West View Park
Encyclopedia
West View Park was an amusement park
that was located in West View, Pennsylvania
, north of Pittsburgh
. It was founded by Theodore M. (T. M.) Harton in 1906.
travelers via the #10 West View route. The streetcar tracks ran across U.S. Route 19 and alongside the Dips coaster.
When Pittsburgh native T. M. Harton (from the Shadyside
region) bought the land in the West View valley, it was nothing more than a swamp. He dammed the stream and turned the swamp into a 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) pond called Bellemere Lake, which was later renamed Lake Placid.
West View Park made its grand opening on May 23, 1906. The first rides were a carousel
, a mill chute ride called the "Mystic Chute," and a figure eight roller coaster
. All of the rides were built by the T. M. Harton Company. Another attraction for the park's debut season was an open air dance hall. It was the largest dance hall in western Pennsylvania at that time. Rounding out the original layout of the park with a Penny Arcade, Pony Track, and rowboats on the lake.
In 1907 a Katzenjammer Castle fun house and bandstand
were added. Two years later, roller coaster designers Erwin and Edward Vettel developed an entirely new innovation in coasters, and the 1910s started out with a big bang for West View Park with the Dips.
to have dips and drops over 50 feet (15.2 m). When it was first built, it was a side friction coaster
, and it only had about 25 degree slopes. In 1911, Harton returned and built a giant Ferris wheel
. In 1915, park staff re-themed the fun house into Hilarity Hall. The Speed-O-Plane, also a side-friction coaster and a T. M. Harton "Deep Dip" model, was built in 1917, replacing the Mystic Chute.
All rides from 1906 to 1918 were built by the T.M. Harton Company. The first non-Harton ride came in 1919, "The Whip
" ride bought from the William F. Mangels Company
Company of Coney Island
, New York. Before the start of the 1919 season, West View Park lost its founder. In February that year, T. M. Harton had been stricken with influenza
returning from a business meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio
. He returned to his Highland Park
home to recover but died on April 1 of pneumonia
at the age of 56.
In 1923 a second carousel was bought and the park now had 2 carousels. A caterpillar ride
was bought in 1924. For the 1925 season, a Skooter (Dodge ems, Bumper Cars) ride was bought. In 1927, the West View's largest ride was built, the Racing Whippet. It was a racing coaster
, but in the middle, the 2 tracks separated and then came back together. The cars that started on the left side of the loading station would come back on the right side and vice-versa. This was considered one of the most exciting coasters in the world, only to be surpassed a few months later by the new Cyclone
coaster at Coney Island
. For 1928, the Speed-O-Plane was re-contoured with steeper drops and became the Greyhound.
In 1929, the Dips was re-contoured and turned into a standard wood coaster, with very steep drops and a famous banked, rising, and falling curve at the far end of the ride. Also in 1929, a tumble bug was added; The Cuddle Up was the last ride added before the depression.
floor was added to Danceland in 1937. During World War II the only major addition was asphalt paving on all paths in 1944. 1946 was a good year for West View with the purchase of a Ferris wheel
and a set of Flying Scooters
from Bisch-Rocco, and a Miniature Railroad from National Amusement Device. For 1947, the Cuddle-Up was rebuilt and a Tilt-A-Whirl
was added. In 1948, Danceland was enclosed and re-styled an Art Deco
Theme. In 1949, the Loop-O-Plane was replaced. Rides added in 1956 were a Round Up, Rock-O-Plane and Helicopter. As miniature golf became a fad in the early 1960s, the park built an 18-hole course in 1961. For 1962, The Ride-N-Laff was rebuilt. To try and attract more visitors, Arrow Antique Cars were added, and a 2-story Haunted House
was built.
In 1964, the Boot Hill Walk Thru, Pirate Cave Dark Ride
, and Fascination Building were built. On June 17 that year,http://www.brooklineconnection.com/history/Facts/PghFirsts.html with the British Invasion in full swing on the U.S. music scene, The Rolling Stones
made an appearance at Danceland as part of their first U.S. tour.
Streetcar service was dwindling quite noticeably in Pittsburgh during the 1960s. West View Park's last day as a "trolley park" was on September 4, 1965 as PAT Transit ceased operations on the #10 West View car route (as well as several other adjoining routes which operated from Keating Carhouse, such as its run-through companion route, #15 Bellevue). West View was the last amusement park in the United States to be served by a trolley.
The first part of the decade saw the following new rides at West View Park: Double Ferris wheel
(lasted only one season, 1970), steam engine train (replacing the miniature train), Round-Up, Tempest (aka Meteor), Trabant, and Rock-O-Plane (replacing the Loop-O-Plane).
Over the years, parts of the 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) Lake Placid had been reduced to make room for new rides. By the early 70's, the remainder was filled in and the one-time swamp that began West View Park was no more.
On October 3, 1973, the Danceland dance hall burned to the ground and was not rebuilt.
