Photo courtesy of Wikipedia. Main sign up front of a well known amusement park at the time. This was taken in 2003 the year before it was donated to a museum and it is stored away in a warehouse. There are no photograph of the rink! All other photographs are hundreds of amusement park rides and most of all the famous Wacky Shack dark ride that was a prototype by a famed designer and it was his last project before his death. Unfortunately, due to vandalism, many buildings were destroyed by teens. Some were by arson including on the famous dark ride. Real sad. Photo looked recent but with those vehicles, really aged!
Joyland's Roller Rink 2801 Hillside St. S., Wichita, KS
Joyland Amusement Park 2801 Hillside St. S., Wichita, KS
Joyland Amusement Park 2801 Hillside St. S., Wichita, KS
This legendary amusement park and roller rink were found at 2801 South Hillside Street, Wichita, Kansas. The Joyland Amusement Park had a long history and had the skating rink included. It was in continuous operation for 55 years, from June 12, 1949 to 2004, closing permanently in 2006. The rink was called Joyland Roller Rink.
but this was not the beginning of the family's amusement park endeavors. Prior to opening Joyland, Herb operated a small park called Playland in Planeview, Kansas in the late 1930s to the early 1940s.
Playland was small and featured only a few rides, including a Tilt-A-Whirl, a Ferris wheel, and a merry-go-round. During this time, Herb had also built a miniature steam train. A few years after Playand opened, Lester Ottaway purchased some land in Wichita were he would run the steam engine. Located on Central, on the south side of the street and east of where the Yard Store stands today, this would become the first location for Joyland.
The history goes back before the rink began and fundamentally you need background history -- The park was founded by Lester Ottaway and his two sons Herbert and Harold for the home for their a miniature 12-inch (300 mm) gauge steam locomotive that Herb Ottaway had purchased in Fort Scott, in 1933. That train was part of another defunct amusement park. The train was originally built by the Miniature Railway Company of Elgin, Illinois, between 1905 and 1910.
The current location of the park came into existence on June 12, 1949, primarily to give Harold’s miniature locomotive a permanent home in Kansas. It was originally located at 1515 East Central in Wichita (between New York and Mathewson Streets) but soon moved to its current location at 2801 South Hillside Street.
After Lester Ottaway’s death in the mid-1950s, his three sons, Herbert, Harold and Eddie, continued operated it as a family operation.
By early 1970s, The Ottaway brothers retired from the amusement park business and sold the park to Stanley and Margaret Nelson. Stanley died on July 13, 2010, at the age of 87. He and Margaret were the driving force behind the park for over 30 years and a large percentage of its current rides, including the Bill Tracy-designed prototype Whacky Shack dark ride, added in 1974, come from the Nelsons' time as owners. Joyland Amusement Park was the park for the first Whacky Shack dark ride that other parks have today or had them.
This classic two-story Whacky Shack dark ride was the last known project of Tracy's, as he passed away in August 1974, just a few months after its completion. (Likely he saw it before his death). In addition, the original miniature train retired with the Ottaways and was replaced with the first-ever C. P. Huntington miniature train built by Chance Rides. It carries serial number 1 from the factory. Once again, this park had many firsts for rides and clearly was a leading park for all amusement parks. Disney and Universal does the same with many firsts and other amusement parks have their firsts such as Darien Lake and The Dark Continent in Virginia (now called Busch Gardens) has their firsts of a kind for rides especially roller coasters at those two places (ie- The Viper and the Loch Ness Monster steel roller coasters respectively, their loops and inversions were first of kinds.
Due to economic troubles and safety concerns the park had to close for the 2004 season. Interest in it sparked again in 2006 when a Seattle-based company, T-Rex Group, leased it to restore and open portions of it. After financial concerns, they did not open it for another season. Since then, it stood empty, unkept, and deteriorated. Since its closing in 2004, it has been subjected to numerous incidents of vandalism and looting. Nearly every building is covered with graffiti, and the vintage sign from the top of the roller coaster was stolen in 2009. The administration offices have also been destroyed.
