Luna Park, Scranton: Difference between revisions
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{{for|other amusement parks known by the same name|Luna Park}} |
{{for|other amusement parks known by the same name|Luna Park}} |
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[[File:LunaPark Scranton-entrance.jpg|thumb|225px|right|alt=Luna Park, Scranton was a popular amusement park from 1906 until its demise in 1916. While remnants of the park still exist, most of the grounds are now covered by [[Interstate 81]]|Postcard picture of main entrance of Luna Park, Scranton (1906-1916).]] |
[[File:LunaPark Scranton-entrance.jpg|thumb|225px|right|alt=Luna Park, Scranton was a popular amusement park from 1906 until its demise in 1916. While remnants of the park still exist, most of the grounds are now covered by [[Interstate 81]]|Postcard picture of main entrance of Luna Park, Scranton (1906-1916).]] |
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During its years of operation, the park's attractions varied but included [[roller coaster]]s, [[picnic]] [[pavilion]]s, [[carousel]]s, a [[fun house]], a [[roller skating|roller rink]], a [[concert]] shell, a [[dance hall]], [[bumper cars]], and a [[shoot-the-chutes]] ride. |
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| ⚫ | '''Luna Park''' was an amusement park in [[Scranton, Pennsylvania]], from 1906 to 1916. |
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A [[trolley park]] constructed in Scranton's Linwood Park (after a site in nearby Valley View Park was considered and rejected),<ref name="James N. J 2005">James N. J. Henwood and John G. Muncie, ''Laurel Line: An Anthracite Region Railway'' (Tribute Books, 2005) ISBN 0-9765072-3-4</ref> Luna Park followed the formula that characterized Ingersoll's parks with that name (the first two, in [[Luna Park, Pittsburgh|Pittsburgh]] and [[Luna Park, Cleveland|Cleveland]], were opened only a year earlier, in 1905) as Ingersoll designed and built all of them to form the world's first amusement park chain.<ref>[http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08245/908516-42.stm Luna Park's luminary: Entrepreneur/roller coaster designer deserves his due] - ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'', 1 September 2008</ref> Early promotional materials stated that the park would feature 50,000 electric lights, the same number as in [[Luna Park, Cleveland|Cleveland's Luna Park]]. A [[broadside]] announcing a May 21, 1906, opening of the park promised "unexcelled facilities for summer outings and picnic parties," that the park would present "a dazzling picture of quaint and massive architecture," and the picnic grove would have "quaint bridges, shady paths, and quiet nooks."<ref name="James N. J 2005"/> The grand opening was delayed until May 28, 1906; the total cost of construction was $300,000 (US).<ref>Jack Hiddlestone, ''Scranton Luna Park'' (Penn Creative Litho 1991) cited in Cheryl A. Kashuba, Darlene Miller-Lanning, and Alan Sweeney, ''Scranton'' (Arcadia Publishing 2005) ISBN 0-7385-3859-0</ref> |
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==History== |
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Despite having a similar name, the park was not affiliated with the Thompson & Dundy park on [[Coney Island]], New York, USA, or the "[[Hippodrome]]". Thompson & Dundy, however, first promoted the idea of franchisement in August, 1904. Although there were many types of parks, exhibitions, and entertainment attractions in this time period, Ingersoll capitalized on the idea of standardization, following a formula that characterized all his "Luna Parks", the first two, in Pittsburgh and Cleveland were opened in 1905, a park in Washington, DC opened in the same year as Scranton, one in Mexico City the following year, forming essentially the first amusement park chain. Not only would construction be standardized, but vaudevillian acts, circus, and other exhibitions could be rotated between parks as low-cost entertainment. Parks could be designed and built using the expertise of his Ingersoll Amusement Company employees, then operated by a local company which then could acquire services, such as entertainment and technical help, from him. |
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[[File:ScrantonLunaParkPlazaModel.jpg|thumb|<small>Diorama of Plaza Building, Luna Park, Scranton, showing 1906-1907 paint scheme. The plaza building in this configuration is composed (from left to right) of the "Scenitorium", "Temple of Mystery", and "Edisonia". "Thomas' Ice Cream stand" is the smaller attached structured on the right.</small>]] |
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Such was the situation at Scranton's Luna Park, Ingersoll Amusement Company designed and constructed the park beginning November 14, 1905.<ref>Luna Park. (1905). ''Luna Park for Scranton.'' Scranton Republican.</ref> The Scranton Luna Park Company, which was late in acquiring its business charter, began operating the park on May 28, 1906. Newspaper articles from the "''Scranton Republican''", "''The Scranton Truth''", and others suggest the decision to proceed was based on increasing levels of public interest beginning as early as July 17, 1900. |
