland,
Anaheim, California.
March 17--
1936: Flood devastates Lakemont Park, Altoona, PA.
March 19--
1993: {Top Gun,} designed by Bolliger & Mabillard opens at
Paramount's Great America in Santa Clara, California.
1996: Death of Joe Hofner, owner of Vollmar's Park (Bowling
Green, Ohio), at age 58.
March 21--
1989: Joyland Park (Topeka, Kansas) auctioned.
March 23--
1991: {Anaconda,} multi-looper designed by Arrow Dynamics,
opens at Paramount's Kings Dominion, Doswell,
Virginia.
1991: The {Psyclone} roller coaster opens at Six Flags Magic
Mountain, Valencia, California.
March 25--
1989: The {Chaos} roller coaster opens at Opryland USA
(Nashville, Tennessee).
March 27--
1968: {Thunderbolt,} designed by Andy Vettel, completed at
Kennywood, finishing a complete redesign of John
Miller's 1924 {Pippin,} creating the coaster we know
today.
1982: The {Grizzly} roller coaster opens at Kings Dominion
(Doswell, Virginia).
1993: {Batman: The Ride,} a Bolliger & Mabillard inverted
coaster, opens at Six Flags Great Adventure in
Jackson, New Jersey.
March 29--
1980: Fatal collision on {Willard's Whizzer} at Great
America (Santa Clara, California) killed one and
injured eight.
1996: Legoland Windsor (England) opens.
March 30--
1903: Riverview Park (Aurora, Illinois) takes delivery of
its carousel.
1996: {Megafobia,} a new wood coaster by Custom Coasters
International, officially opens at Oakwood,
Pembrokeshire, Wales. Some enthusiasts consider this
the most important new wood coaster built in the U.K.
for over 50 years.
March 31--
1994: Fire at Seabreeze Park destroys PTC carousel #36 and a
number of other park accessories, including a coaster
train.
1990: Nine people were admitted to Kansas City area
hospitals for treatment of injuries sustained when two
trains collided on the {Timber Wolf} at World's of Fun
(Kansas City, Missouri).
1973: Carowinds, near Charlotte, North Carolina, opens.
---- April ----
April 1--
1996: The {Colorado Adventure} mine train (Vekoma) opens at
Phantasialand in Bruhl, Germany.
1989: The {Timber Wolf} roller coaster opens at Worlds of
Fun (Kansas City, Missouri).
April 3--
1993: {Wacky Worm} opens at Worlds of Fun, Kansas City,
Missouri.
1971: Opening Day for the final season at Palisades Park
(Fort Lee, New Jersey).
April 4--
1992: {Drachen Fire,} designed by Arrow Dynamics, opens at
Busch Gardens Williamsburg.
1980: The {Orient Express} steel roller coaster opens at
Worlds of Fun (Kansas City, Missouri). Designed by
Arrow Development, this was the first coaster to
employ the "Kamikaze Kurve" looping element, now
better known as a "Sidewinder".
April 6--
1984: Old Orchard Beach in Maine is auctioned.
April 7--
1939: Now known as the {Texas Tornado,} the {Cyclone} roller
coaster opened in Morecambe, England. The coaster was
originally built in 1937 for the Paris Exposition by
Charles Paige, Harry Traver, and Leonard Thompson.
1992: Death of Carl Theel, founder of Theel Manufacturing.
April 8--
1993: The {Dreamflight} ride opens at de Efteling,
Kaatsheuvel, The Netherlands.
April 9--
1988: {Amazon Falls,} an Intamin Shoot-The-Chute ride, opens
at Kings Island (Kings Mills, Ohio).
1993: {Top Gun,} a suspended coaster designed by Arrow
Dynamics, first opens at Paramount's Kings Island.
April 10--
1981: Cambridge Properties, owners of Boblo Island, files
for bankruptcy
1993: {Thunderation,} designed by Arrow Dynamics, opens at
Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri.
April 11--
1987: The {Vortex} 6-loop roller coaster, designed by Arrow
Dynamics, opens at Kings Island (Kings Mills, Ohio).
April 12--
1984: The rides at Six Gun Territory (Silver Springs,
Florida) are auctioned.
April 13--
1920: The dance hall at Celoron Park (Chautauqua Lake, New
York) is destroyed by fire.
1979: Press day for the {Beast} at Kings Island, Kings
Mills, Ohio.
1991: {Adventure Express,} the first Arrow Dynamics Runaway
Train to be built in the U.S. in a decade, opens at
Kings Island, Kings Mills, Ohio.
April 14--
1995: The World of Coasters officially opens on the World
Wide Web.
1979: {The Beast} first opens at Kings Island, Kings Mills,
Ohio. {The Beast} is the World's Longest Wooden
Roller Coaster with 7,400 feet of track.
April 15--
1983: Tokyo Disneyland opens.
1989: After only one year of operation, Kentucky Kingdom
(Louisville, Kentucky) is auctioned.
April 16--
1994: Peony Park (Omaha, Nebraska) auctioned.
1996: Rides at Rocky Point Park (Warwick, Rhode Island)
auctioned.
April 18--
1996: 42 (of 58) elevator inspectors in New York City, New
York are suspended without pay for alleged
misconduct/suspected bribery. Some of those suspended
also serve as amusement ride inspectors for the city.
April 19--
1924: Death of Paul Boynton, founder of Sea Lion Park (Coney
Island, New York).
April 20--
1908: The remains of Chutes Park (Chicago, Illinois) are
auctioned.
1993: Kumba, designed by Bolliger & Mabbilard, opens at
Busch Gardens Tampa.
1996: The wooden support structure of the Vekoma {Colorado
Adventure} mine train at Phantasialand (Bruhl,
Germany) catches fire. About 1/8 of the structure is
damaged; welding sparks from efforts to complete
theming installation are suspected.
April 21--
1981: Press day for {The Bat,} a prototype suspended roller
coaster from Arrow/Huss, at Kings Island (Kings Mills,
Ohio).
1986: Pirate Island Amusement Park (Ft. Walton Beach,
Florida) auctioned.
April 22--
1989: The Herschell-Spillman carousel at Rocky Point Park
(Warwick, Rhode Island) is auctioned.
April 23--
1983: The {Thunder River} rapids ride opens at Six Flags
over Mid America.
1988: The {Jetline} roller coaster opens at Grona Lund
(Stockholm, Sweden).
April 24--
1961: Fire destroys the (1900) bandshell at Kennywood.
Nearby {Pippin} roller coaster (John Miller/1924...now
the {Thunderbolt} by Andy Vettel/1967) narrowly
escapes damage.
1966: Death of George M. Harton III, president of West View
Park and the last member of the Harton family active
in the park's operation.
1993: The {Outlaw} wood coaster, designed by Custom Coasters
International, opens at Adventureland, Des Moines,
Iowa.