In 2006 many renovations took place at the park, of which were focused more on its aesthetics than actual ride safety. The roller coaster had $10,000 worth of wood repairs done and was renamed "The Nightmare". The Log Jam, the only water ride, had pumps replaced and systems checked. The noticeable difference to the park after the 2006 restoration was the baby blue and pink paint that covers it. The Restore Hope organization got involved to regain support to rebuild it with an emphasis on a community effort and involvement in the restoration process. The plan was to restore it within the next few years and begin a five step expansion process to help it grow and become an integral part of the Wichita community.
In May 2014, it was announced that Joyland owner Margaret Nelson Spear donated the carousel to the Botanica in Wichita, and it was restored, it was open to the public on November 28, 2019.
In the middle of June 2014, the iconic parking lot sign and marquee was sold to the Historic Preservation Alliance of Wichita and Sedgwick County. It was dismantled, removed for local storage, and eventual restoration
On August 8, 2018, the Whacky Shack dark ride, one of the few remaining intact structures in the park and once among its most popular rides, was destroyed by fire.
In early November 2018, the 57 acres formerly comprising the site were purchased at auction by an anonymous buyer for $198,000. In 2018, the 57-acre site was put up for auction and immediately bought for $198,000 in November of that year. The new owners, Gregory and Tina Dunnegan, already run a business hiring out tents and marquees for weddings. They hope to use the Joyland site to build a permanent outdoor venue for events, but first, they need to thoroughly clean and renovate the area. a wooded part on the southern side of the former park will be opened as a paintball shooting range.
The Organ --
The park had a Mammoth Military Band Organ, also known as a Wurlitzer Style #160, which was the largest of Wurlitzer’s early models. It was built around 1905 by the DeKleist Musical Instrument Works and was sold by the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company. It contained 486 wood and brass pipes and used two perforated paper music rolls, producing the effect of a military brass band of 20 to 25 musicians. This particular model was designed primarily for the roller rink industry. In 1915, it was taken back to the Wurlitzer factory and modified into a Wurlitzer Style 165. It was sold to W.P. Brown of Coffeyville, who owned and operated the Silurian Springs Bath House, which also featured a roller rink, for which the organ provided music for several years. In the 1930s it went into storage; it was heavily water damaged, and some of its brass parts were later stripped off during World War II scrap metal drives. In 1948, Jess Gibbs of Parsons, purchased it and began the painstaking work of restoration. In 1950 he sold the restored instrument to the Ottaway family, who installed it in the park. They added Louie, an automated/animatronic clown who sat before the keyboard and "played" it. Louie and the Mighty Wurlitzer had been a fixture there ever since, creating a sound that resonated through the entire park. It was one of only two mammoth model organs still in existence and, until the park closed, was the only one in public view. Its current whereabouts and conditions are unknown.
In 1950, just a year after the park opened, Louie the Clown made his first appearance as the organist playing the Wurlitzer.
Louie the Clown was eventually found 10 years later that a former employee of the park stole it. That employee was arrested, charged, and had a trial but I do not know what happened after that. When the park closed, Louie the Clown was nowhere to be found. Officially reported stolen in 2010, the clown, valued at $10,000, was found in 2015 in the home of Damian Mayes, a former employee who had maintained Louie and the Wurlitzer organ.
Mayes pleaded no contest in the case in October of 2016, though he was already serving a sentence for unrelated charges. According to the Wichita Police Department's Sgt. Nikki Woodrow, Louie was returned to the Nelsons.
Mayes was also involved in a civil suit in February of 2016 pertaining to the Wurlitzer organ, which he had agreed to purchase from Margaret Nelson-Spear years before.
Nelson-Spear filed the suit after Mayes failed to pay her the remaining balance he owed on the organ, demanding that he pay her the $9,000 sum or that he allow her to repossess the organ. Further details on the case have yet to be released.