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[[File:Knabenshue Toledo No.2 NYC-1905-08-20.jpg|thumb|<small>Lincoln Beachey would fly the "Knabenshue Toledo No.2 airship from Luna Park to Courthouse Square and back. The aircraft was hangered in a large tent between the Band Stand and the Shades and Shadows ride.</small>]] |
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[[File:Female animal trainer and leopard.jpg|thumb|<small>Dolores Vallecita's Six Leopards act included rolling globes, use of a see saw, an electric wheel, a pyramid formation, posing for pictures, and as a finale, playing bells and chimes while Vallecita accompanied on a piano. Vallecita also used the name, "Dolly Hill" (1877-1925).</small>]] |
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Ingersoll's park planning relied on specific "anchor" amusements found in exhibition parks of this period taking advantaging of its scenic location. Ingersoll, himself, described the park as being "''of three parts''". The first section was formed by the damming of Roaring Brook to form a small lake and was intended to be used for boating and aquatic sports. By crossing a high footbridge over the gorge, one entered the amusement section. This part of the park was an oval shape centered around the "Shoot-the-Chutes" pool known as "''The lagoon''". Although the buildings and amusements would change over the life of the park, initially this area was composed of the "''Scenic Railway''", "''Aerial Circle Swing''", "''Old Mill''", "''Blarney Castle''", "''Shades and Shadows''", "''Scenitorium''", "''Temple of Mystery''", "''Edisonia''", "''Trip to Rockaway''", "''Dance Pavilion''", "''Restaurant''", "''Soda Fountain''", "''Band Stand''", and "''Circus Platform (later called The Hippodrome)''". The third section of the park was the picnic grounds with a large "''Picnic Pavilion''". Notably. other significant attractions were added to the park over time, such as the groundbreaking, "''[[Hale's Tours of the World]]''" to the more simplistic, "''Mahoney's Pony Rides''". Live vaudeville acts, exhibitions, circus, and orchestra performances would be scheduled so free entertainment would always compliment the patron's visit. Two of the most successful, were appearances of the Knabenshue Toledo No. 2 airship, flown by Aviator [[Lincoln Beachey]], and the world famous leopard act by Dolores Vallecita. |
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Ingersoll had planned on the [[Scranton Railway|Scranton Railway Company]] extending its service (and its tracks) to the park, but the company refused to build the one-third mile of track to connect the entrance of Luna Park to the picnic grounds at [[Nay Aug Park]], forcing Ingersoll to construct and light an access road at the cost of $800, At the same time, the railway company constructed a [[Tunnel|subway]] under the park, opening a station at the cost of $7000 (US) despite the preference of the park patrons for streetcars. Ingersoll had also overestimated the first-year attendance at Luna Park, anticipating 500,000 paid customers in its maiden year, but the actual total was closer to 325,000 in 1906.<ref name="James N. J 2005"/> Attendance declined in 1907, contrary to the anticipation of both Ingersoll and Scranton city officials. |
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In its first years, the park enjoyed record attendance which was facilitated primarily by the interurban, electrified, [[Lackawanna and Wyoming Valley Railroad|Lackawanna & Wyoming Valley Railroad]] or "[[Lackawanna and Wyoming Valley Railroad|Laurel Line]]", and Scranton Railway Company trolleys. Not until several years later were two automobile parking lots added. From the beginning, the biggest disadvantage to the park was that land, two large lots upon which it was sited, were leased with ballooning rental payments over time. |
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The cost of upgrading and maintaining his amusement parks proved too much for Ingersoll as he was forced to declare bankruptcy in 1908.<ref>Jim Futrell, ''Amusement Parks of Pennsylvania'' (Flagpole Books, 2002) ISBN 0-8117-2671-1</ref> Several of the Luna Parks were sold to others; Ingersoll retained ownership of the Scranton park despite repeated attempts at collection by his various creditors. |
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Ingersoll publicly spoke of expanding the park after the first year of operation. Evidence suggests the "[[Panic of 1907]]" forced Ingersoll to regroup funds and sold his stock holdings in the park to the board of the Scranton Luna Park Company and resigned his position as the park's vice-president. As the recession began to take hold of the economy, management of the park noticed the beginnings of a drop in patron attendance. Outings, picnics, and excursions were no longer being reserved by church groups, social organizations, and businesses as they had. Despite this, the board of directors moved forward with major expansion of the park for the 1908 season, adding a number of buildings, demolishing and remodeling a few others, adding major lighting effects and so on in an attempt to follow the original plan and stimulate the public's interest. Consequently, these actions were the beginning of debt by the end of season as ticket sales did not cover operating expenses and cost of expansion. |