With the introduction of Kennywood Park
's first million-dollar ride in 1975, the Log Jammer
, West View Park was doomed. It did not have enough money nor space to build new million-dollar rides that might have saved it. Other parks were spending millions changing their images every year, but West View was stuck with its old one.
For the next few years, West View Park's dedicated patrons watched sadly as everything was taken down and either sold to other amusement parks or scrapped. The famous Dips roller coaster was one of the last rides to be dismantled.
Since 1981, The West View Park Shopping Center has occupied the old amusement park grounds, its sign showing a replication of the Dips coaster. The stretch of land where the Dips coaster once stood is now occupied by a Monro
car service center, Long John Silver's
restaurant, Subway
sandwich shop, and a couple of empty buildings. A strip mall, including a K-Mart and Giant Eagle
supermarket, were constructed at the back end of the park where the Racing Whippet coaster was.
Although there are no traces of the park left at the site, a few nearby businesses feature old photos, articles and memorabilia from West View Park's past. The West View Isaly's
, located just 1/8 of a mile north of the park site on Perry Hwy, now owns the bull head skull from the Boot Hill Walk Through attraction as well as a red West View Park directional sign, old chairs, and many other articles.
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...
that was located in West View, Pennsylvania
West View, Pennsylvania
West View is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, just north of downtown Pittsburgh. The population was 6,771 at the 2010 census.-Geography and climate:West View is located at ....
, north of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. It was founded by Theodore M. (T. M.) Harton in 1906.
Overview
West View Park was located in West View Borough's valley on Perry Highway/U.S. 19. Park-goers coming from U.S. 19 Northbound experienced a sharp horseshoe curve before descending into the valley and into the park. It was also one of many trolley parks in the nation, accessible to Pittsburgh streetcarTram
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...
travelers via the #10 West View route. The streetcar tracks ran across U.S. Route 19 and alongside the Dips coaster.
When Pittsburgh native T. M. Harton (from the Shadyside
Shadyside (Pittsburgh)
Shadyside is a neighborhood in the East End of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It has zip codes of both 15232 and 15206, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 8...
region) bought the land in the West View valley, it was nothing more than a swamp. He dammed the stream and turned the swamp into a 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) pond called Bellemere Lake, which was later renamed Lake Placid.
West View Park made its grand opening on May 23, 1906. The first rides were a carousel
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
, a mill chute ride called the "Mystic Chute," and a figure eight 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...
. All of the rides were built by the T. M. Harton Company. Another attraction for the park's debut season was an open air dance hall. It was the largest dance hall in western Pennsylvania at that time. Rounding out the original layout of the park with a Penny Arcade, Pony Track, and rowboats on the lake.
In 1907 a Katzenjammer Castle fun house and bandstand
Bandstand
A bandstand is a circular or semicircular structure set in a park, garden, pier, or indoor space, designed to accommodate musical bands performing concerts...
were added. Two years later, roller coaster designers Erwin and Edward Vettel developed an entirely new innovation in coasters, and the 1910s started out with a big bang for West View Park with the Dips.
The 1910s
With its 1910 season gala opening, the Dips (which began under more generic names) was the first coaster in PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
to have dips and drops over 50 feet (15.2 m). When it was first built, it was a side friction coaster
Side friction roller coaster
A side friction roller coaster is an early roller coaster design that does not have an extra set of wheels under the track to prevent cars from becoming airborne. Before the invention of up-stop wheels, coaster cars were built to run in a trough, with wheels under the car and side plates to help...
, and it only had about 25 degree slopes. In 1911, Harton returned and built a giant 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...
. In 1915, park staff re-themed the fun house into Hilarity Hall. The Speed-O-Plane, also a side-friction coaster and a T. M. Harton "Deep Dip" model, was built in 1917, replacing the Mystic Chute.
All rides from 1906 to 1918 were built by the T.M. Harton Company. The first non-Harton ride came in 1919, "The Whip
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....
" ride bought from the William F. Mangels Company
William F. Mangels
William F. Mangels , amusement manufacturer and inventor, worked at Coney Island and was a major player in the development of American amusement parks at the turn of the twentieth century...
Company of Coney Island
Coney 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....
, New York. Before the start of the 1919 season, West View Park lost its founder. In February that year, T. M. Harton had been stricken with influenza
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
returning from a business meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. He returned to his Highland Park
Highland Park, Pennsylvania
Highland Park is a census-designated place in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,446 at the 2000 census.-General information:*ZIP Code: 17044*Area Code: 717*Local Phone Exchanges: 242, 247, 248...
home to recover but died on April 1 of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
at the age of 56.