The clowns at the Wichita police station and the Wurlitzer was sold for 4 million dollars to a museum
Finally, about the rink!
Together, Jerry Ottaway and Stanley Nelson built Joyland's Roller Rink in 1968 with the cost of 100,000 USD. They later purchased the roller rink on West Street, located on the south side of what is now called Carousel Skate Center, which Jerry built later. "In 1973, Jerry [Ottaway] wanted to pursue the roller rink business, so he sold out [his part of the park] to my dad," Nelson said.
They opened the rink in July of that year of 1968. The skating floor at the roller rink actually came from the skating rink at Wichita’s Kiddieland that had closed earlier that same year (remember, Kiddieland was not the same as Joyland’s downtown location, Joyland Central).
The rink was 75 feet x 175 feet. It was brightly colored and held 600 skaters.
The Interior.
The rink was 75' x 175'. It was brightly colored and held 600 skaters.
The Exterior.
N/A.
The Stats:
Rink Size: 75' x 175'. Floor: Wood. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: 13,600 SF. Built: 1968 (rink). Demolished: N/A.
Type of Building: N/A.
Roof: N/A.
Acres: 57 Acres.
Operated: (Overall)-- See below-
Joyland's Roller Rink: July 1968 to N/A.
Joyland Amusement Park: 1949 to 2004, reopened 2006 to 2006.
Reason for Closure:
Joyland Amusement Park: The Nelsons who owned leased to TRex Corp who could not handle bookkeeping and losing money, poor care of park that caused less attendances. Due to economic troubles and safety concerns the park had to close for the 2004 season. Bankrupted. Nelsons bought it back. Another attempted after leasing from the Nelsons, same problems. Then closed. Attempted to start again 2 years after closure, failed and because of vandalism destroying buildings such as arsons, graffiti, and destruction by looters/trespassers.
Joyland's Roller Rink:
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: Loop Net - entire park; Wikipedia - Joyland Amusement Park; Botanica - Carousel;
KSN - vandalism; Kansas.com - fire destroyed ride and auction and finding Louie the Clown (not kidding!);
Lawrence Journal-World - Apr 30, 2004 (page 9) - Teenage girl injured in 30 feet fall, start of decline of park.
Abandoned Places - Joyland Amusement Park; 360 Witchita - Joyland Amusement Park and about Joyland's Roller Rink; Abandoned Carousel - Part one; Abandoned Carousel Part two; Facebook - Joyland group;
Date of issue: 11 February 2021.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:16.
but this was not the beginning of the family's amusement park endeavors. Prior to opening Joyland, Herb operated a small park called Playland in Planeview, Kansas in the late 1930s to the early 1940s.
Playland was small and featured only a few rides, including a Tilt-A-Whirl, a Ferris wheel, and a merry-go-round. During this time, Herb had also built a miniature steam train. A few years after Playand opened, Lester Ottaway purchased some land in Wichita were he would run the steam engine. Located on Central, on the south side of the street and east of where the Yard Store stands today, this would become the first location for Joyland.
The history goes back before the rink began and fundamentally you need background history -- The park was founded by Lester Ottaway and his two sons Herbert and Harold for the home for their a miniature 12-inch (300 mm) gauge steam locomotive that Herb Ottaway had purchased in Fort Scott, in 1933. That train was part of another defunct amusement park. The train was originally built by the Miniature Railway Company of Elgin, Illinois, between 1905 and 1910.
The current location of the park came into existence on June 12, 1949, primarily to give Harold’s miniature locomotive a permanent home in Kansas. It was originally located at 1515 East Central in Wichita (between New York and Mathewson Streets) but soon moved to its current location at 2801 South Hillside Street.
After Lester Ottaway’s death in the mid-1950s, his three sons, Herbert, Harold and Eddie, continued operated it as a family operation.
