Peony Park facts for kids

Peony Park was a popular amusement park in Omaha, Nebraska. It was located at North 78th and Cass Streets. The park opened in 1919 and was a fun place for 75 years.

Peony Park covered about 35-acre (140,000 m²) of land. It had a huge 4.5-acre (18,000 m²) swimming pool, a beach, and waterslides. There was also a very large ballroom, which was said to be "1 acre under one roof." An outdoor dance area could hold 3,000 dancers! The park also had many amusement rides and other attractions. Peony Park closed its doors in 1994. For its entire history, it was known as Nebraska's biggest amusement park.

A Look Back: Peony Park's History

Peony Park started in 1919. It was created by local business owners Godfrey Malec, and brothers Jerry and Joe Sr. They got help from an investor named Frank Srb. The Malec brothers first opened a gas station and a restaurant. This was on the Lincoln Highway, a very important road.

Next door, Carl Rosenfield had beautiful Peony Gardens. These gardens had been there since 1884. They featured 25 acres (100,000 m²) of peonies in hundreds of different types. When the gardens became a popular stop on the Lincoln Highway, the Malec brothers added fun amusements. This made the area even more exciting.

Peony Park became famous in the 1930s. It was the official home for the Lawrence Welk Band. Many other famous bands also played there. These included The Les Brown Band, The Woody Herman Band, and Duke Ellington. The park also hosted special events like Coca-Cola Date Night and Polka Days. The city of Omaha grew around the park. In 1958, Peony Park officially became part of the city.

In the 1980s, Omaha's Italian community started holding their yearly celebration, La Festa Italiana, at the park. This continued until the park closed. Today, La Festa is held at il Palazzo.

Changes for Everyone: Peony Park's Rules

For many years, Peony Park had rules that separated people. This was especially true for the swimming pool. People were kept apart based on their race.

In 1955, the State of Nebraska challenged Peony Park's rules. This happened after two African American swimmers were not allowed to join a swimming event at the park. The court decided that Peony Park's rules were unfair.

Later, young people in Omaha started protests. They wanted to end the unfair rules at the park. These protests helped change things. By 1963, the park's rules were changed, and everyone was welcome. This was an important part of the civil rights movement in Omaha.

Fun and Games: Peony Park's Amusements

When Peony Park first opened, it had a beer garden and a ballroom. In 1926, a swimming pool was added. The park started adding more exciting amusement rides in the 1970s. These included a roller coaster and other classic rides. Some rides were called "Seven Swings," Wonderland, and the Galaxy roller coaster.

Splashing Fun: Water Slides and Pool

The large swimming pool and its beach covered 4.5 acres (18,000 m²) of the park. The pool held about five million gallons of clean, filtered water. It was filled by artesian wells. The pool was 700 feet long. Its depth ranged from one foot to 10 feet (3.0 m).

Peony Park had three exciting water slides. In 1983, a student from the University of Nebraska at Omaha won a sliding competition. He slid down a four-story water slide 1,710 times! This took him 87 hours and 19 minutes. He won many prizes, including money and a moped.

Dancing Nights: Royal Terrace Ballroom

On one side of the lake was the Royal Terrace Ballroom. It was famous for being "1 acre under one roof." Many big bands from the Swing Era played music there regularly. Later, the ballroom hosted concerts with famous rock bands. These included Metallica, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and The Bangles.

Outdoor Grooves: Royal Grove

The Royal Grove was an outdoor stage with a white roof. It had a large dance floor that could hold 3,000 dancers.

From 1978 to 1981, Omaha radio station KOIL hosted outdoor dance parties here. They were called "Under the Stars." Thousands of teenagers came every summer to dance. Later, the event moved to KQKQ-FM (Sweet 98).

Other Areas: More to Explore

Originally, there was an open area west of the Royal Grove. It had a softball field and places for picnics. The park also had bathhouses, service buildings, and snack stands.

Peony Park Today: What's Left?

Peony Park was put up for sale in 1993. It was becoming too expensive to run, and not enough people were visiting. Many tried to save the park, but it was too hard to make a profit. A company bought the land to build a shopping center. Peony Park officially closed after the summer of 1994.

Today, the area where Peony Park once stood is a shopping center. It has restaurants, a bank, and a grocery store. Only two small parts of the original park remain. There is a Keno parlor and a short piece of the old fence. These were left as a tribute to the park's history.

Images for kids

• 

  A postcard showing Royal Terrace in Peony Park, Omaha, Nebraska.