April 25--
1990: City Park Funland (Alexandria, Louisiana) is
auctioned.
April 26--
1984: Fire destroys part of the {Wildcat} roller coaster at
Idora Park (Youngstown, Ohio).
1992: Death of Dewey Albert, co-founder of Astroland Park
(Coney Island, New York).
April 27--
1969: Euclid Beach Park (Cleveland, Ohio) opens for its
final season.
April 28--
1994: The {Hurler} opens at Paramount's Kings Dominion,
Doswell, Virginia.
April 29--
1894: Work begins to dismantle the Ferris Wheel used at the
World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois.
1909: A roller coaster under construction at Trout Park,
Elgin, Illinois was heavily damaged in a severe storm.
1972: Kings Island first opens to the public.
1989: The relocated {Rolling Thunder} Intamin bobsled roller
coaster opens at Six Flags Great America (Gurnee,
Illinois).
1992: Fun Village Amusement Park (Two Rivers, Wisconsin)
auctioned.
1993: State Fair Amusement Park (Springfield, Illinois)
auctioned.
---- May ----
May 1--
1878: Idlewild Park first opens.
1890: Elitch Gardens first opens to the public.
1948: The {Comet Jr.} roller coaster opens at the State Fair
of Texas in Dallas.
1988: Standing rider thrown from {SooperDooperLooper} at
Hersheypark.
1989: Disney-MGM Studios opens at Walt Disney World,
Florida.
May 2--
1992: Death of Nancy L. Loucks, founder, editor, and
publisher of {The Carousel News and Trader.}
May 3--
1975: Kings Dominion opens, Doswell, Virginia.
May 4--
1969: Thousands of rioters roam through Fontaine Ferry Park,
Louisville, Kentucky, looting stands and injuring
employees.
May 5--
1911: Birth in Los Angeles, California of Dave Bradley,
co-founder of amusement ride manufacturing company
Bradley & Kaye.
1990: {Avalanche Run}, an Intamin bobsled coaster, re-opens
as {Disaster Transport} at Cedar Point, Sandusky,
Ohio
May 6--
1950: High winds damage the roller coaster at Dandelion
Park, near Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1989: The non-looping steel {Magnum XL-200}, designed by
Arrow Dynamics, and the world's first traditional
coaster to exceed 200 feet in height first opens at
Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio.
1995: {The Raven,} designed by Custom Coasters, Inc., opens
at Holiday World.
May 7--
1994: {Raptor,} designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, opens at
Cedar Point.
May 8--
1975: The antique carousel from Natatorium Park reopened at
Spokane, Washington's Riverfront Park.
May 9--
1992: {Batman: The Ride,} designed by Bolliger & Mabillard,
opens at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois.
May 10--
1968: Riverview Park fails to open.
1991: Crossroads Village, Flint, Michigan, opens its
restored C. W. Parker Superior Wheel ride.
May 11--
1902: {S.S. Columbia} (Boblo Island ferry) launched from the
Wyandotte Yard of the Detroit Shipbuilding Company.
1906: George Ferris' Wheel dynamited in St. Louis, Missouri.
1921: The {Pippin} roller coaster at Riverview Park
(Chicago, Illinois) carries its first passengers.
1991: {Mean Streak,} designed by Curtis Summers, opens at
Cedar Point.
1991: The {Sidewinder,} a Vekoma "Boomerang" production
steel coaster, opens at Hersheypark, Hershey,
Pennsylvania.
1992: Death of coaster designer Curtis D. Summers.
1996: {Mantis} (The Coaster Formerly Known as {Banshee})
opens at Cedar Point as the World's Tallest, Steepest,
and Fastest Stand-Up Roller Coaster.
1996: {Wild Thing,} the first steel coaster produced by
Morgan Manufacturing, officially opens at Valleyfair!,
Shakopee, Minnesota.
May 12--
1967: Opening day of the final season for Riverview
1991: The {Dragon} roller coaster opens at Adventureland,
near Des Moines, Iowa.
May 14--
1904: Dreamland Park opens, Coney Island, Brooklyn,
May 15--
1932: Fire destroys several attractions at Central Park near
Allentown, Pennsylvania.
1993: {Wild Mouse,} designed by Vekoma, opens at Idlewild
Park in Ligonier, Pennsylvania.
May 16--
1903: Luna Park opens, Coney Island, Brooklyn, New
1964: Lake Contrary Park, St. Joseph, Missouri, is
auctioned.
1975: Busch Gardens: The Old Country (now Busch Gardens
Williamsburg) first opens, Williamsburg, Virginia.
1976: <*>
1996: {Montu,} a Bolliger & Mabillard inverted coaster,
officially opens at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.
May 17--
1940: The {Cyclone} roller coaster opens at Lakeside Park
(Denver, colorado).
May 18--
1924: The wooden roller coaster at Dorney Park (Allentown,
Pennsylvania) opens. The coaster was nameless for
decades, but is now known as the {Thunderhawk.}
May 19--
1852: Birth of Dudley Sherman Humphrey II (1852-1933),
president, Euclid Beach Park.
May 20--
1907: New Lakeside Park Casino opened, Akron, Ohio.
1917: A windstorm damages several buildings and the {Dixie
Flyer} roller coaster, delaying the scheduled opening
of Summit Beach Park, Akron, Ohio.
1963: Dutch Wonderland first opens. Lancaster, PA.
1985: Death of Carl E. Henninger, Kennywood Park's Chairman
of the Board.
May 21--
1907: Birth of John Allen (1907-1979), an influential
coaster designer, especially for PTC.
May 22--
1948: Crystal Beach {Comet} (now at Great Escape) first
opens.
1992: Fire destroys engineering section of Vekoma
May 23--
1900: William E. Sullivan opens his first ferris wheel, a
45-foot 12-seat model fabricated under contract by the
Illinois Bridge and Machine Company, Jacksonville,
Illinois. Operation license posted in the name of
"The Eli Bridge Co."
1906: West View Park first opens in West View, Pennsylvania
(near Pittsburgh).
1964: {Blue Streak} (Allen/Hoover/PTC) opens, Cedar Point,
Sandusky, Ohio.
1981: American Eagle opens at Great America in
1986: Lakemont Park (Altoona, Pennsylvania) re-opens as
Boyertown, USA.
1987: A raft capsized on {Canyon River Rapids} at
Hersheypark (Hershey, Pennsylvania).
1987: Kentucky Kingdom opens in Louisville, Kentucky.
May 24--
1911: Dreamland Park destroyed by fire.
1984: Patrick Camp, age 5, falls from the {Cedar Creek Mine
Ride} at Cedar Point, and fractures his skull in the
resulting 30' fall to grass.