By early 1970s, The Ottaway brothers retired from the amusement park business and sold the park to Stanley and Margaret Nelson. Stanley died on July 13, 2010, at the age of 87. He and Margaret were the driving force behind the park for over 30 years and a large percentage of its current rides, including the Bill Tracy-designed prototype Whacky Shack dark ride, added in 1974, come from the Nelsons' time as owners. Joyland Amusement Park was the park for the first Whacky Shack dark ride that other parks have today or had them.
This classic two-story Whacky Shack dark ride was the last known project of Tracy's, as he passed away in August 1974, just a few months after its completion. (Likely he saw it before his death). In addition, the original miniature train retired with the Ottaways and was replaced with the first-ever C. P. Huntington miniature train built by Chance Rides. It carries serial number 1 from the factory. Once again, this park had many firsts for rides and clearly was a leading park for all amusement parks. Disney and Universal does the same with many firsts and other amusement parks have their firsts such as Darien Lake and The Dark Continent in Virginia (now called Busch Gardens) has their firsts of a kind for rides especially roller coasters at those two places (ie- The Viper and the Loch Ness Monster steel roller coasters respectively, their loops and inversions were first of kinds.
Due to economic troubles and safety concerns the park had to close for the 2004 season. Interest in it sparked again in 2006 when a Seattle-based company, T-Rex Group, leased it to restore and open portions of it. After financial concerns, they did not open it for another season. Since then, it stood empty, unkept, and deteriorated. Since its closing in 2004, it has been subjected to numerous incidents of vandalism and looting. Nearly every building is covered with graffiti, and the vintage sign from the top of the roller coaster was stolen in 2009. The administration offices have also been destroyed.
In 2006 many renovations took place at the park, of which were focused more on its aesthetics than actual ride safety. The roller coaster had $10,000 worth of wood repairs done and was renamed "The Nightmare". The Log Jam, the only water ride, had pumps replaced and systems checked. The noticeable difference to the park after the 2006 restoration was the baby blue and pink paint that covers it. The Restore Hope organization got involved to regain support to rebuild it with an emphasis on a community effort and involvement in the restoration process. The plan was to restore it within the next few years and begin a five step expansion process to help it grow and become an integral part of the Wichita community.
In May 2014, it was announced that Joyland owner Margaret Nelson Spear donated the carousel to the Botanica in Wichita, and it was restored, it was open to the public on November 28, 2019.
In the middle of June 2014, the iconic parking lot sign and marquee was sold to the Historic Preservation Alliance of Wichita and Sedgwick County. It was dismantled, removed for local storage, and eventual restoration
On August 8, 2018, the Whacky Shack dark ride, one of the few remaining intact structures in the park and once among its most popular rides, was destroyed by fire.
In early November 2018, the 57 acres formerly comprising the site were purchased at auction by an anonymous buyer for $198,000. In 2018, the 57-acre site was put up for auction and immediately bought for $198,000 in November of that year. The new owners, Gregory and Tina Dunnegan, already run a business hiring out tents and marquees for weddings. They hope to use the Joyland site to build a permanent outdoor venue for events, but first, they need to thoroughly clean and renovate the area. a wooded part on the southern side of the former park will be opened as a paintball shooting range.
The Organ --
The park had a Mammoth Military Band Organ, also known as a Wurlitzer Style #160, which was the largest of Wurlitzer’s early models. It was built around 1905 by the DeKleist Musical Instrument Works and was sold by the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company. It contained 486 wood and brass pipes and used two perforated paper music rolls, producing the effect of a military brass band of 20 to 25 musicians. This particular model was designed primarily for the roller rink industry. In 1915, it was taken back to the Wurlitzer factory and modified into a Wurlitzer Style 165. It was sold to W.P. Brown of Coffeyville, who owned and operated the Silurian Springs Bath House, which also featured a roller rink, for which the organ provided music for several years. In the 1930s it went into storage; it was heavily water damaged, and some of its brass parts were later stripped off during World War II scrap metal drives. In 1948, Jess Gibbs of Parsons, purchased it and began the painstaking work of restoration. In 1950 he sold the restored instrument to the Ottaway family, who installed it in the park. They added Louie, an automated/animatronic clown who sat before the keyboard and "played" it. Louie and the Mighty Wurlitzer had been a fixture there ever since, creating a sound that resonated through the entire park. It was one of only two mammoth model organs still in existence and, until the park closed, was the only one in public view. Its current whereabouts and conditions are unknown.
