Jantzen Beach Amusement Park facts for kids
Jantzen Beach Amusement Park was a super fun place! It was a popular amusement park in Portland, Oregon. It sat on Hayden Island, right in the middle of the Columbia River.
The park was open from 1928 to 1970. People called it "The Coney Island of the West." It opened on May 26, 1928. At the time, it was the biggest amusement park in the country. It covered over 123 acres (50 hectares) at the northern tip of Portland.
Park History
In 1927, two people named William A. Logus and Leo F. Smith bought land. They bought 40 acres (16 hectares) on Hayden Island. They bought it from the Portland Electric Power Company.
Logus and Smith started the Hayden Island Amusement Company. They built an amusement park and a tourist spot. They named it Jantzen Beach Amusement Park. This was to honor Carl Jantzen, who helped pay for the park. He was famous for Jantzen swimsuits.
The park opened on May 26, 1928. It was a huge success! Over 30 million people visited the park during its 42 years.
On opening day, 15,000 people came to the park. They paid only $0.10 to get in. The next day, 25,000 more people visited.
The park had many cool things to do. It had a merry-go-round and a fun house. There was also a big roller coaster called the Big Dipper. The Golden Canopy Ballroom was a place for dancing.
Jantzen Beach also had four swimming pools. One of these was a large indoor pool called a natatorium. There were 25 acres (10 hectares) for picnics. Plus, 15 acres (6 hectares) were set aside for parking cars.
The famous C.W. Parker carousel was built in 1921. It moved to Jantzen Beach in 1927. Some of its hand-carved horses were made by inmates. They were from the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas. The park was most popular in the 1940s.
In the late 1950s, fewer people came to the park. The land also became more valuable for businesses. So, the park closed on Labor Day in 1970.
The old pumping system from the swimming pools is still there. It now helps pump drinking water to people living on Hayden Island.
The Jantzen Beach Carousel was moved. It went inside the Jantzen Beach Mall. This shopping mall was built where the park used to be. The carousel operated there from 1972 to 2012.
In 2012, the carousel was removed. This happened because the shopping center was being rebuilt. The carousel is currently in storage. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. However, it was removed from the list in 2008.
Fun Attractions
Jantzen Beach Amusement Park had many exciting rides and areas. Here are some of the main attractions:
- Big Dipper — A thrilling wooden roller coaster (open 1928–1969)
- Kiddie Dipper — A smaller steel roller coaster for kids (open 1947–1970)
- Golden Canopy Ballroom — A large hall for dancing and events
- The Jantzen Beach Carousel — A beautiful, classic merry-go-round
- Natatorium — A big indoor swimming pool
- Picnic grounds — Large areas for families to have picnics
- Laffing Sal and Joe Barker — Two robot circus criers that would talk and entertain
- Venetian Canal ride — A boat ride through a canal
- Jantzen Beach Railway — A small train ride around the park
- Fun House — A building with tricky mirrors and moving floors
- Elbow Room Restaurant — A place to grab a bite to eat
- Midway — An area with games and small rides
- Buzzer — A ride that spun people around
- Roll-O-Planes — A ride with small planes that spun and tilted
- Ferris Wheel — A classic ride with gondolas that lifted people high up
- Haunted house — A spooky attraction for thrills
