Little Amerricka
Previously known as
| |
 | |
 Scrambler ride at Little Amerricka | |
| Location | Marshall, Wisconsin, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 43°9′53″N 89°3′30″W / 43.16472°N 89.05833°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | 1991 |
| Owner | Lee Merrick |
| General manager | Darrell Klompmaker |
| Slogan | Fun For All |
| Operating season | May through September |
| Area | 10 acres (4.0 ha) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 26 |
| Roller coasters | 4 |
| Website | LittleAmerricka.com |
Little Amerricka is an amusement park located in Marshall, Wisconsin, United States. It features the 16 in (406 mm) gauge[1] Whiskey River Railway, a 1/3 size rail road with over 3 miles (4.8 km) of track that begins at the amusement park and goes through trees, past the wildlife pond area, and across the Whiskey River. Passengers hear a whistle as they go through the tunnel, past the locomotive shops including roundhouse and turntable, over bridges and around a lake. Other attractions include 24 rides and an 18-hole miniature golf course.
The park is also the home of Merrick Light Railway Equipment, where 1/3 size steam, diesel, and car equipment are still built.
History
The concept for the park started in 1987 as a minimum-gauge railway that owner Lee Merrick constructed as a hobby. Guests often visited to ride it to his christmas tree farm. It proved popular enough for him to purchase the land the park currently stands on and build a concession stand. He was already beginning to collect and refurbish vintage children's rides, and was beginning to plan expanding to a park around 1989 when he met his business partner Darrell Klompmaker. They opened in 1991 with mini golf, the railway, bumper cars, a ferris wheel, a Tilt-a-Whirl, and a fire truck ride. In 1993, they added the Little Dipper, Mad Mouse, and Tobboggan, and became the only park in Wisconsin to have a permanent roller coaster at the time. In 2003, they purchased a wooden roller coaster, The Meteor. They had to replace about 75% of the wood, but it became the first wooden coaster that was moved to a new park more than one time. [2] Lee Merrick passed in 2011.[3]
Attractions
Roller coasters
| Ride | Manufacturer | First season | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Dipper | Allan Herschell | 1993 | An oval kiddie coaster that was purchased from a private party in Missouri. | [4] |
| Mad Mouse | Allan Herschell Company | 1993 | A wild mouse coaster. The manufacturing date on this ride is 1960. Mad Mouse was relocated from Enchanted Forest in Chesterton, Indiana. | [5] |
| Swiss Toboggan | Chance Rides | 1993 | This is the prototype Chance Toboggan ride. This was the first of two Toboggan rides Chance built without a trailer (and currently the only remaining permanent installation operating), and built in 1969. Relocated from Dogpatch USA where it was known as Earthquake McGoon's Brain Rattler. | [6] |
| Meteor | Philadelphia Toboggan Company | 2007 | A Schmeck junior wooden coaster that opened in 1953 at Kiddytown. Moved in 1966 to Hillcrest Park. Purchased in 2003 and reconstructed at Little Amerricka. Darrell Klompmaker supervised the move. | [7] |
Other rides
| Name | Year Opened | Manufacturer | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Baron | 1991 | Allan Herschell Company | Red Baron |
| Fire Truck Rescue | 1995 | Zamperla | Fire Truck |
| Helicopter Adventure | 1991 | Allan Herschell Company | Helicopter |
| Kiddie Wheel | 1991 | Allan Herschell Company | Kiddie Ferris Wheel |
| Parachute Tower | 1999 | Zamperla | Parachute Tower |
| Merry-Go-Round | 1991 | Chance Rides | Carousel |
| Whiskey River Railway | 1991 | Crown Metal Products | Train ride |
| Test Pilot | 1991 | Eyerly | Roll-O-Plane |
| Ferris Wheel | 1991 | Eli Bridge Company | Ferris Wheel |
| Scrambler | 1991 | Eli Bridge Company | Scrambler |
| Tilt-A-Whirl | 1991 | Sellner Manufacturing | Tilt-A-Whirl |
| Hampton Combo Cars | 1991 | Hampton Amusements | Motorcycle Jump |
| Kiddie Boats | 1991 | Allan Herschell Company | Kiddie Boats |
| Bumper Cars | 1998 | Bertazzon | Bumper Cars |
| Monorail | 1994 | Zamperla | Aerial Ride |
| Go Karts | 2003 | J&J Amusements | Go Karts |
| Bumper Boats | 1998 | Arrow Dynamics | Bumper Boats |
See also
References
- ^ "Whiskey River RR 4-6-2 No. 'Oakland Acorn', Marshall, WI, United States". Steam Locomotive Information. 2017-06-10.
- ^ "Little Amerricka". Park World Online - Theme Park, Amusement Park and Attractions Industry News. 2009-06-28.
- ^ "Unique amusement park owner Lee W. Merrick dies at 92". Wisconsin State Journal. Aug 9, 2011.
- ^ "Little Dipper - Little Amerricka (Marshall, Wisconsin, United States)". Roller Coaster DataBase. 2001-06-16.
- ^ "Mad Mouse - Little Amerricka (Marshall, Wisconsin, United States)". Roller Coaster DataBase. 2001-06-16.
- ^ "Swiss Toboggan - Little Amerricka (Marshall, Wisconsin, United States)". Roller Coaster DataBase. 2001-06-16.
- ^ "Meteor - Little Amerricka (Marshall, Wisconsin, United States)". Roller Coaster DataBase. 2007-08-08.
External links
- Official website
- Little Amerricka at the Roller Coaster DataBase
- "Little Amerricka". Roller Coaster Philosophy. 2011-09-04.
- Wild, Matt (2018-08-06). "Life, death, and the timeless amusements of Little Amerricka". Milwaukee Record.