In 1950, just a year after the park opened, Louie the Clown made his first appearance as the organist playing the Wurlitzer.
Louie the Clown was eventually found 10 years later that a former employee of the park stole it. That employee was arrested, charged, and had a trial but I do not know what happened after that. When the park closed, Louie the Clown was nowhere to be found. Officially reported stolen in 2010, the clown, valued at $10,000, was found in 2015 in the home of Damian Mayes, a former employee who had maintained Louie and the Wurlitzer organ.
Mayes pleaded no contest in the case in October of 2016, though he was already serving a sentence for unrelated charges. According to the Wichita Police Department's Sgt. Nikki Woodrow, Louie was returned to the Nelsons.
Mayes was also involved in a civil suit in February of 2016 pertaining to the Wurlitzer organ, which he had agreed to purchase from Margaret Nelson-Spear years before.
Nelson-Spear filed the suit after Mayes failed to pay her the remaining balance he owed on the organ, demanding that he pay her the $9,000 sum or that he allow her to repossess the organ. Further details on the case have yet to be released.
The clowns at the Wichita police station and the Wurlitzer was sold for 4 million dollars to a museum
Finally, about the rink!
Together, Jerry Ottaway and Stanley Nelson built Joyland's Roller Rink in 1968 with the cost of 100,000 USD. They later purchased the roller rink on West Street, located on the south side of what is now called Carousel Skate Center, which Jerry built later. "In 1973, Jerry [Ottaway] wanted to pursue the roller rink business, so he sold out [his part of the park] to my dad," Nelson said.
They opened the rink in July of that year of 1968. The skating floor at the roller rink actually came from the skating rink at Wichita’s Kiddieland that had closed earlier that same year (remember, Kiddieland was not the same as Joyland’s downtown location, Joyland Central).
The rink was 75 feet x 175 feet. It was brightly colored and held 600 skaters.
The Interior.
The rink was 75' x 175'. It was brightly colored and held 600 skaters.
The Exterior.
N/A.
The Stats:
Rink Size: 75' x 175'. Floor: Wood. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: 13,600 SF. Built: 1968 (rink). Demolished: N/A.
Type of Building: N/A.
Roof: N/A.
Acres: 57 Acres.
Operated: (Overall)-- See below-
Joyland's Roller Rink: July 1968 to N/A.
Joyland Amusement Park: 1949 to 2004, reopened 2006 to 2006.
Reason for Closure:
Joyland Amusement Park: The Nelsons who owned leased to TRex Corp who could not handle bookkeeping and losing money, poor care of park that caused less attendances. Due to economic troubles and safety concerns the park had to close for the 2004 season. Bankrupted. Nelsons bought it back. Another attempted after leasing from the Nelsons, same problems. Then closed. Attempted to start again 2 years after closure, failed and because of vandalism destroying buildings such as arsons, graffiti, and destruction by looters/trespassers.
Joyland's Roller Rink:
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: Loop Net - entire park; Wikipedia - Joyland Amusement Park; Botanica - Carousel;
KSN - vandalism; Kansas.com - fire destroyed ride and auction and finding Louie the Clown (not kidding!);
Lawrence Journal-World - Apr 30, 2004 (page 9) - Teenage girl injured in 30 feet fall, start of decline of park.
Abandoned Places - Joyland Amusement Park; 360 Witchita - Joyland Amusement Park and about Joyland's Roller Rink; Abandoned Carousel - Part one; Abandoned Carousel Part two; Facebook - Joyland group;
Date of issue: 11 February 2021.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:16.