May 25--
1968: Inaugural performance in Cedar Point's {Golden Palace
Theatre.}
May 26--
1928: Fred Church's {Aero-Plane Coaster} opens at Playland,
Rye, New York.
1973: Worlds of Fun opens in Kansas City, Missouri.
May 27--
1905: White City, Chicago, Illinois opens.
1933: The {Century of Progress} exposition opens in Chicago,
Illinois. The amusement rides included a {Cyclone}
roller coaster designed by Harry Traver.
1977: {Space Mountain} opens at Disneyland in Anaheim,
California.
1993: Pleasure Island Theme Park opens in Cleethorpes,
England.
May 28--
1899: Akron, Ohio police raid the Casino at Lakeside Park
after a Sunday vaudeville performance.
1906: Luna Park opens in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
1982: Kings Island begins running one side of the {Racer}
(1972: John Allen/PTC) backwards.
1988: The carousel and bumper cars at Americana Amusement
Park (Middletown, Ohio) are destroyed by fire.
May 29--
1909: Trout Park opens in Elgin, Illinois.
1926: The {Amusement Department Store} opens at Coney
Island, New York.
1976: Great America opens in Gurnee Illinois.
1976: Great America(PGA) opens, Santa Clara, California.
1993: {Blue Streak,} designed by Ed Vettel, Sr., rededicated
at Conneaut Lake.
May 30--
1906: Wonderland Park opens, Revere Beach, Massachusets.
1908: Lakeside Park (Denver, Colorado) opens. At the time,
it was known as "White City."
1921: Weona Park opens in Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania.
1924: The {Pippin} roller coaster opens at Wildwood
Amusement Park, Mahtomedi, Minnesota.
1930: {Cyclone Racer} (Church/Traver) opens at The Pike in
Long Beach, CA.
1938: Amos Wiedrich is killed on the Crystal Beach
{Cyclone,} that legendary coaster's only fatality.
1992: Arkansas Twister opens at Magic Springs.
May 31--
1983: The {Extremeroller} (also known as {E.X.T.}) opens at
Worlds of Fun as North America's first stand-up roller
coaster.
---- June ----
June 1--
1968: AstroWorld opens.
June 2--
1989: The {Magnum XL-200} at Cedar Point was officially
measured for inclusion in the 1990 {Guiness Book of
World Records}
June 3--
1988: {Shockwave,} an Arrow Dynamics seven-loop coaster,
officially opens at Six Flags Great America, Gurnee,
Illinois.
June 4--
1983: Rides auctioned at Pine Lake Amusement Park, Caroga
Lake, New York.
1993: Idora Park qualifies for listing on the
June 5--
1971: Six Flags over Mid America opens in Eureka, Missouri.
June 6--
1907: The {Drop The Dip Railway} opened at Coney Island, New
York.
June 7--
1967: Six Flags Over Georgia opens in Atlanta, Georgia.
1970: Birth of Dave Althoff, maintainer of the {Roller
Coaster Almanac} 8-)
June 8--
1994: PTC and Morgan Manufacturing announce the sale of the
Morgan wood-coaster-train manufacturing operation to
PTC.
June 9--
1929: Fatal accident on the {Pippin} coaster at Summit Beach
Park, Akron, Ohio.
1978: {ACE Coaster Conference I} opens at Busch Gardens-The
Old Country.
1978: Exclusive Ride Time (ERT) intruduced to ACE.
1978: Fire destroys the {Ghost Train} ride at Luna Park,
Sydney, Australia. Seven people died in the tragedy.
1980: A sculpture commemorating Chicago's Riverview Park was
unveiled at the site of the now-defunct park.
1991: "Black Sunday" at Kings Island. One (intoxicated)
woman died when she fell from the {Flight Commander}
ride; two men were electrocuted trying to fish a third
from a pond when a circulating pump malfunctioned.
June 10--
1968: Maiden run of the Fairyland {Wildcat} coaster in
Kansas City. Designer Aurel Vaszin of NAD was
on-board.
June 11--
1888: Birth of Arthur Loof, designer of the Santa
1905: Paragon Park (Nantasket Beach, MA) first opens to the
public
1978: ACE begins accepting memberships.
1989: Carousel Park opens in Buffalo, Wyoming.
1992: A five-year-old girl is thrown from the {Scenic
Railway} roller coaster at Dreamland in Margate,
England
June 12--
1905: Hotel Breakers opens, Cedar Point.
1957: Cedar Point Causeway opens.
1959: A tornado damages the ferris wheel and {Greyhound}
roller coaster at Celoron Park at Chautauqua Lake, New
York.
1976: {Texas Cyclone,} designed by Bill Cobb, opens.
June 13--
1934: Mrs. Knott began selling chicken dinners. This
eventually led to the opening of the Knott's Berry
Farm amusement park.
1968: The {Big Coaster} at Arnold's Park was damaged by a
tornado.
1990: The re-built Kentucky Kingdom opens.
1991: The Coney Island {Cyclone} was named to the New York
State Register of Historic Places.
June 14--
1930: The Pier Ballroom at Celoron Park, Chautauqua Lake,
New York was destroyed by fire.
1985: The {Phoenix} roller coaster opens at Knoebel's
Amusement Resort, Elysburg, Pennsylvania.
1986: Fatal accident on the {Mindbender} coaster in the West
Edmonton Mall, Edmonton, AB. A train on this
Schwarzkopf multi-looper derailed due to an equipment
failure.
1987: Two trains on the {Orient Express} looping coaster at
Worlds of Fun, Kansas City, Missouri, collide in the
station, injuring several people.
June 15--
1963: First Arrow log-flume opens at Six Flags over
1982: Old Chicago, an amusement park/shopping center
combination, goes on the auction block, but there are
no bidders.
1985: The {Phoenix} (ex {Rocket}, Playland Park, San
Antonio, Texas) opens at Knoebel's Amusement Resort,
Elysburg, Pennsylvania.
June 16--
1992: Demolition of CNE {Flyer,} designed by Davis & Mckee,
begins (continues through June 19, 1992).
June 17--
1971: Disneyland in Anaheim, California greets it's
1975: United States Patent #3,889,605, "Amusement Ride with
a Track Portion Following the Shape of a Helix"
granted to Karl W. Bacon and assigned to Arrow
Development Corp. for the Corkscrew coaster.
1987: Fair Park, Nashville, Tennessee, is auctioned.
1987: A woman is killed on the {Lightnin' Loops} roller
coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure. That coaster is
now the {Python} at Adventure World.
June 18--
1890: Fairview Park opens in Indianapolis, Indiana.
1936: Boblo Island steamer {Tashmoo} hits a rock, makes for
June 19--
1968: The {Wildcat} at Fairyland in Kansas City opens to the
public.
