Forest Park Highlands facts for kids
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Forest Park Highlands was a very popular amusement park in St. Louis, Missouri. It was a fun place where families and friends could go for rides, games, and entertainment. This park was open for many years, from 1896 until 1963.
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Forest Park Highlands: A Historic Amusement Park
The Beginning of a Fun Place
Forest Park Highlands first opened its doors in 1896. In its early days, it was a place where people could relax, enjoy music, and have a good time outdoors. It quickly grew into a full-fledged amusement park.
Famous Visitors and Performers
Many famous people visited or performed at Forest Park Highlands over the years. For example, the well-known singer Sophie Tucker entertained crowds there. The famous bandleader John Philip Sousa, known for his marches, also performed. Even the boxing champion Jack Dempsey made an appearance.
Exciting Rides and Attractions
The park had many exciting things to do. One special feature was a pagoda building. This pagoda came from the 1904 World's Fair, which was held right across the street in Forest Park.
Visitors could enjoy classic amusement park rides like a big ferris wheel. There was also a fun railway ride. If you liked bumping into things, you could try the dodgem cars. The park also had tiltawhirls, which spun and tilted riders in different directions. For those who liked games, there were shooting galleries, doll throws, and wheels of chance where you could win prizes.
The End of an Era
By 1963, the park was facing challenges. There was also a plan to build a community college on the land where the park stood. Sadly, on July 19, 1963, a large fire broke out at Forest Park Highlands. The fire destroyed almost everything in the park. Only the swimming pool and the wooden frame of the roller coaster were left standing.
Two years later, it was announced that a new college, St. Louis Community College–Forest Park, would be built on the site of the old amusement park. Even though the park is gone, many people still remember the fun times they had at Forest Park Highlands.
