Historic Louisville. This old postcard that showed the entire grounds of the amusement park. Good thing they focused closer to the roller rink. You can see the sign says, "Roller Rink." toward the right bottom corner of the post card. That was the front of the park. The main entrance is in middle. The rink is to the right of the admission booths.
White City Amusement Park Roller Rink Greenwood Avenue, Louisville, KY
Riverview Park Greenwood Avenue, Louisville, KY
Riverview Park Greenwood Avenue, Louisville, KY
This roller rink, White City Amusement Park Roller Rink was in White City Amusement Park, one of hundreds or even thousands of Trolley/Ferry Parks around the country. However, this was truly an Amusement Park rather than a Trolley/Ferry Park even the name of the park. But typically a Trolley/Ferry Park usually has a rail or docks respectively at the end of the run. For example, trolleys had tracks that ran toward the very end of the line and that was where the park was.
Trolley/Ferry Parks are also different than Amusement Park with this: Trolley Parks are more recreational than an amusement. Amusement parks are also different than theme parks. Size of course. Trolley/Ferry Parks are smaller and usually has a roller coaster, a carousel, and at least 2 more rides but mostly has a picnic park, walking trails/paths, and about half of those parks' sizes are all nature. Also they had many vendors who would rent spaces there. Selling merchandise, games, and freak shows. What amusement parks did not have are recreational activities including dancing and roller skating. None of that. Locally owned, can be family owned or Trolley/Ferry company owned. Usually have a beach or a large swimming pool. Usually sits by a lake with their popular "Shoot the Chute" coaster, a forerunner to log fume rides.
Amusement Parks on the other hands are more focused on many rides, including the necessary roller coaster, a carousel, and dark rides and common rides found in many parks today. Early days, many freak shows but hardly that anymore. They do not have picnic areas much at all. And has larger music venue stage or area. Corporate owned. Less of swimming pool but usually found at a resort of their own. Rarely have "Shoot the Chute" Coaster, replaced with log fumes rides.
Theme Parks are more rides than anything. They are also themed to focus on their brands tied-in. Usually a resort included, almost no picnic areas. Corporate owned. Pools are common at their resorts, not the park part. No "Shoot the Chute" rides. Instead, log fumes.
Now, lets get to White City after you have understood the differences. It is more of a mix actually between Trolley/Ferry and an Amusement.
White City Amusement Park was promoted as “The Coney Island of the South.” It first opened in 1907, with a huge competition, Fontaine Ferry nearby which opened two years earlier, it sat on the bank of the Ohio River.
The park at night was shining with novelty 250-thousand electric lights shining throughout the outlines of the buildings, a true forerunner of Disney's Main Street. It had all of the building in white paints. It was inspired by Inspired by the White City and Midway Plaisance sections of the World's Columbian Exhibition of 1893 (A World's Fair). White City had many activities or rides including Canals of Venice boats, a scenic railway, bathing beach, and more. One standout was the “Shoot the Chutes” water coaster, which plunged riders into a large lagoon. This ride was the first of its kind in the Louisville area.
But look promising White City didn’t last long. White City Park operated only five years. Following a massive fire in 1910 and subsequent rebuilding which costing a lot of money to reinvest, White City - renamed Riverview Park — was unable to compete with the larger Fontaine Ferry. The attraction closed after the 1912 season, and the land was sold for residential development a decade later.
This amusement park did not do well because of the competition so they closed. They were too close to the Fontaine Ferry Amusement Park. They too had a roller rink. It is like having a McD so close to Burger King or the old Penn Can Mall cross the street from Marketplace Mall (you can tell what happened to both. Yes, both became dead malls but Marketplace Mall is now a plaza while Penn Can is now one of the largest car dealerships in the world.) Disney World and Universal near Orlando. They equalize their strengths but Disney is larger.
This was one of those "White City" Amusement Parks because of its style with all whiteness and illumined with electrical lights. Similar to Electrical City amusement parks. Like their Luna Park and Electric Park cousins, a typical White City park featured a shoot-the-chutes and lagoon, a roller coaster (usually a figure eight or a mountain railway), a midway, a Ferris wheel, games, and a pavilion. Some White City parks featured miniature railroads. Many cities had two (or all three) of the Electric Park/Luna Park/White City triumvirate in their vicinity... with each trying to outdo the others with new attractions. The competition was fierce, often driving the electric parks out of business due to increased cost due to equipment upgrades and upkeep and increasing insurance costs. More than a few succumbed to fire. -Wikipedia.
Disney World's Main Street section in the Magic Kingdom theme park has that "White City"-isque feel to it. A mixture of that and the Gaslight Village (defunct, Lake George, NY) of sort.
Interesting that the only White City Amusement Park type is still active-- Denver's White City, opened in 1908, is currently Lakeside Amusement Park.
The Interior.
Likely had wooden floor. And perhaps had balcony on the second floor.
The Exterior.
It was a multistory building with grand design look to it. Hard to see and it is only known postcard or photograph of the rink--so far. It appeared to be Mediterranean style. Maybe Venetian style similar to St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy. likely the 2nd floor you can be able to climb the stairs and enjoy the view either the rink or outside with the park setting to the right of the building. White stucco was applied onto the building as it was common with most White City Amusement Parks including this one.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: N/A. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Demolished: N/A.
Type of Building: Free-Span (?) Truss Wood-built white stucco hall - like Building.
Roof: HIp.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: (Overall)-- April 27, 1907 to 1912.