1975: Fire destroys the {Ghost Ship} dark ride (former dance
pavilion) at Kennywood Park, West Mifflin,
Pennsylvania. The fire broke out at 12:15 pm and
damaged several nearby rides.
June 20--
1898: First Bob-Lo Island excursion.
1991: Frontier Fun Park opens in Cherokee, North Carolina.
June 21--
1886: Coney Island, California, Ohio (near Cincinnati)
opens.
1893: The 150' tall Ferris Wheel opens at the World's
Columbian Exposition, Chicago, Illinois. The Wheel
had 36 tubs, each one seating 40 passengers.
June 22--
1895: Euclid Beach first opens.
1906: The old Casino at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is
destroyed by fire.
1907: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Casino opens
June 23--
1989: Upper Clements Family Theme Park opens in
Clementsport, Nova Scotia. Included among the rides
is the {Tree Topper,} Bill Cobb's last wooden roller
coaster.
June 24--
1941: Coaster designer and inventor John A. Miller dies at
age 66.
1983: {Riverside Cyclone} (Bill Cobb) first opens at
Riverside Park, Agawam, MA.
June 25--
1994: The (ex-Crystal Beach) {Comet,} designed by Herb
Schmeck, opens at The Great Escape, Lake George, New
York.
June 26--
1927: Coney Island Cyclone, designed by Vernon Keenan,
opens.
1982: Calaway Park opens in Calgary, Alberta.
1991: The Coney Island {Cyclone} is officially designated a
National historic Landmark.
June 28--
1922: Sunnyside Amusement Park opens in Toronto, Ontario.
June 29--
1985: Middle Country USA opened in Thorntown, Indiana. The
park is now known as Old Indiana Fun Park.
June 30--
1978: First CoasterMania opens at Cedar Point. Runs through
July 2, 1978.
---- July ----
July 1--
1974: Great Adventure Amusement Park opens in Jackson, New
Jersey.
1981: Paradise Lake opens near Middlebourne, Ohio. The park
operated for only two seasons.
1986: Death of Norm Scott, president of Arrow Dynamics, Inc.
July 2--
1892: Rittersville Park (also known as Central Park) opens
to the public at a location between Allentown and
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
1904: Riverview Park opens in Chicago, Illinois.
1927: Revere Beach {Lightning,} one of the notorious Traver
Cyclone triplets, first opens in Revere Beach,
Massachusets.
1988: Lakemont Park re-opens as Lakemont Park after two
seasons as Boyertown USA.
July 3--
1861: William E. Sullivan, founder of the Eli Bridge
Company, is born near Roodhouse, Illinois.
1897: Squaw Creek Park (also known as Avon Park) opens in
Youngstown, Ohio.
1919: The 75' x 180' {Crystal Pool} opens to swimmers at
Summit Beach Park, Akron, Ohio.
1927: Yvonne Salais is killed (either thrown out or jumped)
by the Revere Beach {Lightning}.
1975: Coney Island {Cyclone,} designed by Vernon Keenan,
re-opens.
July 4--
1895: Sea Lion Park opens, Coney Island.
1906: Dellwood Park opens in Joliet, Illinois.
1911: {Race Thru The Clouds} opens in Venice, California.
At the time, it was the world's largest racing
coaster.
1917: Summit Beach Park, Akron, Ohio, opens to the public.
1925: The {Giant Dipper} opens at Belmont Park/Mission Beach
in San Diego, California. This Prior &
Church-designed coaster is the only surviving example
of the Prior & Church {Bobs} coaster.
1976: Libertyland opens in Memphis, Tennessee.
1978: The {Tornado} roller coaster opens at Adventureland
near Des Moines, Iowa.
1984: The ill-fated Six Flags Autoworld opens in Flint,
Michigan.
1986: The Lake Compounce {Wildcat} re-opens after a major
overhaul (supervised by Charles Dinn) and a change in
ownership to HERCO.
July 6--
1960: Demolition of the {Sky Ride} coaster begins at Summit
Beach Park, Akron, Ohio. The coaster had stood idle
for nearly two years.
1967: Equipment from Lakeside Park, Dayton, Ohio auctioned.
July 7--
1918: Fatal accident on the {Over The Top} coaster at Summit
Beach Park (Akron, Ohio) kills four riders; injures
eleven more.
1984: A woman dies in a fall from the {Rail Blazer} roller
coaster at Six Flags over Mid America.
July 9--
1958: Death of Fred Pearce, park and coaster designer, in a
fall from a ride catwalk. Pearce pioneered the use of
creosoted treated lumber in the construction of wood
coasters. His coasters included the Springlake Park
{Radio Streak} and the Summit Beach {Dixie Flyer,}
both in Akron, Ohio.
July 10--
1985: The {Z-Force} roller coaster, an Intamin {Space Diver}
model, opens at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee,
Illinois.
July 11--
1969: The {Timber Mountain Log Ride} opens at Knott's Berry
Farm.
1984: A three-day auction of Rocky Springs Amusement Park
begins in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
1984: ACE convention begins at Crystal Beach, Ontario.
July 12--
1898: Midway Park opens in Maple Springs, New York.
1992: A fire tore through the remains of Lincoln Park, N.
Dartmouth, Massachusets. The {Comet} roller coaster,
a band shell, and a gift-shop building were reported
to be the only survivors.
July 14--
1990: ACE first Preservation Weekend at Conneaut Lake and
Lakemont Park.
July 15--
1886: Lake Park (now Lagoon Park) opened in Farmington,
Utah.
1904: Fatal accident on the {Loop-The-Loop} at Celoron Park,
Chautauqua Lake, New York. Two riders fell from the
car on this early looping coaster when it rolled back
out of the loop. One of the victims died two days
later; the fate of the other is not known. A third
rider was able to hold on and stayed with the car.
1950: Summit Beach Park (Akron, Ohio) Ballroom destroyed by
fire.
1990: Kings Island greets its 50-millionth guest.
1995: {EuroStar}, Oscar Bruch's Intamin portable inverted
looping coaster, fails to open on-time.
July 17--
1955: Disneyland in Anaheim, California opens.
1991: The {Ultimate} opened at Lightwater Valley in England,
as the World's Longest Roller Coaster with 7,524 feet
of track.
July 18--
1990: Fun City Amusement Park, Cheyenne, Wyoming auctioned.
1992: {Jupiter,} designed by Summers & Intamin, opens in
Kijima, Japan. {Jupiter} is Japan's first wooden
coaster.
July 19--
1902: Schlitz Park opens in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
July 20--
1817: The first double, circular racing slide opened in
Paris.
1985: {Le Monstre,} a dual-tracked wooden coaster, opens at
La Ronde, in Montreal, Quebec.
1995: {EuroStar}, German showman Oscar Bruch's portable
inverted looping coaster (Werner Stengel/Oscar
Bruch/Intamin AG) finally opens in Dusseldorf, at the
Schuetzenfest.
