White City (Indianapolis) facts for kids

White City (also known as White City Amusement Park) was a fun amusement park located in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was part of Broad Ripple Park. The park opened on May 26, 1906, and closed just two years later on June 26, 1908.

The Broad Ripple Transit Company built and owned this park. White City was a "trolley park", meaning it was built at the end of a streetcar line to encourage people to use the streetcars. Like other parks nearby, White City was inspired by a famous exhibit at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Even though its opening day was a huge success, White City had the shortest life of the three main Indianapolis parks. It operated for only two and a half seasons before a big fire destroyed it. During its short time, ads called White City "the amusement park that satisfied."

How White City Began and Its Big Opening

White City opened during a time when amusement parks were becoming very popular across the country. It was the third of three major amusement parks to open in Indianapolis within three years. The park officially became a company on October 4, 1905.

Who Started White City?

Some of the main people involved in starting White City were Leon Bailey from New York City, and Indianapolis residents Raymond Van Camp, Robert Light, Milton Huey, and John W. Bowles. Robert Light was also the president of the Broad Ripple Rapid Transit Company. He thought putting the park at the end of his streetcar line would bring in lots of money for his railway company.

Building the Park

W. C. Tabb, the park manager, started building a boardwalk through and around a group of tall trees. This boardwalk connected all the different rides and exhibits. Even before it officially opened, thousands of people visited the site just to watch the construction. This made the park a popular spot even before it was finished!

The Grand Opening Day

On May 26, 1906, White City opened its six iron entrance gates to the public for the very first time. To make opening day even more exciting, the park hired an airship called the White Eagle. It flew high above the park, dropping money orders that people could use at the Indianapolis Star newspaper office.

The park's main entrance had a large arch, similar to other popular parks like Luna Parks and the local Wonderland. Two office buildings framed this entrance. After paying twenty cents to enter, visitors would step onto the boardwalk and see White City's bandstand straight ahead.

Fun Rides and Shows at White City

White City was located next to the White River, but its main attractions were the exciting rides and live shows.

Popular Rides and Exhibits

The park had many classic rides like a Shoot-the-Chutes (where boats slid down a ramp into water), a merry-go-round, and roller coasters. One roller coaster was a "scenic railway" that wound through the park's many trees. There was also a funhouse and other mechanical rides.

Some unique exhibits included a baby incubator display, a simulation of the Mount Vesuvius volcano erupting, and a firefighting show called "Fighting the Flames." This show was set around a 500-foot-long central area. Other popular rides were "Razzle Dazzle", "Hale's Tour of the World", "The Hereafter", "Bump-the-Bumps", and "Loop the Loop". A concrete walkway over the Shoot-the-Chutes was also a favorite spot. People loved to stand there and watch riders splash into the lake below. Postcards showing this view were very popular.

Live Entertainment and Games

White City always had live entertainment. This included marching bands (both military and civilian), animal acts, acrobatics, and vaudeville shows. An old theater building was turned into a roller skating rink. A dancing pavilion and a restaurant were built new. An arcade with a shooting gallery was located near the Shoot-the-Chutes' lake. Other fun spots were "The Fun Factory" and the Mystic Cave. The park even had a baseball diamond.

Water Fun at the Park

When the park first opened, visitors could enjoy water activities like a community swimming pool and boat rides on the White River. In 1908, a two-story pavilion and a promenade were added by the riverside. A large concrete-lined "bathing beach" pool was also being built for the park's third season.

Competition Among Parks

White City was the third of three major amusement parks to open in Indianapolis. Riverside Amusement Park opened its rides in 1903, and Wonderland opened just a week before White City in 1906. The competition among these three trolley parks was very strong during White City's short time.

Battling for Visitors

In 1906, all three parks competed for space in newspapers, regularly buying ads to promote their "newest attraction." It soon became clear that Indianapolis might not be able to support all three parks. The nationwide boom in amusement parks was starting to slow down.

