Joyland Amusement Park (Wichita, Kansas) facts for kids
Entrance in 2003, before the sign was removed in June 2014
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| Location | 2801 S Hillside St, Wichita, Kansas 67216 |
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| Coordinates | 37°38′28″N 97°18′14″W / 37.641223°N 97.303880°W |
| Opened | 1949 |
| Closed | 2006 |
| Owner | Stanley & Margaret Nelson |
| Slogan | The Southwest's Finest |
| Operating season | Closed |
| Area | 57 acres (23 ha) |
| Attractions | |
| Roller coasters | Roller Coaster (Nightmare) |
| Water rides | Log Jam |
Joyland Amusement Park was a fun amusement park located in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It was open for 55 years, from June 12, 1949, until 2004. The park officially closed its doors forever in 2006.
Joyland was once the biggest theme park in central Kansas. It had a cool wooden roller coaster and 24 other exciting rides for everyone to enjoy.
Contents
Park History
How Joyland Started
Joyland Amusement Park was created by Lester Ottaway and his sons, Herbert and Harold. They wanted a permanent home for a special miniature steam train. Herb Ottaway had bought this train in 1933.
The train was originally part of an old amusement park in Fort Scott. It was built a long time ago, between 1905 and 1910. Herb, who also built race cars, fixed up the train and its cars.
By 1934, the miniature train was ready. Herb started taking it to county fairs in Kansas and Colorado. Later, he even built a track for it around a racetrack in Manitou Springs, Colorado.
Finding a Permanent Home
Joyland Amusement Park officially opened on June 12, 1949. Its main purpose was to give Harold's miniature train a permanent place in Kansas. The park first opened at a different spot in Wichita.
Soon after, it moved to its well-known location at 2801 South Hillside. After Lester Ottaway passed away in the 1950s, his three sons, Herbert, Harold, and Eddie, continued to run the park as a family business.
New Owners and New Rides
In the early 1970s, the Ottaway brothers decided to retire. They sold the park to Stanley and Margaret Nelson. Stanley passed away in 2010.
The Nelsons were very important to the park for over 30 years. Many of the rides that people remember, like the Whacky Shack dark ride, were added during their time. The Whacky Shack was a special two-story ride that opened in 1974.
The original miniature train retired with the Ottaways. It was replaced by a new C. P. Huntington miniature train. This train was the very first one built by Chance Rides.
Challenges in the 2000s
In April 2004, an accident happened on the Ferris wheel. A young person was hurt, and safety officials investigated what happened.
Because of money problems and safety worries, the park had to close for the 2004 season. In 2006, a company tried to lease and restore parts of the park. However, they faced financial issues and could not open it again.
After 2004, the park was left empty and started to fall apart. It faced challenges like damage and things going missing. Many buildings were covered in graffiti. The old sign from the top of the roller coaster was even stolen in 2009.
Efforts to Restore
In 2006, some renovations were done at the park. These changes focused more on making the park look better. The roller coaster had $10,000 worth of wood repairs. It was even renamed "The Nightmare."
The Log Jam, the only water ride, had its pumps fixed. The park was painted baby blue and pink, which was a big change. An organization called Restore Hope tried to get community support to rebuild the park. Their plan was to restore it and then expand it over several years.
Recent Events
In 2010, Stanley Nelson, one of the park's owners, passed away.
On August 4, 2012, a building in the park caught fire. Luckily, none of the rides were damaged. Police looked into the cause of the fire.
In May 2014, it was announced that Margaret Nelson Spear, the park owner, gave the park's carousel to the Botanica in Wichita. The plan was to fully restore it.
In June 2014, the famous parking lot sign was sold. It was taken down to be stored and eventually restored.
On February 19, 2015, something exciting happened! Louie the Clown, the animatronic clown who played the park's Wurlitzer organ, was found. He had been missing for over ten years.
In April 2015, a strong windstorm badly damaged the roller coaster. Large parts of its track were destroyed. Soon after, the roller coaster and other remaining buildings were taken down.
On August 8, 2018, the Whacky Shack dark ride was destroyed by fire. It was one of the few buildings left and had been a very popular ride.
In November 2018, the land where Joyland used to be was sold at an auction.
Joyland's Rides
Ride Summary
Joyland Amusement Park had more than 24 rides, including:
- Dodge'm – bumper cars
- Ferris wheel
- Giant Slide
- Log Jam – a log flume-style water ride
- Miniature train
- Paratrooper
- Roller coaster
- Round Up
- Scrambler
- Skycoaster
- Tilt-A-Whirl
- The Whacky Shack – a dark ride
- Zumur – a Chance Rides Wave Swinger
The Roller Coaster
The park's wooden roller coaster was built in 1949. It was designed by Herbert Paul Schmeck. This coaster was one of the last original wooden coasters still standing.
It was known as an "ACE Coaster Classic" by roller coaster fans. The track was about 2,600 ft (790 m) long. It had an 80 ft (24 m) drop and could reach speeds of 50 mph (80 km/h).
For a while, it was renamed "The Nightmare." This roller coaster was special because it was the only one in North America still using old ride cars with fixed lap bars. A movie called King Kung Fu was even filmed there. Sadly, a windstorm in April 2015 badly damaged it, and it was taken down.
The Fairground Organ and Louie the Clown
Joyland had a huge musical instrument called a Mammoth Military Band Organ. It was also known as a Wurlitzer Style #160. This was the biggest of Wurlitzer's early models.
It was built around 1905 and had 486 wood and brass pipes. It played music using special paper rolls. The sound was like a military brass band with 20 to 25 musicians! This type of organ was often used in roller rinks.
In 1950, the Ottaway family bought the restored organ for the park. They added Louie, an automated clown. Louie sat at the keyboard and "played" the organ. Louie and the Mighty Wurlitzer were a famous part of Joyland. Their music filled the whole park. This organ was one of only two such models left.
The Carousel
The park also had an original Allan Herschell Company carousel. It was built in 1949 and still had all its original horses. Every year since 1951, the carousel was carefully taken apart at the end of the season. This helped protect it.
In May 2014, the park owner, Margaret Nelson Spear, gave the carousel to the Botanica in Wichita. It was planned to be fully restored. After a lot of work, the carousel opened to the public on November 28, 2019.
Joyland in Media
Joyland Amusement Park has been featured in different media. The cover of Andy McKee's album, Joyland, shows elements from the park. Andy McKee is from Kansas, and he used images from the park for his "abandoned amusement park" theme.
A rock band called Scepter also wrote a song and made a video about Joyland. The park was a special part of their childhood.