July 21--
1954: Groundbreaking for Disneyland in Anaheim, California.
1991: A teenage boy is killed and two girls are injured at
the Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park when the
Ferris wheel seat they are riding in tips over. The
trio was rocking the seat.
July 22--
1992: Cedar Fair L.P. purchases Dorney Park and Wildwater
Kingdon for $48,000,000.
1994: {Zach's Zoomer} opens at Michigan's Adventure. The
coaster was constructed by Custom Coasters
International, and named after the owner's
two-year-old son.
July 23--
1894: Disassembly of the Ferris Wheel from the World's
Columbian Exposition completed.
July 25--
1850: Britain's Vauxhall Gardens closes. This was one of
the earliest pleasure gardens, and was influential in
defining the concept of what we know as an amusement
park.
July 28--
1907: Steeplechase Park fire. George Tilyou posts his famous
sign about it: {<To enquiring friends:> I have
troubles today that I had not yesterday. I had
troubles yesterday which I have not today. On this
site will be built a bigger, better, Steeplechase
Park. Admission to the burning ruins -- Ten cents.}
1907: The {Drop The Dip Railway} at Coney Island was
destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt and continued to
operate.
1934: Streetcar service to Summit Beach Park (Akron, Ohio)
ends.
July 29--
1953: Death of Bob Ingersoll, operator of Lake Contrary
Park, St. Joseph, Missouri.
1974: "America Sings" attraction opens at Disneyland in
Anaheim, California.
---- August ----
August 1--
1895: The lift cable on an early Shoot-The-Chute ride in
Chicago breaks, causing the boat to slide back down
the lift and into the station where it injures 14
people. Four of the victims die from their injuries.
August 2--
1992: A man riding the {Mean Streak} at Cedar Point had his
right hand outside the train as it entered the
station. His hand was nearly severed when it was
caught between the train and the station platform.
August 3--
1911: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk takes delivery of a new
Loof carousel.
1946: Santa Claus Land (now Holiday World) first opens in
Santa Claus, Indiana.
August 4--
1961: Six Flags Over Texas opens.
August 5--
1929: Last performance at the Lakemont Park Playhouse,
Altoona, Pennsylvania.
August 7--
1954: Trolley service to Lakemont Park ends.
August 9--
1995: The {Antelope} at Gulliver's World carries its first
trainload of passengers.
August 10--
1816: The {Russian Mountain,} the first slide to use wheeled
sleds, opened in Paris, France.
August 11--
1990: The restored Belmont Park {Giant Dipper} roller
coaster re-opens.
1991: A teenager dies on the ferris wheel at Fantasy Island
in New York.
1992: Knott's Camp Snoopy and {Ripsaw,} designed by Zierer,
open in the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota.
1996: A miniature train de-rails at Old Indiana Fun Park in
Thorntown, Indiana. One woman is killed; other riders
are injured, and the State of Indiana orders the
park's rides closed for up to 90 days for
reinspection.
August 12--
1995: The all-standing Dentzel carousel at Riverside Park in
Logansport, Indiana re-opens in its new building.
August 13--
1991: Lakeside Park, Royersford, Pennsylvania, is auctioned.
August 14--
1987: ACE holds Summercon '87 at Coney Island, Lake
Compounce, Rye Playland, and (defunct) Mountain Park.
August 15--
1843: Tivoli Gardens opens in Copenhagen, Denmark.
1892: Exposition Park opens at Conneaut Lake.
1982: The {LaSalle's Riverboat Adventure} ride at Six Flags
over Texas closes.
1987: The Schwarzkopf {Mindbender} at the West Edmondton
Mall re-opens fourteen months after a fatal accident
and many modifications.
August 16--
1933: A parachutist fell to her death at Idlewild Park,
Ligonier, Pennsylvania, when the balloon she was
riding in collapsed.
1981: An employee at Six Flags Great Adventure is killed
when he falls from {Rolling Thunder} during a morning
test ride.
August 17--
1893: First picnic held at Lakemont Park, Altoona,
Pennsylvania.
1979: Death of John Allen (1907-1979).
August 19--
1925: Fatality on the {Thunderbolt} at Coney Island.
August 21--
1993: Restored car #1 of {Leap the Dips} presented to
Lakemont Park by ACE and PTC.
1996: Death of Bob Moegerle, owner of Playland Park, Akron,
Ohio. Moegerle was 68.
August 23--
1902: Canobie Lake Park (Salem, NH) first opens.
1916: Much of Luna Park, Scranton, Pennsylvania, was
destroyed by fire. Although it was re-built, the park
soon closed.
1988: An employee fell to his death on the {Cyclone} at
Coney Island. Witnesses said that he stood up and
fell during the first drop.
1993: {Canyon Blaster,} designed by Arrow Dynamics, opens at
Grand Slam Canyon.
August 24--
1988: Rocky Glen Park, Moosic, Pennsylvania, is auctioned.
August 25--
1990: ACE celebrates National Coaster Day.
August 26--
1953: The {Flyer} (Joe McKee) opens at the Canadian National
Exposition (CNE). The {Flyer} was demolished in 1992.
1984: Beech Bend Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky closes.
August 27--
1984: A two-day auction of Beech Bend Park begins in Bowling
Green, Kentucky.
August 28--
1990: A tornado tore through Plainfield, Illinois,
destroying the auditorium building from the defunct
Electric Park. It was the last remaining building
from the park, and was being restored. Also lost was
the last surviving Chutes boat from Chicago's
Riverview Park; it had been stored at the Electric
Park site.
August 31--
1910: Glenn Curtiss flies a biplane from Euclid Beach to
Cedar Point and back, setting a new over-water
aviation distance record.
---- September ----
September 2--
1946: Crystal Beach {Cyclone} closes forever. Demolition
began on 9/16/46.
September 3--
1973: Columbia Gardens, Butte, Montana, closes after 74
years of operation.
September 4--
1967: Riverview Park closes.
1978: Ohio's Chippewa Lake Park closes. Portions of the
coaster are still standing.
1989: Crystal Beach Park closes.
September 5--
1977: West View Park closes what turns out to be its last
season.
September 6--
1970: Coney Island (OH) closes. Taft Entertainment
purchased Coney Island, constructed a new park on
higher ground, and moved many of the ride pieces to
the new location, Kings Island. Today, Coney Island
still operates as a small picnic facility.
September 7--
1916: Summit Beach Park Company incorporated.
1933: Death of Dudley Sherman Humphrey II, President of
Euclid Beach Park.
September 8--
1990: Long Point Park, Geneseo, NY, auctioned.
September 9--
1984: The minor collision in the station of two trains on
the {American Eagle} at Great America (Gurnee,
Illinois) sends three riders to a hospital.
