Luna Park, Cleveland facts for kids
Luna Park was a popular amusement park in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. It was open from 1905 to 1929. It was known as a "trolley park" because people often rode trolley cars to get there.
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What Was Luna Park Like?
Luna Park was built by Frederick Ingersoll. It covered about 35 acres (140,000 square meters) of hilly land. The park was located near Woodland Avenue, Woodhill, Mt. Carmel, and East 110th Street.
Exciting Rides and Attractions
The park had many fun things to do. You could ride exciting roller coasters and classic carousels. There was also a silly fun house and a tall Ferris wheel. If you liked to skate, there was a roller rink. A thrilling shoot-the-chutes ride sent boats splashing into water.
Entertainment and Sports
Luna Park also offered lots of entertainment. It had a place for concerts and a large dance hall. You could even drive bumper cars! For sports fans, there was a baseball field. The park also had a huge 20,000-seat stadium. This stadium was sometimes called "Luna Bowl." It was used for American football games.
A Brightly Lit Park
Cleveland's Luna Park opened on May 18, 1905. It was one of many parks built by Frederick Ingersoll. It was also one of the first amusement parks to be covered in bright electrical lights. This made it look magical at night.
The Park's History
Frederick Ingersoll, who first owned Luna Park, faced money problems in 1908. He had to sell the park to Matthew Bramley. Bramley was one of the first people to invest in Ingersoll's park company.
Growth and Challenges
Matthew Bramley added more rides as Luna Park became more popular. People enjoyed visiting, partly because they could buy beer there. However, things changed when Prohibition began in 1920. This law stopped the sale of alcohol. Because of this, the park lost a lot of money and became less popular.
The End of Luna Park
Luna Park officially closed its gates in 1929. This was when the Great Depression started in the United States. The park also faced problems with fires. For example, the football stadium was destroyed by a fire. Most of the rides were taken apart and moved to other amusement parks in the early 1930s.
Sports at Luna Bowl
The "Luna Bowl" stadium was home to several sports teams. The Cleveland Panthers and the Cleveland Bulldogs played their American football games there.
Baseball Teams
After the amusement rides were removed, the baseball field next to the stadium was still used. Several Negro league baseball teams played their home games there. These included the Cleveland Stars (in 1932), the Cleveland Giants (in 1933), and the Cleveland Red Sox (in 1934).
College Football
Even college teams played at Luna Park. On November 19, 1927, Case School of Applied Science played Western Reserve University there. Case won the game 7–6. The winning touchdown was scored by Frank Herzegh.
The Final Fire
The last part of Luna Park to remain was the skating rink. But on December 12, 1938, it was also destroyed by fire. In 1940, a housing development called Woodhill Homes was built where the park used to be.
Luna Park, Cleveland at the Roller Coaster DataBase
