Elitch Gardens facts for kids
| Previously known as Elitch's Zoological Gardens | |
Poster for Elitch's Zoological Gardens (c. 1900)
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| Location | Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
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| Coordinates | 39°46′5.73″N 105°2′46.63″W / 39.7682583°N 105.0462861°W |
| Opened | May 1, 1890 |
| Closed | October 1, 1994 |
| Owner | John Elitch and Mary Elitch Long (1890–1916) John Mulvihill (1916–1930) Gurtler family (1930–1995) Elitch Gardens (1995–2014) |
| Slogan | Not to See Elitch's is Not to See Denver |
| Area | 28 acres (113,000 m²) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 37 |
| Roller coasters | 5 |
| Water rides | 2 |
Elitch Gardens was a famous amusement park, theater, and garden in Denver, Colorado. It was located at 38th and Tennyson streets. For over 100 years, Elitch's was a top fun spot in Colorado. People knew it for its beautiful gardens, the Elitch Theatre, the Trocadero Ballroom, and the amazing wooden roller coaster called Mister Twister. The park moved to downtown Denver in 1994. Today, it is known as Elitch Gardens Theme Park. The old park site has been rebuilt into a new neighborhood.
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Early Days of Elitch Gardens
Elitch's Zoological Gardens first opened on May 1, 1890. It was built on 16 acres of old farmland. John Elitch and Mary Elitch bought the land. This was the first zoo west of Chicago. It gave Denver a special cultural experience.
After John died in 1891, Mary Elitch Long ran the park for 26 years. She was the first woman to own and manage a zoo. Elitch's was the only zoo between Chicago and the West Coast for a long time. One of the bears there was famous for dancing a waltz when the band played music!
The Elitch Theatre opened in 1890. It became home to the oldest summer stock theater in the country. Summer stock theater means plays are performed by a group of actors for a short time, usually in the summer. This theater entertained people from 1893 until it closed in 1991. It was also where the first movies were shown in Colorado on August 14, 1896. Many famous actors from New York and Hollywood performed on its stage. The theater paid good wages, so it attracted big stars for many years. The theater building is still standing at the original park site today.
The park's first roller coaster, a Toboggan Figure 8, opened in 1904. The park also added its first carousel in 1906. This carousel is still used today. You can find it as the Kit Carson County Carousel in Burlington, Colorado.
New Owners and Fun Times
In 1916, John Mulvihill bought the park. A rule was made that the park's name could never be changed. New attractions soon appeared. The amazing Trocadero Ballroom opened in 1917. Two new rides from the Philadelphia Toboggan Company were also added. These included the Wildcat roller coaster in 1922 and a new carousel in 1928. This second carousel is still working at the new Elitch Gardens today. During this time, the park's famous slogan became popular: "Not to See Elitch's is Not to See Denver."
The park's gardens grew bigger, and greenhouses were built. Elitch's even became a business that sold flowers. John Mulvihill passed away in 1930. His son-in-law, Arnold Gurtler, then took over the park.
In the mid-1930s, the zoo part of the park closed. This space was then used for more beautiful gardens and rides. A huge floral clock was added. The Trocadero Ballroom became a popular place for touring big bands. It also hosted "An Evening at the Troc," a weekly radio show. This ballroom was a famous summer night spot. It had many brilliant stars who performed live on national radio.
In 1945, Arnold Gurtler's sons, Jack and Budd, started managing the park. In 1952, a new area called Kiddieland opened. It was made just for small children. At a time when most amusement parks were for adults, Kiddieland was a huge hit. It had small rocket planes, race cars, and even tiny motorboats. The park's flower business was also very successful. In the early 1950s, it became the largest supplier of carnations in the country.
Sadly, the Trocadero Ballroom was torn down in 1976. People said ballroom dancing was not as popular anymore. The beloved Trocadero was replaced with arcade games. The theater, which had changed its shows in 1962, closed in 1991.
Mister Twister Roller Coaster
Mister Twister opened in 1965. It was a 96-foot-tall wooden roller coaster. John C. Allen designed it. Advertisements proudly said it didn't "have a foot of straight track." This coaster was often named one of the top ten rides in the country. It stopped running in 1994 when the park moved. The Twister II at the new Elitch Gardens is built to look like the original Mister Twister.
Another park, Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pennsylvania, thought about moving the original Mister Twister. But they didn't have enough space. So, they built a new version that was very similar. They simply called it Twister.
One cool thing about Mister Twister was that after climbing the first hill, riders could see another famous roller coaster. It was the 'Cyclone' at Lakeside Amusement Park.
Wildcat Roller Coaster
The Wildcat was the oldest roller coaster at the park. It was built in 1926 as "The Skyrocket." It was updated and renamed "The Wildcat" in 1935. This wooden coaster was designed by Herbert Schmeck. Like Mister Twister, it did not move to downtown Denver. It was later taken down to make space for new homes.
Sidewinder Roller Coaster
The Sidewinder was the first looping roller coaster in Colorado. It came to Elitch Gardens in 1990 from another park. It was built in 1980. This ride is a launched shuttle loop. It speeds into a drop, then goes through a vertical loop, up another hill, and then runs the whole course backwards! The Sidewinder did move to the new park. It is one of only three such rides still working today.
Move to a New Home
In 1985, Sandy Gurtler, Buddy Gurtler's son, took over managing the park. The old park location had no room to grow. The family had wanted to move to a bigger spot for a long time. The city of Denver offered a new location. It was in the Central Platte River Valley, an area that used to be a cleanup site.
On May 27, 1995, Elitch's opened at its new downtown location. It brought fifteen of its twenty main rides from the old park. The new park is next to Interstate 25. It is near Empower Field at Mile High and the Pepsi Center. It is one of the few amusement parks in the United States located right in a city downtown.
At the old location, fires happened a day apart in November 1995. They destroyed the arcade building. They also badly damaged the Splinter water ride and the Wildcat roller coaster.
After two seasons at its new location, the park was sold to Premier Parks. This company later bought all Six Flags parks. The park was called 'Six Flags Elitch Gardens' until 2006. Then, it was sold again and renamed simply 'Elitch Gardens'. Different companies have managed the park since then. Today, Premier Parks, LLC runs it.
What Happened to the Old Park Site?
The 28-acre site of the old amusement park has been rebuilt. It is now called Highlands' Garden Village. This new neighborhood won an award in 2005 for its smart growth design. It has 308 homes and many offices and shops. The builders kept many of the old trees and parts of the park. This includes the historic Elitch Theatre, the entertainment gazebo, and the building that once held the carousel. That building is now a picnic area. The new development used recycled building materials. It also went beyond Colorado's green building programs.
A company wanted to build a grocery store there. But people living nearby protested. They did not want that store in their area. In 2004, the company decided not to build it. Another grocery store, Sunflower Farmers Market, opened there in 2005. In 2009, this grocery store building was recognized as the first "green" supermarket of its kind in the United States.
Images for kids
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Poster for Elitch's Zoological Gardens (c. 1900)