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Attendance continued to decline to the point that Luna Park became unprofitable in the 1910s; a fire on August 23, 1916, destroyed the dance pavilion, roller coaster station, and runway of the "Shoot-the-Chutes", a significant portion of the park,<ref>Cheryl A. Kashuba, Darlene Miller-Lanning, and Alan Sweeney, ''Scranton'' (Arcadia Publishing 2005) ISBN 0-7385-3859-0</ref> a fatal blow to the struggling enterprise. Very few remnants of Luna Park remain after the construction of [[Interstate 81]] through much of the grounds in the 1960s and a widening of the Central Scranton Expressway in 1998.<ref>[http://www.defunctparks.com/parks/PA/lunascranton/lunasc.htm Luna Park Scranton entry in defunctparks.com]</ref> |
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As the 1909 season neared, park management convinced the Board of Directors to accept new members, local capitalists that could acquire the land and pay off the construction debt. The principle investor was Adolph Blau who maintained a series of local businesses including a private bank, "The Blau Bank House", of which representatives of the board sign promissory notes consisting of a modest pay-back schedule. Blau also received a majority of stock for the transaction and would become president of the park company. Surprisingly, the park invests in additional attractions prior to opening for the 1909 season - an arcade, "''Billiken's Temple''" fun house, alligator zoo, glass blowing exhibit, and miniature railroad, and upgrades to others not previously contemplated. During this season, competition from other area parks, largely copying the "Luna recipe", begins to have an effect on drawing the park's patrons away. |
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==See also== |
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In 1910, large crowds are seen in the park on weekends, holidays, and special occasions as company picnics but perhaps not as robust during the week. One serious problem facing management is difficulty obtaining quality vaudeville acts despite membership in the National Park Managers' Association. This is countered by resorting to erection of a 35 x 40 foot "moving picture" screen and displaying first-run films straight from movie companies out of New York. |
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*[[Luna Park]] |
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*[[Rocky Glen Park]] |
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Beginning of the 1911 season is noteworthy due to an air crash of a Curtis biplane by Aviator M.P. Talmage in the park. It is also the year in which a full scale circus, really a combination of various acts, is staged in a vacant field within the park boundaries. There is a notable drop-off of published, scheduled, group outings, picnics and excursions this season and park management breathes a sigh of relief when a large labor union decides to charter their Labor Day festivities at the park. |
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1912 receipts are not much better as the park has just enough revenue with admission set at a dime for adults and nickel for children, plus a dime admittance for attractions, to get by. The park runs promotional advertisements with local vendors, such as Kolb's Pan-Daddy bread to distribute free gate tickets and has some success. |
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Noteworthy in 1913 is the effort the park makes in advertising in upper New York state, its ideas of copying several attractions found at Coney Island, as the "Baby Incubator", and the discovery that dancing is a source of revenue. One could charge ten cents per person per dance in the Dance Pavilion to the sound of orchestrated music and by the end of the evening with a repertoire of 30 songs, and over 300 people, the park could earn good revenue. This strategy was enhanced by hiring dance instructors to encourage people to get out on the floor and try dancing. This notion would become the principle money-maker at the park until its end. |
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1914 was different. Accidents in the amusement industry induced changes to enhance safety. Direction by the Board of Directors to double-down the recruitment of private excursions, picnics, and outings met with success. Based on published reports over this season, the number of patrons noticeably increased. Dancing engagements increased as a result of weekly dance contests with dance instructors coaching students in latest dance steps prior to the contests. But park management makes a critical mistake, deciding to follow the example of major parks and open on Sunday. Immediately, an outraged Reverend Anderson successfully leads a boycott of the park forcing Sunday closure. As an after effect, many religious groups cancel their excursions to the park and revenue suffers significantly. |