September 11--
1887: {Sliding Hill and Roller Tobboggan} opens, Haverhill,
Massachusets.
September 12--
1971: The Palisades Amusement Park, located in Cliffside
Park, New Jersey, closed its gates for the last time
before becoming an apartment complex.
1990: White Swan Park, Coraopolis, PA auctioned.
September 14--
1922: Aloha Amusement Park opens, Waikiki, Hawaii.
September 15--
1968: Last day of operation for the {Cyclone Racer}
(Church/Traver) at The Pike, in Long Beach, CA.
1977: A tornado rips through Fairyland Park in Kansas City,
causing extensive damage. The park never re-opened,
but the {Wildcat} roller coaster survived. It did not
run again until it was relocated to Frontier City
(Oklahoma City) in 1991.
September 16--
1946: Crystal Beach {Cyclone,} designed by Harry Traver, is
demolished. Some parts of the legendary {Cyclone}
were used in the park's {Comet,} which today operates
at The Great Escape.
1985: Roseland Park (Canandaigua, New York) auctioned. The
{Skyliner} roller coaster ended up at Lakemont Park
(Altoona, Pennsylvania) where it still runs today.
September 20--
1964: Steeplechase Park, the last of the great Coney Island
parks, closes.
1994: King's Castle Land Amusement Park (Whitman,
Massachusets) auctioned.
September 21--
1938: A hurricane destroys several New England roller
coasters, including the {Thunderbolt} (Church/Traver,
1925) at Savin Rock (West Haven, CT).
September 22--
1988: Death of George W. Long, owner of Seabreeze Park
(Rochester, New York).
September 24--
1993: Michael Moodenbaugh, owner of Boblo Island, critically
injured in traffic accident.
September 25--
1925: Euclid Beach {Racing Derby} struck by lightning.
1960: Sen. John F. Kennedy and Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson make a
campaign stop at Euclid Beach Park.
1995: Fire destroys a maintenance building at Williams
Grove, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The {Cyclone}
suffered roughly $15,000 damage.
September 26--
1961: Death of Harry G. Traver, influential wood coaster
designer and builder, best known for the {Cyclone}
triplets at Palisades Park, Crystal Beach, and Revere
Beach.
1981: Rides and equipment from Edgewater Park (Detroit,
Michigan) are auctioned.
1984: Hanson's Park, Harvey's Lake, Pennsylvania is
auctioned.
1993: Final operating day for Boblo Island, Amhertsburg, ON.
September 27--
1929: Birth of Curtis D. Summers (1929-1992), influential
wood coaster designer responsible for {Hercules, Texas
Giant, Mean Streak,} and a number of other major wood
coasters of the 1980's and 1990's.
September 28--
1969: Euclid Beach Park closes.
1983: A fire at Dorney Park (Allentown, Pennsylvania)
destroys PTC Carousel #38 and several other rides and
buildings.
September 30--
1952: The movie {This Is Cinerama,} which features footage
of the {Atom Smasher} coaster at Rockaway's Playland,
opens at the Broadway Theatre in New York.
1977: West View Park announces that it is permanently
closed.
1978: The National Amusement Park Historical Association
(NAPHA) is founded.
1993: Investor Larry Benaroya gains control of Boblo Island
in court and officially closes the park.
---- October ----
October 1--
1968: United States Patent #3,403,633, "Amusement Ride",
issued to Anton Schwarzkopf for a ride we know as the
{Bayern Kurve.}
1971: Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom officially opens.
1979: Groundbreaking ceremonies for EPCOT Center at Walt
Disney World.
1982: The Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow,
better known as EPCOT, opens at Walt Disney World.
1994: Elitch Gardens original location closes;
October 2--
1989: Quassy Amusement Park (Middlebury, Connecticut) breaks
up and auctions its 1902 E. Joy Morris carousel.
1991: Death of Arnold Gurtler, Chairman of the Board for
Elitch Gardens.
October 3--
1973: West View Park Danceland destroyed by fire.
October 4--
1935: Luna Park (Sydney, Australia) opens.
October 5--
1988: Noble Park Funland, Paducah, Kentucky, is auctioned.
The Pinfari Zyklon coaster ended up at Americana
Amusement Park in Middletown, Ohio.
October 7--
1991: Groundbreaking for the MGM Grand Hotel and Theme Park
in Las Vegas, Nevada.
October 8--
1992: The rides at Conneaut Lake Park are auctioned. A
group of local investors is able to purchase most of
the rides to keep them at the park.
October 11--
1984: Dispensa's Kiddie Kingdom, Oakbrook Illinois is
auctioned.
October 12--
1990: ACE holds the 1990 Fall Conference at Belmont Park in
San Diego, California, and at Magic Mountain in
Valencia, California.
October 15--
1990: PTC carousel #18, previously at Roseland Park, reopens
in its new home in the Carousel Center Mall, Syracuse,
New York.
October 16--
1982: Olympic Park, Rochester, New York, is auctioned.
October 17--
1983: One person is killed and two others are injured when a
tub breaks free from an Enterprise ride and falls to
the ground at the Texas State Fair in Dallas.
1986: Vice-President George Bush visits Boyertown, USA (now
Lakemont Park), Altoona, Pennsylvania.
1989: The rides from Crystal Beach Amusement Park are
auctioned. The {Comet} roller coaster eventually
ended up at the Great Escape Fun Park, in Lake George,
New York.
October 18--
1983: Paradise Lake Amusement Park, near Middlebourne, Ohio,
is auctioned.
October 19--
1991: Enchanted Forest, Chesterton, Indiana, is auctioned.
October 20--
1984: A two-day auction begins to sell off Idora Park,
Youngstown, Ohio.
October 21--
1979: Walt Disney World (Lake Buena Vista, Florida) greets
its 100-millionth guest.
October 23--
1863: Birth of Theodore Marshall (T. M.) Harton, early
coaster builder and founder of West View Park.
1894: Euclid Beach Park Co. incorporated.
1982: Holiday Beach, Douglas, Georgia is auctioned.
October 26--
1985: Playland Park (Wasaga Beach, Ontario) is auctioned.
October 28--
1981: Rides from Rocky Springs Amusement Park (Lancaster,
Pennsylvania) are auctioned.
October 30--
1893: The World's Columbian Exposition officially closes in
Chicago, Illinois.
October 31--
1878: Birth of Fred Church, influential coaster
1934: Chicago's {Century of Progress} exposition closes.
---- November ----
November 1--
1989: Vollmar's Park (Bowling Green, Ohio) auctions off its
rides. The park continues to operate as a picnic
park, with rides brought in by a concessionaire.
November 3--
1920: Construction begins on the {Pippin} roller coaster at
Riverview Park (Chicago, Illinois).
November 4--
1988: ACE holds its first Fall Conference at the West
Edmonton Mall.
