Playland Park (Houston, Texas): Difference between revisions
Content deleted Content added
Initial article creation |
Created page, added citations, ... |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
[[File:8d19660r Skyrocket 1943.jpg|thumb|247x247px|The Skyrocket roller coaster, May 1943, Houston, Texas<ref>{{Cite web|title = Photo by Jim Durkee|url = http://s7.photobucket.com/user/57Tbird/media/PlaylandAd.jpg.html|website = Photobucket|accessdate = 2015-11-19}}</ref>]] |
|||
{{Infobox amusement park |
{{Infobox amusement park |
||
| name=Playland Park |
| name=Playland Park |
||
| Line 7: | Line 8: | ||
| location3 = U.S. |
| location3 = U.S. |
||
| area= |
| area= |
||
| opening_date=1940 |
| opening_date=~1940 |
||
| closing_date=1968 |
| closing_date=1968 |
||
| previous_names= |
| previous_names= |
||
| rides = |
| rides =30 |
||
| coasters=2 |
| coasters=2 |
||
| water_rides=0 |
| water_rides=0 |
||
| Line 18: | Line 19: | ||
| footnotes= |
| footnotes= |
||
}} |
}} |
||
'''Playland Park''', |
'''Playland Park''', was an amusement park located in [[Houston, Texas]] that has since closed. Louis Slusky opened Playland Park circa 1940 at 9200 South Main. It was billed as Texas’ first amusement park though that claim may be disputed. It was located at 9200 South Main. Early on it featured not one but two [[wooden roller coasters]]. Texas' first elevated [[monorail]] train (1956) briefly operated near the park. Next to the park was a side attraction [[Stock car racing|stock-car]] [[race track]] known as Playland Raceway. Slusky facilitated the miniature children’s train located in Houston’s [[Hermann Park]]. This train may have originated from Playland Park. Playland Park closed in 1968.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Photo by Jim Durkee|url = http://s7.photobucket.com/user/57Tbird/media/PlaylandAd.jpg.html|website = Photobucket|accessdate = 2015-11-19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = Google Image Result for http://www.blooloop.com/userfiles/content/images/Articles/Adventure%252520Pointe/Playland%252520Park%252520250.jpg|url = http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.blooloop.com/userfiles/content/images/Articles/Adventure%25252520Pointe/Playland%25252520Park%25252520250.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.blooloop.com/features/adventure-pointe-creating-tomorrow-s-nostalgia/25751&h=378&w=250&tbnid=UvM-FCCnS8kGiM:&docid=s1R9Spwe94akhM&ei=ux1NVsWhMseMmQGG9o_YCg&tbm=isch&ved=0CCQQMygIMAhqFQoTCIXrzJejm8kCFUdGJgodBvsDqw|website = www.google.com|accessdate = 2015-11-19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = Family behind Houston's Playland planning new Texas City amusement park|url = http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/bayarea/article/Family-behind-Houston-s-Playland-planning-new-5038267.php|website = Houston Chronicle|accessdate = 2015-11-19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = Playland Park (Houston, Texas, USA)|url = http://rcdb.com/11390.htm|website = rcdb.com|accessdate = 2015-11-19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url = http://tanasreminisce.com/uploads/2/9/5/6/2956417/6880472.jpg?608|title = 1947 Playland Park pamphlet|date = |accessdate = |website = |publisher = |last = |first = }}</ref> |
||
Playland Park, Houston should not be confused with the [[Playland Park]] located in San Antonio, Texas which started around the same time and had a wooden roller coaster similarly named The Rocket. |
Playland Park, Houston should not be confused with the [[Playland Park (Texas)|Playland Park]] located in San Antonio, Texas which started around the same time and had a wooden roller coaster similarly named The Rocket. |
||
==The Skyrocket== |
==The Skyrocket== |
||
Originally opened in 1924 at Houston’s former [[Luna Park]], The SkyRocket was a wooden roller coaster relocated to Playland Park and opened when the park first opened. At the time it was originally built, it was billed as the “largest” roller coaster in the country with a reported length of 6,600 feet, height of 110 feet and a drop of 84 feet. |
Originally opened in 1924 at Houston’s former [[Luna Park]], The SkyRocket was a wooden roller coaster relocated to Playland Park and opened when the park first opened. At the time it was originally built, it was billed as the “largest” roller coaster in the country with a reported length of 6,600 feet, height of 110 feet and a drop of 84 feet. <ref>{{Cite web|title = Amusement Parks {{!}} Houston Past|url = https://houstorian.wordpress.com/category/amusement-parks/|website = houstorian.wordpress.com|accessdate = 2015-11-19}}</ref> |
||
The Skyrocket closed in 1968 along with the park. |
The Skyrocket closed in 1968 along with the park. |
||
| Line 31: | Line 32: | ||
==Cyclone== |
==Cyclone== |
||
A second roller coaster known as the Cyclone was added to the park and opened on March 3, 1942. This roller coaster was also wooden. It is believed to be the last Roller Coaster [[John A. Miller]] was involved with. Miller passed away in Houston in 1941 while working on this project. Cost for building the roller coaster was reportedly $50,000. This roller coaster closed in 1968. |
A second roller coaster known as the Cyclone was added to the park and opened on March 3, 1942.<ref>{{Cite book|title = Billboard|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=EgwEAAAAMBAJ|publisher = Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|date = 1942-03-07|language = en|first = Nielsen Business Media|last = Inc}}</ref> This roller coaster was also wooden. It is believed to be the last Roller Coaster [[John A. Miller]] was involved with. Miller passed away in Houston in 1941 while working on this project. Cost for building the roller coaster was reportedly $50,000.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Roller Coaster - Playland Park (Houston, Texas, USA)|url = http://rcdb.com/11391.htm|website = rcdb.com|accessdate = 2015-11-19}}</ref> This roller coaster closed in 1968. |
||
==Playland Speedway== |
==Playland Speedway== |
||
| Line 39: | Line 40: | ||
==Closure== |