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1915 begins with great optimism as the park records significant numbers of patrons early in the season. In fact, actor Charlie Chaplin visits the park on June 7, 1915 causing a mob scene described by local newspapers as a "small riot" of people trying to catch a glimpse of the popular actor. The beginning of financial disaster of the park occurs on August 14, 1915 with the failure of the Blau Bank House. Blau's bank allegedly held significant cash deposits for the park which were now lost, had controlled 1,393 shares of park stock that would sell below value during bank bankruptcy proceedings, and more significantly, was holder of a promissory note using Luna Park as collateral for payment on the land purchased years earlier. In an effort to try to regain depositor assets, as bankruptcy attorneys reviewed outstanding credits owed to the bank, they would find note 334 assigned to Luna Park. Being close to the end of the season, it was difficult for management to meet a lease payment required on the note. The park remained opened as late as possible, until September 25th, to try to generate sufficient revenue. Several large groups booked end-of-season outings and contests were run which helped. |
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In 1916, all expenses were cut as much as possible including insurance. All through the season, there is heavy emphasis on filling the Dance pavilion as much as possible with patrons because this attraction is the principle revenue producer. Disaster then strikes at the most critical moment. At least one third of the park was destroyed by fire in the early morning of August 24, 1916. The fire destroyed buildings critical to the production of revenue including the Dance Pavilion. Although an attempt was made to survive, money was due and the Board of Directors were unable to provide those funds. The park was sold at public auction to an attorney representing someone interested in the land. That individual eventually sold the land to the city of Scranton which then quieted liens due. |
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On February 2, 1929, an attempt was made to resurrect an amusement park on the site, but this notion was rejected by Scranton city council on the grounds of weak financial planning and concerns of neighbors over noise. |
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Few park remnants are identifiable today: the dam, circus platform, alligator pit, an edge of the lagoon, an access tunnel from the area of the Laurel Line, and scattered bits of concrete. Much of the grounds were covered by the 1960s construction of Interstate 81, which intersects the former area of Ingersoll's sections two and three, including the area of the Dance Hall, and a large portion of the "Shoot-the-Chutes" lagoon. More of the land was covered or excavated by a widening of the Central Scranton Expressway in 1998. |
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Postcards and other memorabilia can occasionally be found on online auction sites and in antiques sources in northeastern Pennsylvania. The original Luna Park souvenir shop sold glass and ceramic items etched or painted with park scenes. Beginning in 1906 with Ebert & Company's black-and-white series, several postcard companies published park photo postcards. The Scranton Electric City Trolley Museum has a small public exhibit of such memorabilia. |
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No recent findings of formal, academically-based, archaeological investigations of the area have been published. Several bloggers have recorded still and video imagery of walks through the area, available to access through online searches. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*[http://ectma.org Electric City Trolley Museum] - Electric City Trolley Museum Association home page |
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*[http://welweb.org/ThenandNow/Knabenshue_No_2.html Knabenshue Toledo No. 2] - Page from "Airship Investigations" site |
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*[http://www.laurellines.org/ Lackawanna and Wyoming Valley RHS] - LWVRR Historical Society home page |
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*[http://www.lincolnbeachey.com Lincoln J. Beachey] - Web site dedicated to the aviation hero |
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*[http://www.defunctparks.com/parks/PA/lunascranton/lunasc.htm Scranton Luna Park entry in defunctparks.com] - has several pictures of the park |
*[http://www.defunctparks.com/parks/PA/lunascranton/lunasc.htm Scranton Luna Park entry in defunctparks.com] - has several pictures of the park |
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*[http://frank-dutton.blogspot.com/2007_05_01_archive.html 2007 pictures of Luna Park remnants |
*[http://frank-dutton.blogspot.com/2007_05_01_archive.html 2007 pictures of Luna Park remnants] |
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*{{RCDB|5571}} |
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{{coord missing|Pennsylvania}} |
{{coord missing|Pennsylvania}} |
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Revision as of 03:16, 2 February 2017
Luna Park was an amusement park in Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA, from 1906 to 1916. Constructed and owned by Frederick Ingersoll, the park occupied a western facing site on Moosic Mountain along Roaring Brook.
