Excelsior Amusement Park
Encyclopedia
Excelsior Amusement Park was located on Lake Minnetonka
in the town of Excelsior, Minnesota
. The park, which operated from 1925 to 1973, was a popular destination for company picnics and day trips from the Twin Cities.
, the park's main attractions included a wooden roller coaster
called the Cyclone, a Ferris wheel
, bumper cars, boat rides, a fun house, and a carousel
. The fun house had a gunny sack slide, a spinning disc that hurled people into a padded sidewall and a turning barrel that was nearly impossible to walk through. The carousel, built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company
, was in service for the entire duration of the park and is still in use at Valleyfair Amusement Park in Shakopee
. Contrary to widespread belief, the Cyclone roller coaster was not relocated to Valleyfair and renamed High Roller
. The Cyclone was scrapped, and High Roller
was designed especially for the new park.
Excelsior Amusement Park opened in 1925 and was run by Fred W. Pearce, an established amusement park
operator and roller coaster builder. Every summer a streetcar line from Minneapolis brought guests to the park from Memorial Day
through Labor Day
.
Excelsior Amusement Park was very popular in the 1940s and 1950s. During the 1960s the park became a hangout for Excelsior
teens and attracted crowds of young people from around the Twin Cities. Several incidents occurred in the late 1960s, some with racial overtones, and the trouble contributed to the park's eventual decline.
Danceland Ballroom at Excelsior Amusement Park hosted many well-known musical acts, including Lawrence Welk
, Tommy Dorsey
, the Beach Boys and the Rolling Stones. Legend has it that a visit by the Rolling Stones in June 1964 inspired the lyrics to the song You Can't Always Get What You Want
. A chance meeting between Mick Jagger
and local character "Mr. Jimmy" (Jimmy Hutmaker) gave rise to the story, which has never been verified.
Excelsior Amusement Park closed in 1973 and was demolished soon afterwards. Valleyfair, which opened in Shakopee
in 1976, now serves as the Twin Cities' primary amusement park. The former amusement park site is today the home of condominiums, Maynard's Restaurant and the Bayside Grille.
Photos
Lake Minnetonka History
Lake Minnetonka
Lake Minnetonka is a lake in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Throughout its recorded history, the lake has been a resort destination. It is located west-southwest of Minneapolis-St. Paul. The lake is an irregular shape with numerous bays and islands which make up about of shoreline...
in the town of Excelsior, Minnesota
Excelsior, Minnesota
Excelsior is a settlement on Lake Minnetonka in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,188 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
. The park, which operated from 1925 to 1973, was a popular destination for company picnics and day trips from the Twin Cities.
Attractions
Inspired by Coney IslandConey Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
, the park's main attractions included a wooden 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...
called the Cyclone, a Ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
, bumper cars, boat rides, a fun house, and a carousel
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
. The fun house had a gunny sack slide, a spinning disc that hurled people into a padded sidewall and a turning barrel that was nearly impossible to walk through. The carousel, built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company
Philadelphia Toboggan Company
The Philadelphia Toboggan Company is one of the oldest existing roller coaster manufacturing companies in the world.Mack Rides of Germany dates back to 1781, but it did not start building coasters until 1921 Based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, it was established in 1904 by Henry B...
, was in service for the entire duration of the park and is still in use at Valleyfair Amusement Park in Shakopee
Shakopee, Minnesota
Shakopee is a city southwest of downtown Minneapolis in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Scott County. Located on the south bank bend of the Minnesota River, Shakopee and nearby suburbs comprise the southwest portion of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, the thirteenth largest...
. Contrary to widespread belief, the Cyclone roller coaster was not relocated to Valleyfair and renamed High Roller
High Roller (Valleyfair)
High Roller is a wooden roller coaster located at Valleyfair in Shakopee, Minnesota. High Roller is Valleyfair's oldest roller coaster, being built in 1976 when the park opened...
. The Cyclone was scrapped, and High Roller
High Roller (Valleyfair)
High Roller is a wooden roller coaster located at Valleyfair in Shakopee, Minnesota. High Roller is Valleyfair's oldest roller coaster, being built in 1976 when the park opened...
was designed especially for the new park.
History
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...
operator and roller coaster builder. Every summer a streetcar line from Minneapolis brought guests to the park from Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
through Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
.
Excelsior Amusement Park was very popular in the 1940s and 1950s. During the 1960s the park became a hangout for Excelsior
Excelsior, Minnesota
Excelsior is a settlement on Lake Minnetonka in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,188 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
teens and attracted crowds of young people from around the Twin Cities. Several incidents occurred in the late 1960s, some with racial overtones, and the trouble contributed to the park's eventual decline.
Danceland Ballroom at Excelsior Amusement Park hosted many well-known musical acts, including Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk was an American musician, accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1982...
, Tommy Dorsey
Tommy Dorsey
Thomas Francis "Tommy" Dorsey, Jr. was an American jazz trombonist, trumpeter, composer, and bandleader of the Big Band era. He was known as "The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing", due to his smooth-toned trombone playing. He was the younger brother of bandleader Jimmy Dorsey...
, the Beach Boys and the Rolling Stones. Legend has it that a visit by the Rolling Stones in June 1964 inspired the lyrics to the song You Can't Always Get What You Want
You Can't Always Get What You Want
"You Can't Always Get What You Want" is a song by The Rolling Stones released on their 1969 album Let It Bleed. Written primarily by Mick Jagger with assistance from Keith Richards, it was named as the 100th greatest song of all time by Rolling Stone in its 2004 list of "500 Greatest Songs of All...
. A chance meeting between Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
and local character "Mr. Jimmy" (Jimmy Hutmaker) gave rise to the story, which has never been verified.
Excelsior Amusement Park closed in 1973 and was demolished soon afterwards. Valleyfair, which opened in Shakopee
Shakopee, Minnesota
Shakopee is a city southwest of downtown Minneapolis in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Scott County. Located on the south bank bend of the Minnesota River, Shakopee and nearby suburbs comprise the southwest portion of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, the thirteenth largest...
in 1976, now serves as the Twin Cities' primary amusement park. The former amusement park site is today the home of condominiums, Maynard's Restaurant and the Bayside Grille.
External links
- News story and video on Mr. Jimmy Hutmaker.
- Roller coasters built by Fred W. Pearce
- Amusement parks of the Twin Cities
Photos
- Excelsior Amusement Park at the Minnesota Historical SocietyMinnesota Historical SocietyThe Minnesota Historical Society is a private, non-profit educational and cultural institution dedicated to preserving the history of the U.S. state of Minnesota. It was founded by the territorial legislature in 1849, almost a decade before statehood. The Society is named in the Minnesota...
. - Excelsior Amusement Park at the Excelsior - Lake Minnetonka Historical Society.
- Fred W. Pearce
- Axel Day at Excelsior Amusement Park TV personality Clellan CardClellan CardClellan Card was a noted on-air personality at the Minnesota station WCCO best-known for the dozen years where he played Axel Torgeson on the local children's show Axel and His Dog. Card was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and spent most of his life in the Twin Cities region, although he attended...
meets the public.
Lake Minnetonka History