==Closure== |
||
The park closed in 1968, the same year [[Astroworld]] opened in Houston. The fate of the two wooden roller coasters is not known. They were likely destroyed when the park was demolished and the area re-develoloped several years later. Interestingly, in the early 1970s nearby Astroworld considered purchasing and relocating an existing wooden roller coaster but from [[Coney Island]]. Eventually Astroworld built its own wooden roller coaster, the [[Texas Cyclone]] which opened in 1976. |
The park closed in 1968, the same year [[Astroworld]] opened in Houston. <ref>{{Cite web|title = Amusement Parks|url = http://thebuzzmagazines.com/articles/2015/11/amusement-parks|website = The Buzz Magazines|accessdate = 2015-11-19}}</ref> The fate of the two wooden roller coasters is not known. They were likely destroyed when the park was demolished and the area re-develoloped several years later. Interestingly, in the early 1970s nearby Astroworld considered purchasing and relocating an existing wooden roller coaster but from [[Coney Island]]. Eventually Astroworld built its own wooden roller coaster, the [[Texas Cyclone]] which opened in 1976. |
||
==See also== |
==See also== |
||
*[[List of abandoned amusement parks]] |
*[[List of abandoned amusement parks]] |
||
*[[Luna Park, Houston]] |
|||
*[[Six Flags AstroWorld]] |
|||
==External links== |
==External links== |
||
*[http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/bayarea/article/Family-behind-Houston-s-Playland-planning-new-5038267.php Family Behind Playland Park] |
*[http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/bayarea/article/Family-behind-Houston-s-Playland-planning-new-5038267.php Family Behind Playland Park] |
||
*[https://houstorian.wordpress.com/category/amusement-parks/ Houston Luna Park Giant Skyrocket] |
*[https://houstorian.wordpress.com/category/amusement-parks/ Houston Luna Park Giant Skyrocket] |
||
*[http://user.intersatx.net/psy/rocket.htm The Playland Rocket] |
|||
*{{RCDB|11390|Playland Park}} |
*{{RCDB|11390|Playland Park}} |
||
Revision as of 02:24, 19 November 2015
| Location | Houston, Texas, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Opened | ~1940 |
| Closed | 1968 |
| Owner | Louis Slusky |
| Slogan | Fun For The Whole Family |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 30 |
| Roller coasters | 2 |
| Water rides | 0 |
Playland Park, was an amusement park located in Houston, Texas that has since closed. Louis Slusky opened Playland Park circa 1940 at 9200 South Main. It was billed as Texas’ first amusement park though that claim may be disputed. It was located at 9200 South Main. Early on it featured not one but two wooden roller coasters. Texas' first elevated monorail train (1956) briefly operated near the park. Next to the park was a side attraction stock-car race track known as Playland Raceway. Slusky facilitated the miniature children’s train located in Houston’s Hermann Park. This train may have originated from Playland Park. Playland Park closed in 1968.[2][3][4][5][6]
Playland Park, Houston should not be confused with the Playland Park located in San Antonio, Texas which started around the same time and had a wooden roller coaster similarly named The Rocket.
The Skyrocket
Originally opened in 1924 at Houston’s former Luna Park, The SkyRocket was a wooden roller coaster relocated to Playland Park and opened when the park first opened. At the time it was originally built, it was billed as the “largest” roller coaster in the country with a reported length of 6,600 feet, height of 110 feet and a drop of 84 feet. [7]
The Skyrocket closed in 1968 along with the park.
Cyclone
A second roller coaster known as the Cyclone was added to the park and opened on March 3, 1942.[8] This roller coaster was also wooden. It is believed to be the last Roller Coaster John A. Miller was involved with. Miller passed away in Houston in 1941 while working on this project. Cost for building the roller coaster was reportedly $50,000.[9] This roller coaster closed in 1968.
Playland Speedway
Various races and demolition derbies were held at the track. Local racing talent A.J. Foyt raced there. In 1959 a stock car crashed through a fence killing two people.
Closure
The park closed in 1968, the same year Astroworld opened in Houston. [10] The fate of the two wooden roller coasters is not known. They were likely destroyed when the park was demolished and the area re-develoloped several years later. Interestingly, in the early 1970s nearby Astroworld considered purchasing and relocating an existing wooden roller coaster but from Coney Island. Eventually Astroworld built its own wooden roller coaster, the Texas Cyclone which opened in 1976.
See also
External links
- Family Behind Playland Park
- Houston Luna Park Giant Skyrocket
- Playland Park at the Roller Coaster DataBase
 | This article about an amusement park is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- ^ "Photo by Jim Durkee". Photobucket. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
- ^ "Photo by Jim Durkee". Photobucket. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
- ^ "Google Image Result for http://www.blooloop.com/userfiles/content/images/Articles/Adventure%252520Pointe/Playland%252520Park%252520250.jpg". www.google.com. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
{{cite web}}: External link in|title= - ^ "Family behind Houston's Playland planning new Texas City amusement park". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
- ^ "Playland Park (Houston, Texas, USA)". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
- ^ "1947 Playland Park pamphlet".
- ^ "Amusement Parks | Houston Past". houstorian.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
- ^ Inc, Nielsen Business Media (1942-03-07). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.
{{cite book}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ "Roller Coaster - Playland Park (Houston, Texas, USA)". rcdb.com. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
- ^ "Amusement Parks". The Buzz Magazines. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