November 6--
1990: A large portion of the backlot at Universal Studios
Hollywood is destroyed by fire.
1991: Fantasy Farm Amusement Park (Middletown, Ohio) is
auctioned.
November 7--
1899: Riverview Park...later known as Fox River Park...opens
in Aurora, Illinois.
November 10--
1978: Worlds of Fun (Kansas City, Missouri) unveils plans
for the {Timber Wolf} wooden coaster.
November 12--
1994: Fire at (closed) Rocky Glen Park seriously damages
{Comet} (Allen, 1959) coaster.
November 15--
1932: Summit Beach Park Company goes out of business after
being ordered into receivership.
1980: {Big Thunder Mountain Railroad} opens at Walt Disney
World's Magic Kingdom.
November 19--
1867: United States Patent #70,985, "Rotary Swing," granted
to Isaac N. Forrester. This is the earliest patent
for a vertical pleasure wheel (Ferris wheel).
November 22--
1896: George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr., engineer and
businessman responsible for building the Ferris Wheel
at the World's Columbian Exposition, dies at the age
of 37.
November 25--
1877: Birth of Harry G. Traver (1877-1961),
November 26--
1985: The {Castle Garden} dance hall at Dorney Park
(Allentown, Pennsylvania) burns in a fire.
November 27--
1982: Funtown Amusement Park, Chicago, Illinois, is
auctioned.
1991: Tom Rebbie becomes the head of the Philadelphia
Toboggan Company, which becomes Philadelphia Toboggan
Coasters, Inc. Tom Rebbie first joined PTC in 1977;
PTC was established in 1904.
November 29--
1988: Lincoln Park, North Dartmouth, Massachusets, is
auctioned.
1992: Death of Randall Duell, park designer responsible for
layout of Six Flags over Texas, Six Flags over
Georgia, Astroworld, Darien Lake, and others.
---- December ----
December 1--
1967: Riverview Park rides auctioned off.
December 3--
1995: Frank J. Sauzer, Jr., owner of (defunct) Sauzer's
Kiddieland dies, one day before the dismantling of the
park's {Galaxie} was complete.
1981: Death of Walter Knott, founder of Knott's Berry Farm,
at the age of 91.
December 4--
1939: $3,000 awarded in settlement to the estate of Amos
Weidrich, who was killed by the Crystal Beach
{Cyclone} on 5/30/1938.
4972: Birth of Jim Serio, Webmaster of the {World of
Coasters}
December 6--
1980: ACE No Coaster Conference I ("Coaster Con 3-1/2").
1986: Twin Lakes Amusement Park, Paris, Illinois, was
auctioned.
December 7--
1994: Rocky Glen {Comet}, designed by John Allen in 1959, is
demolished.
December 9--
1975: Coney Island {Tornado} destroyed by fire.
December 10--
1919: Traver Engineering Company opens in Beaver Falls, PA.
December 12--
1981: Moxahala Amusement Park, Zanesville, Ohio, is
auctioned.
1984: PTC carousel #12, from Crystal Beach, Ontario, is
auctioned in pieces.
December 13--
1912: Luna Park, Melbourne, Australia, opens on the site of
the failed Dreamland Park.
1977: Another fire guts the adjacent haunted house and the
station structure of the already-damaged {Tornado} at
Coney Island.
December 14--
1981: Dreamworld, Gold Coast, Australia, opens.
1985: The carousel from Paragon Park, Hull, Massachusets, is
bought at auction by a group of local businessmen for
$598,800.
December 16--
1966: Death of Walt Disney.
1987: Severe weather forces a rare, unscheduled closure of
three southern California parks: Knott's Berry Farm,
Disneyland, and Universal Studios.
1991: Fire destroys the Fun House at Blackpool Pleasure
Beach in England.
December 17--
1963: United States Patent #3,114,332, "Bobsled Amusement
Ride," issued to Karl Bacon and Edgar Morgan and
assigned to Walt Disney Productions. The vehicle
described in this patent is the standard Arrow Runaway
Train, still used for all Arrow non-looping
non-suspended coasters.
1990: Death of Bill Cobb (1917-1990), designer of several
major wooden coasters of the 1970's-1980's.
1993: {La Montana Rusa,} designed by NAD, re-opens as
{Serpiente de Fuego,} designed by NAD & CCI, at Bosque
de Chapultpec which re-opens as La Feria.
December 19--
1993: The controversial Splendid China Park opens in
Kissimmee, Florida.
December 20--
1971: Death of Roy E. Disney.
December 25--
1985: {Cannonball Run,} a Galaxie coaster, opens as the
largest roller coaster in New Zealand.
1989: Esselworld, Gorai Island, India opens.
December 26--
1978: Carol Florez, 5'3" tall and weighing 253 pounds, is
fatally ejected from the third drop of the {Colossus}
racing coaster at Magic Mountain, Valencia,
California.
December 27--
1971: Former Euclid Beach Suprise House burned.
1973: Death of Irving Rosenthal, last owner of Palisades
Park (Fort Lee, New Jersey).
December 28--
1993: Patent #5,272,984, "Amusement Ride of the Roller
Coaster Type", granted to Walter Bolliger & Claude
Mabillard for the inverted coaster design.
December 31--
1989: Two carousel horses are stolen from Idlewild Park,
Ligonier, Pennsylvania. The horses were later
recovered.
======================================================================
Send additions or corrections to Dave Althoff, Jr.
(dalt...@capital.edu or dal...@freenet.columbus.oh.us)
An HTML version is available on the World Wide Web at Jim
Serio's World of Coasters (http://www.rollercoaster.com); the URL is
http://shipofools.lit.cwru.edu/woc/almanac.html
Copr. 1997, Dave Althoff, Jr.
HTML version copr. 1996, World of Coasters.
--
/-\ Celebrating the International Year of the Roller Coaster
/XXX\ /X\ /X\_ _ /XX\_ _ _ _____
/XXXXX\ /XXX\ _/XXXX\_ /X\ /XXXXX\ /X\ /X\ /XXXXX
_/XXXXXXX\__/XXXXX\/XXXXXXXX\_/XXX\_/XXXXXXX\__/XXX\_/XXX\_/\_/XXXXXX
Dave Althoff
Forgot to mention...
The Almanac is *huge* now. I do want to repost it on a regular basis, but
for everyone's convenience, I will break it up. At the moment I am
considering the following schedule:
Late January: Post the February almanac
Late February: Post the March almanac
Late March: Post the April almanac
Late April: Post the May almanac
Late May: Post the *entire* Almanac
Late June: Post the July almanac
Late July: Post the August almanac
Late August: Post the September almanac
Late September: Post the *entire* Almanac
Late November: Post the December almanac
Late December: Post the January almanac
Early January: Post the *entire* Almanac
Of course, you can look up the 'Web version anytime at the World of
Coasters (though I understand that the www.rollercoaster.com server is
presently down, so use the shipofools.lit.cwru.edu/woc mirror instead), or
email me for a copy.
Any comments welcome!
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
jeff...@sprynet.com
Hello.
I like your almanac, but I'm a bit surprised you didn't include the following
tidbits:
1870 - Cedar Point, eventually to become the park witm more roller coasters
than any other park in the world, opens for the first time as a beer garden on
the beaches of Lake Erie.
1970 - Cedar Point celebrates 100 years with the opening of the Centennial
Theater.
1880 - Cedar Point's first ride, a water trapeze, was installed.
1976 - The world's first triple looping coaster, The Corkscrew, opens, leading
the way to a whole new generation of looping coasters.
1913 - Football legend Knute Rockne develops and perfects the forward pass
while working as a lifeguard on the beaches of Cedar Point.
1892 - Cedar Point's first roller coaster, the Switchback Railway, debuts.
In case you can't tell, I'm quite the Cedar Point fan, which could be
attributed to these events:
1970 - At age 3, my first visit to Cedar Point occurred, marking a continuing
streak which has now reached 27 straight seasons.
June 1985 - I make my first guess at the Frontier Town Guessing Game, marking
the first of 4 summers featuring me on the microphone. (A picture is available
at http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/jeffharp -- visit the "Sound Bytes" link.
Also featured in the picture is Violet Severkoski.)
October 1990 - I made my last guess at the Troika Guessing Game, followed by a
new career as an electrical engineer.
If there is anything else you'd like to know, just tell me! I'm glad to help.
(Unfortunately, I'm not very good at dates. I remember the years, but exact
dates tend to escape me.)
Dave Althoff
jeff...@sprynet.com wrote:
: I like your almanac, but I'm a bit surprised you didn't include the following
: tidbits:
(list of Cedar Point special years snipped)
: If there is anything else you'd like to know, just tell me! I'm glad to help.
: (Unfortunately, I'm not very good at dates. I remember the years, but exact
: dates tend to escape me.)
Well, to tell the truth, I am aware of most of the events you list, apart
from the ones in your personal timeline (btw: *my* first CP visit was ca.
1973, and I've been there every year since, but I was born in 1970...).
But you've stumbled upon the precise problem. It is easy to say that
something happened in a particular year, but the Almanac is intended to
give exact dates...it isn't a historical timeline, but rather a "today in
history" kind of list. There really isn't a provision for a "sometime
this year" or "sometime this month" kind of entry...it wouldn't fit the
format, and it wouldn't fit with the custom database system I am now using to
keep track of the Almanac.
Now, if there is someone who is really bored who wants to dig up the 1870
issues of the Sandusky Register and find out when Louis Zistel first
started running the {Young Reindeer} over to his bathhouse and beer
garden, I'd be more than happy to add the date to the list. Likewise, any
birthdays of designers, park owners...opening dates for coasters and the
like...The only firm rule I have is that I need a particular date.
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
Maintainer, Roller Coaster Almanac
Brian A. Plencner
On 17 Jan 1997 23:52:34 -0500, dal...@freenet.columbus.oh.us (Dave
Althoff) wrote:
>
>I've just finished making big changes to the way I handle the Roller
>Coaster Almanac, and I just generated a new text version. There are now
>more than 500 entries, and the text version is now about 59k. As usual,
>if you have anything to add, let me know! Oh, I already have the entry
>for Helen Hunt's birthday, but it isn't entered yet 8-)
' snip' to the part in question
>May 23--
> 1981: American Eagle opens at Great America in
> 1986: Lakemont Park (Altoona, Pennsylvania) re-opens as
> Boyertown, USA.
Just a question for you Dave...what happend to the rest of the entry
for may 23rd. I knoticed that you have what is posted above....I knew
at one point it said "American Eagle opens at Great America in Gurnee,
Illinois". I am guessing that the text was to long, and it did not
wrap to the next line correclty. Just thought I would point that out
to you!
--Brian
Dana & Dooley Schwartz
August 16, 1969 (Saturday): Dana Belmonte, age 16, receives her
first kiss on the lawn of the Breakers Hotel in Cedar Point, from a
boy named Jack from Livonia, MI, after spending the day with him
riding Blue Streak. Dooley Schwartz (age 17) was wallowing in the mud
at Woodstock. They would not meet and become a couple for 2 1/2
years, but once they did and eventually discussed their whereabouts on
that fateful weekend, it was agreed that Dana had experienced the more
enjoyable, if less historic, event. Today they spend their spare time
as roller coaster groupies, and avoid like the plague rock concerts in
large, outdoor venues. (Did Jupiter EVER align with Mars? ;-)
(We'll understand, Dave, if you don't think that the above is worthy
of inclusion in the Almanac :-)
Dana Schwartz
doo...@ix.netcom.com
Dave Althoff
Brian A. Plencner (bple...@lnd.com) wrote:
: ' snip' to the part in question
: >May 23--
: > 1981: American Eagle opens at Great America in
: > 1986: Lakemont Park (Altoona, Pennsylvania) re-opens as
: > Boyertown, USA.
: Just a question for you Dave...what happend to the rest of the entry
: for may 23rd. I knoticed that you have what is posted above....I knew
: at one point it said "American Eagle opens at Great America in Gurnee,
: Illinois". I am guessing that the text was to long, and it did not
: wrap to the next line correclty. Just thought I would point that out
: to you!
(I already mailed my response to Brian, but think this might be of general
interest...)
Thanks, Brian!
I did indeed make very big changes to the way I handle the Almanac.
Previously, it was a huge HTML file, which was getting too big to easily
handle with my computer. So I developed a data-heap format, and ran a
whole slew of automated conversion routines to convert the HTML into
tagged text...incidentally, that is why there are all of those strange
characters in the text...the "data-->text" routine reads the emphasis
codes and translates them into printable characters, so, for instance,
where the text version says "{Raptor}", for instance, the HTML version
would say "<it>Raptor</it>". All generated from the same raw file.
The trouble is, while both the text version and the current data heap were
generated by some neat-o data handling routines, the original HTML file
was generated by Jim Serio and edited by me...by hand. So inconsistencies
in the way the original entries were written caused a certain amount of
trouble. Notably the cut-off entry Brian mentioned, and a couple of other
oddball things.
The next step in this process for me is to get my Almanac Editor written.
I just started on it last night, and with any luck I should have it
functional if not complete sometime this week or next. And I already have
a bunch of new entries to add, so I'd better get cracking on the editor.
I think I sense a "]" prompt calling me...
(and some of you, I know, will recognize that prompt, and can even tell
what language I am using on what family of computer... 8-) )
]Dave Althoff, ][.