During its years of operation, the park's attractions varied but included roller coasters, picnic pavilions, carousels, a fun house, a roller rink, a concert shell, a dance hall, bumper cars, and a shoot-the-chutes ride.
A trolley park constructed in Scranton's Linwood Park (after a site in nearby Valley View Park was considered and rejected),[1] Luna Park followed the formula that characterized Ingersoll's parks with that name (the first two, in Pittsburgh and Cleveland, were opened only a year earlier, in 1905) as Ingersoll designed and built all of them to form the world's first amusement park chain.[2] Early promotional materials stated that the park would feature 50,000 electric lights, the same number as in Cleveland's Luna Park. A broadside announcing a May 21, 1906, opening of the park promised "unexcelled facilities for summer outings and picnic parties," that the park would present "a dazzling picture of quaint and massive architecture," and the picnic grove would have "quaint bridges, shady paths, and quiet nooks."[1] The grand opening was delayed until May 28, 1906; the total cost of construction was $300,000 (US).[3]
Ingersoll had planned on the Scranton Railway Company extending its service (and its tracks) to the park, but the company refused to build the one-third mile of track to connect the entrance of Luna Park to the picnic grounds at Nay Aug Park, forcing Ingersoll to construct and light an access road at the cost of $800, At the same time, the railway company constructed a subway under the park, opening a station at the cost of $7000 (US) despite the preference of the park patrons for streetcars. Ingersoll had also overestimated the first-year attendance at Luna Park, anticipating 500,000 paid customers in its maiden year, but the actual total was closer to 325,000 in 1906.[1] Attendance declined in 1907, contrary to the anticipation of both Ingersoll and Scranton city officials.
The cost of upgrading and maintaining his amusement parks proved too much for Ingersoll as he was forced to declare bankruptcy in 1908.[4] Several of the Luna Parks were sold to others; Ingersoll retained ownership of the Scranton park despite repeated attempts at collection by his various creditors.
Attendance continued to decline to the point that Luna Park became unprofitable in the 1910s; a fire on August 23, 1916, destroyed the dance pavilion, roller coaster station, and runway of the "Shoot-the-Chutes", a significant portion of the park,[5] a fatal blow to the struggling enterprise. Very few remnants of Luna Park remain after the construction of Interstate 81 through much of the grounds in the 1960s and a widening of the Central Scranton Expressway in 1998.[6]
See also
References
- ^ a b c James N. J. Henwood and John G. Muncie, Laurel Line: An Anthracite Region Railway (Tribute Books, 2005) ISBN 0-9765072-3-4
- ^ Luna Park's luminary: Entrepreneur/roller coaster designer deserves his due - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 1 September 2008
- ^ Jack Hiddlestone, Scranton Luna Park (Penn Creative Litho 1991) cited in Cheryl A. Kashuba, Darlene Miller-Lanning, and Alan Sweeney, Scranton (Arcadia Publishing 2005) ISBN 0-7385-3859-0
- ^ Jim Futrell, Amusement Parks of Pennsylvania (Flagpole Books, 2002) ISBN 0-8117-2671-1
- ^ Cheryl A. Kashuba, Darlene Miller-Lanning, and Alan Sweeney, Scranton (Arcadia Publishing 2005) ISBN 0-7385-3859-0
- ^ Luna Park Scranton entry in defunctparks.com
External links
- Scranton Luna Park entry in defunctparks.com - has several pictures of the park
- 2007 pictures of Luna Park remnants
- Luna Park, Scranton at the Roller Coaster DataBase