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Playland (San Francisco)
Encyclopedia
Playland was a 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) seaside amusement park
located next to Ocean Beach
at the western edge of San Francisco, California
along the Great Highway
where Cabrillo and Balboa streets are now. It began as a collection of amusement rides and concessions in the late 19th century, and was known as Chutes At The Beach as early as 1913. It closed Labor Day weekend in 1972.
was in place to bring people to the first amusement ride
at the City’s ocean side — a "Gravity Railroad" roller coaster
, and to the Ocean Beach Pavilion for concerts and dancing. By 1890 there were trolley
lines to Ocean Beach: the Ferries and Cliff House Railroad, the Park & Ocean Railroad and the Sutro Railroad that encouraged commercial amusement development as a trolley park
. The Cliff House, which opened in 1863, and Sutro Baths
, which opened in 1896, drew thousands of visitors.
The various rides and attractions that began to spring up along the beach were separately owned by various concessionaires
. For example, John Friedle owned a shooting gallery
and baseball-throwing concession
. All of the rides at Chutes at the Beach were purchased new or built there, including the Shoot-the-Chutes
which inspired the first official name for the amusement area - Chutes at the Beach.
Around 1913, Arthur Looff, leased a piece of land for a carousel
and its house—the Looff Hippodrome, located next to John Friedle's concessions. Friedle and Looff become partners in Looff’s Hippodrome and began to buy other concessions to realize their vision of creating "the grandest amusement park
on the Pacific coast." By 1921, they had ten rides, including the Shoot-the-Chutes
. A writer for the San Francisco Chronicle
in 1922 reported that “by 1921 the owners had spent $150,000 to produce ten spectacular new rides ("clean, safe, moral attractions") which were open from noon to midnight, everyday.” Attractions included Arthur Looff’s roller coaster the "Bob Sled Dipper" (also known as "the Bobs") (1921), the Looff-designed Big Dipper roller coaster (1922), Shoot-the-Chutes, the carousel, Aeroplane Swing, the Whip
, Dodg-Em, the Ship of Joy, the Ferris wheel
, Noah’s Ark, and almost a hundred concessionaires.
In 1923, George and Leo Whitney hit town. The Whitney brothers opened a photographic concession in 1923, pioneering a fast photo-finishing process that allowed people to take pictures home rather than having to wait days for the film to be developed and images printed.
By 1924, the Whitney brothers owned four shooting galleries and a souvenir
shop in addition to the quick-photo studio .
of the growing complex of seaside attractions and changed the name to Playland-at-the-Beach, also sometimes known as Whitney's At the Beach.
Although the attractions continued to be operated as independent concessionaires, during the late 1920s and '30, especially during the Depression when concessions began to fail, George and Leo began to purchase the attractions outright. The Whitneys bought the Roller Coaster in 1936 and the Merry-Go-Round in 1942. Playland took up three city blocks and in 1934, the Midway had 14 rides, 25 concessions and 4 restaurants besides Topsy's Roost.
Although Playland's attractions originally sat upon leased land, the Whitneys eventually purchased the land beneath Playland as well as several adjacent lots for future expansion. In 1937, George Whitney, Sr. purchased the then-vacant Cliff House from the Sutro estate and reopened it as an upscale roadhouse that same year. George Whitney was called “The Barnum of the Golden Gate
” as he went on to buy up the concessions and even bought the Sutro Baths
in 1952. He bought out his brother in 1952 and continued to operate the area on his own until his death in 1958.
Despite this expansion, the post-war years saw the tearing down of the Shoot the Chutes in 1950, and the Big Dipper in 1955, and after George Whitney died in 1958, Playland was never quite the same. For a while after George Whitney's death, Playland was operated by his son, George K. Whitney, Jr. and then by Bob Frazier. It was eventually sold to Jeremy Ets-Hokin (a millionaire developer) in 1971 and it was torn down on September 4, 1972. Condominiums were built on the Playland property and a permanent art project commemorating Playland was installed in 1996.