Riverside Amusement Park tried to save money to stay open (it lasted until 1970). White City and Wonderland tried different ways to attract more visitors and cover their rising costs for insurance and building. White City started focusing on its live performances and natural areas, offering more activities near the White River. Wonderland, which was not near a river, continued to upgrade its mechanical rides.

New Attractions and Promotions

In 1907, White City added "Paris by Night," "Kemp's Model City," a "mysterious flying lady," and a billiard hall. White City was the first Indianapolis park to open that year. Its management advertised "all roads lead to White City" in the week before Wonderland opened. White City (and Riverside) also featured live shows with a Wild West theme, which was very popular at the time. On April 19, 1907, White City announced plans to build the "world's largest swimming pool" for 1908.

Despite trying to be different, many of White City's new attractions were often copied by its competitors. This included Wild West themes, albino aerialists, and more animal acts.

As the summer of 1907 continued, White City focused more on water activities and its picnic grounds. Weekly promotions that didn't involve mechanical rides appeared often in the Indianapolis Star and Indianapolis News. White City survived the 1907 season, while Wonderland almost closed due to the competition. Wonderland was saved by new investments and park expansions, staying open until a fire destroyed it in 1911.

The End of White City

Before the 1908 season, White City got a new manager, James L. Wood. He changed the park's focus away from natural attractions, though he continued building the almost-finished swimming pool. He added new attractions like the "human roulette wheel," a haunted house called "The London Ghost Show," a new movie theater, and an alligator show.

The Grand Pool Opening

Interest in the park grew with the announcement on June 21, 1908, that the swimming pool would soon open. This huge concrete pool was dug out of two acres of land. It was surrounded by bath houses for 1000 men and 500 women. Showers with hot and cold water were built, and the park planned to rent out bathing suits. The walkways around the pool were covered with sand to create a "true seashore feel." A grandstand was built for spectators, as the management planned to hold occasional boat races in the pool. The pool was set to have its grand opening on June 27.

The Fire That Destroyed It All

According to an article in Indianapolis Star, a fire started in a fake opium den inside the Mystic Cave on the evening of June 26, 1908. The fire quickly spread across almost the entire White City grounds. Only the swimming pool area was saved.

An investigation found that the fire started from a burning joss stick, which was no wider than the head of a pin. The huge fire caused an estimated $161,000 in damage to the park, which was not insured. Only the Japanese bowling alley had insurance, for $1000. This fire was a fatal blow to White City.

What Happened After the Fire

The park remained closed for three years. The Union Traction Company of Indiana bought the property on March 6, 1911. They quickly rebuilt it and operated it for eleven years. The large pool became the main attraction. New buildings like a boathouse, dance hall, and dining hall were added, along with new playground equipment. The pool was advertised as the largest in the world, being 500 feet long and 250 feet wide. This was done to encourage more weekend visitors on the company's interurban rail line. The pool hosted three important events: the 1922 National Swimming Event and the Olympic tryouts in 1924 and 1952. In the 1924 event, Johnny Weissmuller, famous for playing Tarzan, won the 100-meter freestyle qualifier.

In May 1922, the park was sold to the new Broad Ripple Amusement Park Association. They soon changed the park's name to Broad Ripple Amusement Park. In 1927, the park was sold again, this time to Oscar Baur, a brewery executive.

By 1938, the park proudly featured its concrete pool, still called "the world's largest." It also had 20 acres of free parking, a new ballroom, and mechanical rides. The Board of Parks Commission of Indianapolis bought the property on May 18, 1945, for $131,500. They turned the 60-acre property into a city park, which was once again named Broad Ripple Park. The city filled in the swimming pool, sold some of the remaining rides, and destroyed all the unsold ones. The only ride they kept was the 1917-vintage carousel, which they continued to operate until it became too old.

The animal figures from the Broad Ripple Park Carousel were bought by The Children's Museum of Indianapolis starting in 1966. The museum restored these figures and put them on a new carousel mechanism. This carousel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 and is still operating at the museum today.

The park's old steam locomotive was later moved to the Indiana Transportation Museum in Noblesville, Indiana.

Images for kids

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  Broad Ripple Park Carousel, now located at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis