Electric Park, Baltimore
Encyclopedia
Open to the public from 1896 through 1915 and razed in 1916, Baltimore's Electric Park was a 24 acres (97,124.6 m²) amusement park
located near the intersection of Belvedere Avenue and Reisterstown Road. A trolley park
that originally opened as a racetrack
for harness racing
, Electric Park's primary attractions were the thousands of light bulbs that shone at night. Admission to the park was free. The park was served by the North Avenue line of the United Railways and Electric Company
for the duration of the park's existence.
On 16 July 1896, the park was the first place in the State of Maryland
to show motion pictures to the public; the ensuing series of presentations at the park helped establish Electric Park's popularity. Two years later (22 November 1900), the Electric Park racetrack was the site of Maryland's first automobile race.
By 1900, a carousel
was added to the park and was an immediate success. Subsequent additions include a casino
restaurant
, a simulation of the Johnstown Flood
, a shoot-the-chutes
ride, a "Human Laundry" ride, a "Human Roulette Wheel" ride, two roller coaster
s, boating
attractions, vaudeville
acts, and band concerts.
In addition to regular fireworks
displays presented by a man billing himself as "Professor Pain", the park featured live performances, including Bill Pawnee's Wild West Show (which at one time had a lion escape from its handler's control), and performances by a band led by Signor Vincent Del Manto (with the playing of "Electric Park March" on special occasions). In June 1908, a dirigible flown by Lincoln Beachy was launched from the park as a publicity stunt (the airship landed atop a building in downtown Baltimore).
While Electric Park enjoyed great popularity in the first dozen years of the 20th century, increased competition in addition to increasing insurance and maintenance costs forced its closure at the end of the 1915 season. The park was razed the following year. No trace of the Electric Park remains.
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
located near the intersection of Belvedere Avenue and Reisterstown Road. A trolley park
Trolley park
In the United States, trolley parks, which started in the 19th century, were picnic and recreation areas along or at the ends of streetcar lines in most of the larger cities. These were precursors to amusement parks. These trolley parks were created by the streetcar companies to give people a...
that originally opened as a racetrack
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
for harness racing
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
, Electric Park's primary attractions were the thousands of light bulbs that shone at night. Admission to the park was free. The park was served by the North Avenue line of the United Railways and Electric Company
United Railways and Electric Company
The United Railways and Electric Company was a street railway company in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area of the U.S. state of Maryland from 1899 to 1935....
for the duration of the park's existence.
On 16 July 1896, the park was the first place in the State of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
to show motion pictures to the public; the ensuing series of presentations at the park helped establish Electric Park's popularity. Two years later (22 November 1900), the Electric Park racetrack was the site of Maryland's first automobile race.
By 1900, a carousel
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
was added to the park and was an immediate success. Subsequent additions include a casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
, a simulation of the Johnstown Flood
Johnstown Flood
The Johnstown Flood occurred on May 31, 1889. It was the result of the catastrophic failure of the South Fork Dam situated upstream of the town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, USA, made worse by several days of extremely heavy rainfall...
, a shoot-the-chutes
Shoot-the-Chutes
Shoot-the-Chutes is an amusement ride consisting of a flat-bottomed boat that slides down a ramp or inside a flume into a lagoon. Unlike a log flume, a Shoot-the-Chutes generally has larger boats and one single drop....
ride, a "Human Laundry" ride, a "Human Roulette Wheel" ride, two roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
s, boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
attractions, vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
acts, and band concerts.
In addition to regular fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
displays presented by a man billing himself as "Professor Pain", the park featured live performances, including Bill Pawnee's Wild West Show (which at one time had a lion escape from its handler's control), and performances by a band led by Signor Vincent Del Manto (with the playing of "Electric Park March" on special occasions). In June 1908, a dirigible flown by Lincoln Beachy was launched from the park as a publicity stunt (the airship landed atop a building in downtown Baltimore).
While Electric Park enjoyed great popularity in the first dozen years of the 20th century, increased competition in addition to increasing insurance and maintenance costs forced its closure at the end of the 1915 season. The park was razed the following year. No trace of the Electric Park remains.