, the carousel
, Aeroplane Swing, The Whip (ride)
, Dodg-Em, the Ship of Joy, the Ferris wheel
, Noah’s Ark, and almost a hundred concessionaires.
At various times the rides at Playland included: Skyliner, Rocketship, Big Dipper, Big Slide, Dodgem (bumper cars) Limbo (dark house), Kookie Kube, Dark Mystery (which started as an African-themed dark ride but was redone in the 1950s with a Dali-esque surrealistic facade), the Mad Mine (a dark ride that literally covered over Dark Mystery), Scrambler, Twister, Kiddie Bulgy. Another favorite was the Diving Bell, a metal chamber that took guests under water and then returned them to the surface with a big splash. This ride originated at the 1939-40 Golden Gate Exposition on Treasure Island. George Whitney commissioned the inventor to build another one at Playland on the southeast block of the park. After a decade the attraction was rebuilt on the northwest block where it remained until Playland's closing in 1972.
in 1906 for a little amusement park that was originally on Market and Van Ness in San Francisco, but because of the earthquake in 1906 the carousel was shipped to Luna Park, Seattle, Washington. It was not until 1913, that Arthur Looff leased land for the carousel and its house-—the Looff Hippodrome—that the carousel came to Playland. Looff’s Hippodrome at Chutes-at-the-Beach was the first permanently installed concession in 1914. The carousel was an elegant 68-horse merry-go-round with a $5,000 organ, a staggering amount at that time.
The carousel was sold at auction in 1972, and went to Long Beach, California
. San Francisco bought the carousel and it is now located off Fourth Street downtown in Yerba Buena Gardens
.
was the laughing automated character whose cackle echoed throughout the park. After Playland was closed, one of the original animatrons
was relocated to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
, and another Sal is located in the Musée Mécanique
in San Francisco. The last remaining Walking Charley figure is located at Playland-Not-At-The-Beach
.
Patrons entered by first passing through a mirror maze which had originally been a separate attraction on the opposite side of the midway. Next patrons squeezed through the spin-dryers and entered the main area of the Fun House which contained a Joy Wheel (flat wooden disc that spun quickly and forced kids to slide off), the Barrel of Laughs (rotating walk-through wooden barrel), the Moving Bridges (connected gang planks that went up and down), and the Rocking Horses (attached by strong strings to a moving platform creating quite a galloping sensation). The Fun House had air jets, rickety catwalks, steep, moving and rocking staircases, the topsy-turvy barrel and the three-story climb up to the top of "the longest, bumpiest indoor slide in the world" -- and a 200 feet (61 m) indoor slide.
The famous funhouse mirror sequence at the end of Orson Welles
's The Lady from Shanghai
(1948) was filmed in Hollywood, but the last moments of the movie, the exterior shot of Welles walking past the Funhouse, was filmed at Playland at the Beach. Laughing Sal is nowhere to be seen because curtains hide her on the second floor bay window above Orson Welles' head. In the background as Welles crosses the street, the Laff in the Dark is clearly visible. The name on the Funhouse was changed to "Crazy House" during the filming of this sequence.
was built in 1948-49 as part of the Playland at the Beach amusement area. It was moved to a location next to the Cliff House when Playland closed and is still present in the Cliff House area.
known as Topsy’s Roost located just north of Playland at the foot of Sutro Heights. Driving south along the beach from the Cliff House, the first building you came to was Topsy’s Roost, which become more than just a Chicken Dinner House—it was also a popular nightclub
. It had a live orchestra
and dance floor and was decorated so it looked like the patrons were sitting in ramshackle chicken coop
s. There was seating on the main floor around the dance floor as well as the balcony. Patrons sitting on the balcony level could slide from their coops down to the dance floor if they wanted to dance. Eventually Topsy’s Roost closed and the space became Skateland and later, the Slotcar Raceway.
was invented in 1928 by George Whitney, and sold only at Playland-at-the-Beach. In fact, for forty years, Playland was the only place you could find It's It. After the demolition of Playland in 1972 the ice cream treat was made and sold elsewhere and is now sold in stores and in fifteen states.
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 next to Ocean Beach
Ocean Beach, San Francisco, California
Ocean Beach is a beach that runs along the west coast of San Francisco, California, United States, at the Pacific Ocean. It is adjacent to Golden Gate Park, the Richmond District and the Sunset District. The Great Highway runs alongside the beach, and Cliff House and the site of the former Sutro...
at the western edge of San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
along the Great Highway
Great Highway
The Great Highway is a road in San Francisco that forms the city's western edge along the Pacific coast. It runs for approximately next to Ocean Beach...
where Cabrillo and Balboa streets are now. It began as a collection of amusement rides and concessions in the late 19th century, and was known as Chutes At The Beach as early as 1913. It closed Labor Day weekend in 1972.
Before Playland
The area that was Playland began as a 19th century squatter's settlement, "Mooneysville-by-the-Sea". By 1884, a steam railroadSteam railroad
Steam railroad is a term used in the United States to distinguish conventional heavy railroads from street railways, interurban streetcar lines, and other light railways usually dedicated primarily to passenger transport....
was in place to bring people to the first amusement ride
Amusement ride
Amusement rides are large mechanical devices that move people to create enjoyment. They are frequently found at amusement parks, traveling carnivals, and funfairs.-Notable types:*Afterburner*Ali Baba*Balloon Race*Booster...
at the City’s ocean side — a "Gravity Railroad" 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...
, and to the Ocean Beach Pavilion for concerts and dancing. By 1890 there were trolley
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
lines to Ocean Beach: the Ferries and Cliff House Railroad, the Park & Ocean Railroad and the Sutro Railroad that encouraged commercial amusement development as 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...
. The Cliff House, which opened in 1863, and Sutro Baths
Sutro Baths
The Sutro Baths were a large, privately owned swimming pool complex in San Francisco, California, built in the late 19th century. The building housing the baths burned down in 1966 and was abandoned. The ruins may still be visited.- History :...
, which opened in 1896, drew thousands of visitors.
The various rides and attractions that began to spring up along the beach were separately owned by various concessionaires
Concession (contract)
A concession is a business operated under a contract or license associated with a degree of exclusivity in business within a certain geographical area. For example, sports arenas or public parks may have concession stands. Many department stores contain numerous concessions operated by other...
. For example, John Friedle owned a shooting gallery
Shooting gallery
A Shooting gallery or Shooting Gallery is a carnival game typically featuring a pellet gun and numerous moving mechanical tracks with small targets worth various minor prizes or points towards a major prize...
and baseball-throwing concession
Concession (contract)
A concession is a business operated under a contract or license associated with a degree of exclusivity in business within a certain geographical area. For example, sports arenas or public parks may have concession stands. Many department stores contain numerous concessions operated by other...
. All of the rides at Chutes at the Beach were purchased new or built there, including the 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....
which inspired the first official name for the amusement area - Chutes at the Beach.
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
and its house—the Looff Hippodrome, located next to John Friedle's concessions. Friedle and Looff become partners in Looff’s Hippodrome and began to buy other concessions to realize their vision of creating "the grandest amusement park
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...
on the Pacific coast." By 1921, they had ten rides, including the 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....
. A writer for the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
in 1922 reported that “by 1921 the owners had spent $150,000 to produce ten spectacular new rides ("clean, safe, moral attractions") which were open from noon to midnight, everyday.” Attractions included Arthur Looff’s roller coaster the "Bob Sled Dipper" (also known as "the Bobs") (1921), the Looff-designed Big Dipper roller coaster (1922), Shoot-the-Chutes, the carousel, Aeroplane Swing, the Whip
Whip
A whip is a tool traditionally used by humans to exert control over animals or other people, through pain compliance or fear of pain, although in some activities whips can be used without use of pain, such as an additional pressure aid in dressage...
, Dodg-Em, the Ship of Joy, the 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...
, Noah’s Ark, and almost a hundred concessionaires.
In 1923, George and Leo Whitney hit town. The Whitney brothers opened a photographic concession in 1923, pioneering a fast photo-finishing process that allowed people to take pictures home rather than having to wait days for the film to be developed and images printed.
By 1924, the Whitney brothers owned four shooting galleries and a souvenir
Souvenir
A souvenir , memento, keepsake or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. The term souvenir brings to mind the mass-produced kitsch that is the main commodity of souvenir and gift shops in many tourist traps around the world...
shop in addition to the quick-photo studio .
Playland
In 1926, George Whitney became general managerGeneral manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
of the growing complex of seaside attractions and changed the name to Playland-at-the-Beach, also sometimes known as Whitney's At the Beach.
Although the attractions continued to be operated as independent concessionaires, during the late 1920s and '30, especially during the Depression when concessions began to fail, George and Leo began to purchase the attractions outright. The Whitneys bought the Roller Coaster in 1936 and the Merry-Go-Round in 1942. Playland took up three city blocks and in 1934, the Midway had 14 rides, 25 concessions and 4 restaurants besides Topsy's Roost.
Although Playland's attractions originally sat upon leased land, the Whitneys eventually purchased the land beneath Playland as well as several adjacent lots for future expansion. In 1937, George Whitney, Sr. purchased the then-vacant Cliff House from the Sutro estate and reopened it as an upscale roadhouse that same year. George Whitney was called “The Barnum of the Golden Gate
Golden Gate
The Golden Gate is the North American strait connecting San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. Since 1937 it has been spanned by the Golden Gate Bridge...
” as he went on to buy up the concessions and even bought the Sutro Baths
Sutro Baths
The Sutro Baths were a large, privately owned swimming pool complex in San Francisco, California, built in the late 19th century. The building housing the baths burned down in 1966 and was abandoned. The ruins may still be visited.- History :...
in 1952. He bought out his brother in 1952 and continued to operate the area on his own until his death in 1958.
Despite this expansion, the post-war years saw the tearing down of the Shoot the Chutes in 1950, and the Big Dipper in 1955, and after George Whitney died in 1958, Playland was never quite the same. For a while after George Whitney's death, Playland was operated by his son, George K. Whitney, Jr. and then by Bob Frazier. It was eventually sold to Jeremy Ets-Hokin (a millionaire developer) in 1971 and it was torn down on September 4, 1972. Condominiums were built on the Playland property and a permanent art project commemorating Playland was installed in 1996.
Attractions
By 1922 the attractions included Arthur Looff’s “Bob Sled Dipper” (the Bobs) (1921), the Looff-designed Big Dipper (1922), the Shoot-the-chutesShoot-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....
, the carousel
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
, Aeroplane Swing, The Whip (ride)
The Whip (ride)
The Whip was a ride originally designed and built by W.F. Mangels Company of Coney Island, New York, USA. William F. Mangels patented the ride in 1914 and it soon became an extremely popular ride....
, Dodg-Em, the Ship of Joy, the 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...
, Noah’s Ark, and almost a hundred concessionaires.
At various times the rides at Playland included: Skyliner, Rocketship, Big Dipper, Big Slide, Dodgem (bumper cars) Limbo (dark house), Kookie Kube, Dark Mystery (which started as an African-themed dark ride but was redone in the 1950s with a Dali-esque surrealistic facade), the Mad Mine (a dark ride that literally covered over Dark Mystery), Scrambler, Twister, Kiddie Bulgy. Another favorite was the Diving Bell, a metal chamber that took guests under water and then returned them to the surface with a big splash. This ride originated at the 1939-40 Golden Gate Exposition on Treasure Island. George Whitney commissioned the inventor to build another one at Playland on the southeast block of the park. After a decade the attraction was rebuilt on the northwest block where it remained until Playland's closing in 1972.
Carousel
Arthur Looff actually commissioned the carouselCarousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
in 1906 for a little amusement park that was originally on Market and Van Ness in San Francisco, but because of the earthquake in 1906 the carousel was shipped to Luna Park, Seattle, Washington. It was not until 1913, that Arthur Looff leased land for the carousel and its house-—the Looff Hippodrome—that the carousel came to Playland. Looff’s Hippodrome at Chutes-at-the-Beach was the first permanently installed concession in 1914. The carousel was an elegant 68-horse merry-go-round with a $5,000 organ, a staggering amount at that time.
The carousel was sold at auction in 1972, and went to Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. San Francisco bought the carousel and it is now located off Fourth Street downtown in Yerba Buena Gardens
Yerba Buena Gardens
Yerba Buena Gardens is the name for two blocks of public parks located between Third and Fourth, Mission and Folsom Streets in downtown San Francisco, California. The first block bordered by Mission and Howard Streets was opened in 1993. The second block, between Howard and Folsom Streets was...
.
Fun House
Among the more popular concessions was the Fun House originally called the Bug House, erected in 1923-24. Laffing SalLaffing Sal
Laffing Sal is one of several automated characters that were built primarily for funhouses throughout the United States. Sometimes called "Laughing Sal",she produces a raucous laugh that sometimes frightens small children and annoys adults.-History:...
was the laughing automated character whose cackle echoed throughout the park. After Playland was closed, one of the original animatrons
Animatronics
Animatronics is the use of mechatronics to create machines which seem animate rather than robotic. Animatronic creations include animals , plants and even mythical creatures...
was relocated to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is an oceanfront amusement park in Santa Cruz, California. Founded in 1907, it is California's oldest surviving amusement park and one of the few seaside parks on the West Coast of the United States.- Overview :...
, and another Sal is located in the Musée Mécanique
Musée Mécanique
The Musée Mécanique is a for-profit interactive museum consisting of 20th-century penny arcade games and artifacts located at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, California...
in San Francisco. The last remaining Walking Charley figure is located at Playland-Not-At-The-Beach
Playland-Not-At-The-Beach
Playland-Not-At-The-Beach is a non-profit, family-oriented museum in El Cerrito, California celebrating America's bygone amusements operated entirely by volunteers....
.
Patrons entered by first passing through a mirror maze which had originally been a separate attraction on the opposite side of the midway. Next patrons squeezed through the spin-dryers and entered the main area of the Fun House which contained a Joy Wheel (flat wooden disc that spun quickly and forced kids to slide off), the Barrel of Laughs (rotating walk-through wooden barrel), the Moving Bridges (connected gang planks that went up and down), and the Rocking Horses (attached by strong strings to a moving platform creating quite a galloping sensation). The Fun House had air jets, rickety catwalks, steep, moving and rocking staircases, the topsy-turvy barrel and the three-story climb up to the top of "the longest, bumpiest indoor slide in the world" -- and a 200 feet (61 m) indoor slide.
The famous funhouse mirror sequence at the end of Orson Welles
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
's The Lady from Shanghai
The Lady from Shanghai
The Lady from Shanghai is a 1947 film noir directed by Orson Welles and starring Welles, his estranged wife Rita Hayworth and Everett Sloane. It is based on the novel If I Die Before I Wake by Sherwood King.-Plot:...
(1948) was filmed in Hollywood, but the last moments of the movie, the exterior shot of Welles walking past the Funhouse, was filmed at Playland at the Beach. Laughing Sal is nowhere to be seen because curtains hide her on the second floor bay window above Orson Welles' head. In the background as Welles crosses the street, the Laff in the Dark is clearly visible. The name on the Funhouse was changed to "Crazy House" during the filming of this sequence.
Fun-Tier
Playland also included a “Fun-tier” Town for “little western gals and little cowboys” which was an area with ten rides geared for children with western motif and a place for birthday parties. "Fun-Tier" Town sat on the land where the Laff in the Dark attraction had previously been for decades.Camera obscura
The Giant Camera ObscuraCamera obscura
The camera obscura is an optical device that projects an image of its surroundings on a screen. It is used in drawing and for entertainment, and was one of the inventions that led to photography. The device consists of a box or room with a hole in one side...
was built in 1948-49 as part of the Playland at the Beach amusement area. It was moved to a location next to the Cliff House when Playland closed and is still present in the Cliff House area.
Roller coasters at Playland
- Figure-8 - Opened 1920, demolished & replaced by the Big Dipper July 1922. A dated underfriction roller coaster with three levels & a covered tunnel. Pg. 53
- Bob Sled Dipper - Opened 1921, demolished 1929. The Bob Sled Dipper (or BOBS) was a state of the art toboggan-style coaster ride with rides seated in tandem in two passenger cars strung eight to a train. It was closed in 1929 after an accident that caused injuries to seven passengers; two were severe. This also precipitated the transfer of the park from John Friedle to the Whitney Brothers, George & Leo. This ride was also called The Grizzly. Pg. 50
- Big Dipper - Opened 1922, closed 1955. The Big Dipper opened in 1922 at Chutes at the Beach Park (later known as Playland at the Beach), San Francisco, CA. It was a Prior & Church design built by Arthur Looff and lasted 33 years, closing in 1955. Pg. 63
- Sleigh Ride - Opened ~1923, closed ~1929. Little is known about this coaster but it was a scenic railroad type ride that began behind the Seaplane Ride, skirted the backside of the Noah's Ark, ran out to the far side of Shoot the Chutes then back to the start. Pg. 81
- Alpine Racer - Opened 1959, closed September 4, 1972. The Alpine Racer was originally located on the southeast corner Playland's south block. This area closed in 1964 or 1965 and the Alpine Racer stood idle for about a year until it was moved to the opposite end of the park in the northwest corner of the main block. This was a German-made wild mouse ride imported by Mack Duce's Export Sales Corporation.
- Kiddie Coaster - Closed September 4, 1972. Steel.
- Hi Miler - Opened 1971 or earlier. Steel, portable. It was built by Carl Miler and is still operating on the carnival circuit.
Topsy’s Roost
In 1929, George Whitney opened a nearby "chicken shack" restaurantRestaurant
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...
known as Topsy’s Roost located just north of Playland at the foot of Sutro Heights. Driving south along the beach from the Cliff House, the first building you came to was Topsy’s Roost, which become more than just a Chicken Dinner House—it was also a popular nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
. It had a live orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
and dance floor and was decorated so it looked like the patrons were sitting in ramshackle chicken coop
Chicken coop
A chicken coop is a building where female chickens are kept. Inside there are often nest boxes for egg laying and perches on which the birds can sleep, although coops for meat birds seldom have either of these features....
s. There was seating on the main floor around the dance floor as well as the balcony. Patrons sitting on the balcony level could slide from their coops down to the dance floor if they wanted to dance. Eventually Topsy’s Roost closed and the space became Skateland and later, the Slotcar Raceway.
Food
The It's-It ice cream sandwichIce cream sandwich
An ice cream sandwich is a frozen confection composed of a layer of ice cream, usually vanilla , "sandwiched" between two biscuits/cookies or slices of cake, usually chocolate.-Australia:...
was invented in 1928 by George Whitney, and sold only at Playland-at-the-Beach. In fact, for forty years, Playland was the only place you could find It's It. After the demolition of Playland in 1972 the ice cream treat was made and sold elsewhere and is now sold in stores and in fifteen states.
See also
- Playland-Not-At-The-BeachPlayland-Not-At-The-BeachPlayland-Not-At-The-Beach is a non-profit, family-oriented museum in El Cerrito, California celebrating America's bygone amusements operated entirely by volunteers....
amusement museum opened June 2008 in El Cerrito, CA to celebrate Playland-at-the-Beach. - List of abandoned amusement parks