by CarterB
There were dozens of 'trolley parks' in the Midwest also.
Some that come to mind:
Broad Ripple Park and the State Fairgrounds - Indianapolis
Homer Park Homer, IL - IllTraction.
State Fairgrounds - Kiddyland - Birmingham AL - Birmingham Electric
I believe there were several also in Colorado.
Here is a good reference article:
http://www.quassy.com/about_press_detail.asp?id=33
Quassy Amusement Park A Survivor Among ‘Trolley Parks’
12/6/2002
MIDDLEBURY, Conn. – They were referred to as “trolley parks” during their heyday nearly a century ago. The entire family, along with a picnic basket packed with goodies for the day, would hop aboard an electrically-driven trolley and leisurely ride the rails to the outskirts of town for an enjoyable day at the park – the “trolley park.”
There were more than 1,000 of these parks in the United States prior to The Great Depression of 1929. Some were simply a picnic grove with an athletic field and swimming area.
Others were full-fledged amusement parks with a variety of rides, games, dance halls and roller skating rinks. The rail companies built many of the parks themselves, usually at one end of a rail line, to generate passenger traffic on the weekends.
Today there are only 11 “trolley parks” still operating in the nation and Quassy Amusement Park on Lake Quassapaug here is one of them.
Some that come to mind:
Broad Ripple Park and the State Fairgrounds - Indianapolis
Homer Park Homer, IL - IllTraction.
State Fairgrounds - Kiddyland - Birmingham AL - Birmingham Electric
I believe there were several also in Colorado.
Here is a good reference article:
http://www.quassy.com/about_press_detail.asp?id=33
Quassy Amusement Park A Survivor Among ‘Trolley Parks’
12/6/2002
MIDDLEBURY, Conn. – They were referred to as “trolley parks” during their heyday nearly a century ago. The entire family, along with a picnic basket packed with goodies for the day, would hop aboard an electrically-driven trolley and leisurely ride the rails to the outskirts of town for an enjoyable day at the park – the “trolley park.”
There were more than 1,000 of these parks in the United States prior to The Great Depression of 1929. Some were simply a picnic grove with an athletic field and swimming area.
Others were full-fledged amusement parks with a variety of rides, games, dance halls and roller skating rinks. The rail companies built many of the parks themselves, usually at one end of a rail line, to generate passenger traffic on the weekends.
Today there are only 11 “trolley parks” still operating in the nation and Quassy Amusement Park on Lake Quassapaug here is one of them.
Bring back the Slumbercoaches!!