I am in SO much trouble...

[rolanni]

I am now the proud creator/possessor of a color-coded timeline of Events of Epic Proportion that took place in Old Orchard Beach, Maine from 1603 (Martin Pring enters Saco Bay and lands at Old Orchard Beach) to 2004 (Fire: Dy-No-Mite). And may Ghu have mercy on my soul.

I do still have some question marks. Like, which hotel burned in the Summer of 1882? Was the first carousel, installed at OOB in 1892, the one described elsewhere as being on the beach itself, or an entirely different ride? Was the wooden roller coaster added to Seaside Park in 1914 or in 1917, and were either of them a Jack Rabbit -- or is the idea that there had ever been a Jack Rabbit at OOB merely the product of a dedicated roller coastie's fevered imagination? What exactly burned in the 1975 fire? Was White City destroyed by fire in 1909 and rebuilt, only to be destroyed again in 1969 when "Detzel" the carousel burned, taking most of the rest of the amusements with it?

I have measured the depths of Joy and Despair this day, let me tell you. At first, I believed that the Euclid Carousel Nuts had (re)purchased the existing Old Orchard Beach merry-go-round, which Playland (the OOB amusement vendor) purchased from Euclid Beach Park in 1970, after Detzel burned -- and I was desolate, believing that I would never again ride the carousel at the ocean.

But wait! Further investigation produces the factoid that the Euclid Beach ride has been in storage since 1997, awaiting restoration and a suitable site. Relief! The carousel now at OOB is yet a fourth iteration of the ride, and still in residence.

I hope.

It's pretty weird to see stuff laid out side-by-side, like:

1914: WW I
?Wooden roller coaster added to Seaside Park?

I've also stumbled across this interesting little bit of trivia, courtesy of On This Date in New England Fire Rescue History:

Please note that in colonial times (until 1752) the calendar year did not change until March 25 (Feast of the Annunciation), therefore a date such as March, 11 1683 (in its day) would be considered March 11, 1684 by standards used today (new years day = Jan 1) - You may see some dates listed as March 11, 1683/4. This shows both old and new style. Only dates between Jan 1 and Mar 25 and before 1752 are affected. Also in 1752, the date after Sept 2, 1752 became Sept 14, 1752.

Who knew?

Anyhow, I certainly have (more than) enough on which to hang the central argument of the novel that I'm not writing, oh-no-not-me.

*Happy sigh*

Comments

[trolleypup.livejournal.com]

Was the wooden roller coaster added to Seaside Park in 1914 or in 1917, and were either of them a Jack Rabbit -- or is the idea that there had ever been a Jack Rabbit at OOB merely the product of a dedicated roller coastie's fevered imagination?

1917. It was actually a Racing Jack Rabbit, an early Prior and Church design, built by the then nascent Traver Engineering Co, nearly a decade before Traver started designing his own roller coasters. Certainly it lacked both Prior and Church's later renowned knotted trackage and Traver's extreme trademarks. It's first drop was about 65 feet and it had about 2100 feet of trackage on each side. Except in busy times, it operated with one side only, sides alternating on a daily basis, to even out wear. Like some other early racers, the lift and first drop tracks were close enough together that passengers could hold hands between parallel trains (for a time).

Does that help?

[trolleypup.livejournal.com]

And I tell you, looking at the pictures in the Traver book will give you a fevered something or other. I mean, the dips and drops look terrifying enough, but then that just gets you down to the trick track...where you better be a fan of "shaken and stirred!"

So, yes, fevered roller coaster fan, who has been off the tracks for almost a year now.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

So, yes, fevered roller coaster fan, who has been off the tracks for almost a year now.

How come? Rode 'em all?

Me, I'm more a carousel person...

[trolleypup.livejournal.com]

No, ran out of time. And money in a sense.

An amusement part generally takes all day, and in my case, all but one requires a car rental (and that one, while it has a large number of rides does not have either a diversity of ride types OR a decent woodie). That is a day/car rental that I could spend on a different passion, currently hiking/trailwork, not surrounded by people.

I think my life coaster list is between 60 and 70, certainly less than 100. I much prefer an old woodie to a fancy new steelie, not that I'll turn down a steelie. Carousels are nice, but riding solo doesn't float my boat, although I have visited all of SF's carousels. The 1905 Looff from Playland is now at Yerba Buena Gardens, the 1921 Dentzel at the Zoo, the 1912 Herschell-Spillman in Golden Gate Park, and the modern (2002) Bertazzon at Pier 39.

The carousel at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk still has a ring dispenser with a clown face target with light up eyes and buzzer. ISTR that the michanical organ was still functional, but *that* could be fevered roller coaster fan memory.

Come visit, in a day we probably could catch ~6, more if obsession ruled the day. A dozen in a weekend is within reach. Gods, it's been too long since I've done that sort of amusement trip.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

I've got some work to do to catch up. I remember riding the Big Dipper (and the Little Dipper, under protest, you understand -- the Little Dipper was for babies.) at Gwynn Oak Park; and the Comet at Hershey Park. Hershey had a Dentzel carousel which I loved with a passion beyond the ken of mere mortals. The carousel at Gwynn Oak had an operating ring dispenser, which did charm. I think there's still an original Dentzel -- organ and at all -- at Glen Echo Park, that used to be Glen Echo Amusement Park. I, alas, have only seen it in its previous state of sad neglect. I believe it has since been brought back to its former glory.

Come visit, in a day we probably could catch ~6, more if obsession ruled the day. A dozen in a weekend is within reach. Gods, it's been too long since I've done that sort of amusement trip.

Tempting...

[trolleypup.livejournal.com]

Dang. Had a nice reply all written and now it is gone. Sigh.

At least I still have this: Golden Gate Park Carousel (http://www.sfpeaks.net/031112-ggp/h031112-101148-GGP-Carousel.html) and . . .

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

That's a wonderful carousel. And the conservatory's ...amazing. Yep, that's the word -- amazing.

[trolleypup.livejournal.com]

It was one of the featured carousels at the 1939 Worlds Fair.

I don't think I have pictures online of the Looff at Yerba Buana Gardens, in part because it is housed in an absolutely butt-ugly modern enclosure which appears to be designed to increase glare so people outside can't see in or take pictures. All my other carousel pictures are on slides or negative film.

The conservatory is a gem indeed. I was damaged for life by spending 8 months in Kew, while my dad was on sabbatical at the Royal Botanic Gardens there. Having that as your playground! Greenhouses = conservatories, and they are big curved victorian structures. And I am going to be forced to visit again tomorrow, in hopes "Ted" (the Corpse Lily that wasn't open yesterday) will be open.

Gwynn Oak Park Carousel

[(Anonymous)]

I stumbled across this group while looking for information about Gwynn Oak Park. Even tho' you all seem to like coasters best, I wanted to point out that the carousel from Gwynn Oak has been placed on the Mall in Washington DC, just outside the Smithsonian Castle. I rode it today for the first time in over 35 years - with my children!

Susan
flavia18@verizon.net

[jennifer-dunne.livejournal.com]

Okay, I just have to put in the obligatory blurb that I live in the official "Carousel Capital of the World". We have more carousels per capita than anywhere else, and have the largest working carousel of a particular type (known mainly for horses with open mouths like they're planning on biting their riders...).

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

"Carousel Capital of the World"

I didn't know that.

known mainly for horses with open mouths like they're planning on biting their riders...

Um. I intuit a carousel-maker who wanted, in his deepest, most secret soul, to be an accountant.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Does that help?

Yes, it does -- thank you!

Does your book tell you what happened to that 'coaster? I was able to back-track the 1930 installation of the Cyclone from the records of the fire in which it was destroyed, in 1948, but the Jack Rabbit is more difficult to pin down -- via web, anyway. I'm going to have to betake myself to a library and throw myself on the mercy of the Old Orchard Beach Historical Society to fill in some of these blanks...

argh argh.

[trolleypup.livejournal.com]

Sorry. That was all TIC. Entirely the product of this fevered roller coaster fan's (yes, member of ACE and all) imagination. The hope that a (or part of a) Traver coaster still exists feeds some nearly universal coaster fans dream. ACE's Rollercoaster! magazine ran such discoveries in consecutive April issues and you could still hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth across the country each time.

Re: argh argh.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

That was all TIC.

OK: TIC?


The hope that a (or part of a) Traver coaster still exists feeds some nearly universal coaster fans dream.

I can see this.

Re: argh argh.

[trolleypup.livejournal.com]

TIC = Tongue In Cheek

Re: argh argh.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Ah. In that case -- not so helpful, I'm afraid.