White City Amusement Park Roller Rink: April 27, 1907 to 1910.
Riverview Park: 1910 to 1912.
Reason for Closure:
White City Amusement Park Roller Rink: Fires, competition.
Riverview Park: Competition, reinvestment failed.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why 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: Historic Louisville - Amusement Parks; Wikipedia; Messy Nessy (on White City Amusement Parks);
Date of issue: 06 March 2021.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:16.
Trolley/Ferry Parks are also different than Amusement Park with this: Trolley Parks are more recreational than an amusement. Amusement parks are also different than theme parks. Size of course. Trolley/Ferry Parks are smaller and usually has a roller coaster, a carousel, and at least 2 more rides but mostly has a picnic park, walking trails/paths, and about half of those parks' sizes are all nature. Also they had many vendors who would rent spaces there. Selling merchandise, games, and freak shows. What amusement parks did not have are recreational activities including dancing and roller skating. None of that. Locally owned, can be family owned or Trolley/Ferry company owned. Usually have a beach or a large swimming pool. Usually sits by a lake with their popular "Shoot the Chute" coaster, a forerunner to log fume rides.
Amusement Parks on the other hands are more focused on many rides, including the necessary roller coaster, a carousel, and dark rides and common rides found in many parks today. Early days, many freak shows but hardly that anymore. They do not have picnic areas much at all. And has larger music venue stage or area. Corporate owned. Less of swimming pool but usually found at a resort of their own. Rarely have "Shoot the Chute" Coaster, replaced with log fumes rides.
Theme Parks are more rides than anything. They are also themed to focus on their brands tied-in. Usually a resort included, almost no picnic areas. Corporate owned. Pools are common at their resorts, not the park part. No "Shoot the Chute" rides. Instead, log fumes.
Now, lets get to White City after you have understood the differences. It is more of a mix actually between Trolley/Ferry and an Amusement.
White City Amusement Park was promoted as “The Coney Island of the South.” It first opened in 1907, with a huge competition, Fontaine Ferry nearby which opened two years earlier, it sat on the bank of the Ohio River.
The park at night was shining with novelty 250-thousand electric lights shining throughout the outlines of the buildings, a true forerunner of Disney's Main Street. It had all of the building in white paints. It was inspired by Inspired by the White City and Midway Plaisance sections of the World's Columbian Exhibition of 1893 (A World's Fair). White City had many activities or rides including Canals of Venice boats, a scenic railway, bathing beach, and more. One standout was the “Shoot the Chutes” water coaster, which plunged riders into a large lagoon. This ride was the first of its kind in the Louisville area.
But look promising White City didn’t last long. White City Park operated only five years. Following a massive fire in 1910 and subsequent rebuilding which costing a lot of money to reinvest, White City - renamed Riverview Park — was unable to compete with the larger Fontaine Ferry. The attraction closed after the 1912 season, and the land was sold for residential development a decade later.
This amusement park did not do well because of the competition so they closed. They were too close to the Fontaine Ferry Amusement Park. They too had a roller rink. It is like having a McD so close to Burger King or the old Penn Can Mall cross the street from Marketplace Mall (you can tell what happened to both. Yes, both became dead malls but Marketplace Mall is now a plaza while Penn Can is now one of the largest car dealerships in the world.) Disney World and Universal near Orlando. They equalize their strengths but Disney is larger.
This was one of those "White City" Amusement Parks because of its style with all whiteness and illumined with electrical lights. Similar to Electrical City amusement parks. Like their Luna Park and Electric Park cousins, a typical White City park featured a shoot-the-chutes and lagoon, a roller coaster (usually a figure eight or a mountain railway), a midway, a Ferris wheel, games, and a pavilion. Some White City parks featured miniature railroads. Many cities had two (or all three) of the Electric Park/Luna Park/White City triumvirate in their vicinity... with each trying to outdo the others with new attractions. The competition was fierce, often driving the electric parks out of business due to increased cost due to equipment upgrades and upkeep and increasing insurance costs. More than a few succumbed to fire. -Wikipedia.
Disney World's Main Street section in the Magic Kingdom theme park has that "White City"-isque feel to it. A mixture of that and the Gaslight Village (defunct, Lake George, NY) of sort.
Interesting that the only White City Amusement Park type is still active-- Denver's White City, opened in 1908, is currently Lakeside Amusement Park.
The Interior.
Likely had wooden floor. And perhaps had balcony on the second floor.
The Exterior.
It was a multistory building with grand design look to it. Hard to see and it is only known postcard or photograph of the rink--so far. It appeared to be Mediterranean style. Maybe Venetian style similar to St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy. likely the 2nd floor you can be able to climb the stairs and enjoy the view either the rink or outside with the park setting to the right of the building. White stucco was applied onto the building as it was common with most White City Amusement Parks including this one.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: N/A. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Demolished: N/A.
Type of Building: Free-Span (?) Truss Wood-built white stucco hall - like Building.
Roof: HIp.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: (Overall)-- April 27, 1907 to 1912.
White City Amusement Park Roller Rink: April 27, 1907 to 1910.
Riverview Park: 1910 to 1912.
Reason for Closure:
White City Amusement Park Roller Rink: Fires, competition.
Riverview Park: Competition, reinvestment failed.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why 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: Historic Louisville - Amusement Parks; Wikipedia; Messy Nessy (on White City Amusement Parks);
Date of issue: 06 March 2021.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:16.