The 1920s
On February 3, 1920, Olive Harton Jones bought the remaining assets of the park from her family members. She then owned $370,023.28 worth of parks, concessions, and companiesIn 1923 a second carousel was bought and the park now had 2 carousels. A caterpillar ride
Caterpillar ride
The Caterpillar ride is a vintage flat ride engineered by the inventor Hyla F. Maynes of North Tonawanda, New York who dubbed it the Caterpillar when it debuted in Coney Island, NY in 1925. It is a fast-paced ride that generates a decent helping of centrifugal force, causing the riders on the...
was bought in 1924. For the 1925 season, a Skooter (Dodge ems, Bumper Cars) ride was bought. In 1927, the West View's largest ride was built, the Racing Whippet. It was a racing coaster
Racing roller coaster
A racing roller coaster, sometimes referred to as a dual track coaster, consists of one whole track or two separate coasters that travels along parallel or mirrored tracks to simulate a race between the trains. The coaster trains travel along tracks just a few feet apart of one another...
, but in the middle, the 2 tracks separated and then came back together. The cars that started on the left side of the loading station would come back on the right side and vice-versa. This was considered one of the most exciting coasters in the world, only to be surpassed a few months later by the new Cyclone
Coney Island Cyclone
The Coney Island Cyclone is a historic hybrid roller coaster in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn, New York City. On June 18, 1975, Dewey and Jerome Albert, owners of Astroland Park, contracted to operate the Cyclone under an agreement with New York City...
coaster at Coney Island
Coney 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....
. For 1928, the Speed-O-Plane was re-contoured with steeper drops and became the Greyhound.
In 1929, the Dips was re-contoured and turned into a standard wood coaster, with very steep drops and a famous banked, rising, and falling curve at the far end of the ride. Also in 1929, a tumble bug was added; The Cuddle Up was the last ride added before the depression.
The 1930s to the 1960s
In 1936, a Loop-O-Plane was bought from the Eyerly Company. A new mapleMaple
Acer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
floor was added to Danceland in 1937. During World War II the only major addition was asphalt paving on all paths in 1944. 1946 was a good year for West View with the purchase of 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...
and a set of Flying Scooters
Flying Scooters
Flying Scooters, also known simply as Flyers, is an amusement ride consisting of a center post with ride vehicles suspended from arms attached to the center post....
from Bisch-Rocco, and a Miniature Railroad from National Amusement Device. For 1947, the Cuddle-Up was rebuilt and a Tilt-A-Whirl
Tilt-A-Whirl
Tilt-A-Whirl is one of the best-known flat rides, designed for commercial use at amusement parks, fairs and carnivals in which it is commonly found. The rides are manufactured by Sellner Manufacturing of Faribault, Minnesota...
was added. In 1948, Danceland was enclosed and re-styled an Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
Theme. In 1949, the Loop-O-Plane was replaced. Rides added in 1956 were a Round Up, Rock-O-Plane and Helicopter. As miniature golf became a fad in the early 1960s, the park built an 18-hole course in 1961. For 1962, The Ride-N-Laff was rebuilt. To try and attract more visitors, Arrow Antique Cars were added, and a 2-story Haunted House
Haunted house
A haunted house is a house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were familiar with the property...
was built.
In 1964, the Boot Hill Walk Thru, Pirate Cave Dark Ride
Dark ride
A dark ride or ghost train is an indoor amusement ride where riders in guided vehicles travel through specially lit scenes that typically contain animation, sound, music, and special effects....
, and Fascination Building were built. On June 17 that year,http://www.brooklineconnection.com/history/Facts/PghFirsts.html with the British Invasion in full swing on the U.S. music scene, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
made an appearance at Danceland as part of their first U.S. tour.
Streetcar service was dwindling quite noticeably in Pittsburgh during the 1960s. West View Park's last day as a "trolley park" was on September 4, 1965 as PAT Transit ceased operations on the #10 West View car route (as well as several other adjoining routes which operated from Keating Carhouse, such as its run-through companion route, #15 Bellevue). West View was the last amusement park in the United States to be served by a trolley.
The 1970s
The 1970s saw the beginning of the end for West View Park. There had been a decrease in the population of Pittsburgh schools. As the smaller districts merged to form larger districts, they changed their school picnics to Kennywood Park.The first part of the decade saw the following new rides at West View Park: Double 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...
(lasted only one season, 1970), steam engine train (replacing the miniature train), Round-Up, Tempest (aka Meteor), Trabant, and Rock-O-Plane (replacing the Loop-O-Plane).
Over the years, parts of the 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) Lake Placid had been reduced to make room for new rides. By the early 70's, the remainder was filled in and the one-time swamp that began West View Park was no more.
On October 3, 1973, the Danceland dance hall burned to the ground and was not rebuilt.
With the introduction of Kennywood Park
Kennywood
Kennywood is an amusement park located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. The park first opened in 1898 as a "trolley park" at the end of the Monongahela Street Railway. The park was purchased in 1906 by F. W. Henninger and Andrew McSwigan and thus began the Kennywood...
's first million-dollar ride in 1975, the Log Jammer
Log flume
A log flume is a flume specifically constructed to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain to a sawmill by using flowing water. These watertight trough-like channels could be built to span a long distance across chasms and down steep mountain slopes...
, West View Park was doomed. It did not have enough money nor space to build new million-dollar rides that might have saved it. Other parks were spending millions changing their images every year, but West View was stuck with its old one.
1977: End of an era
1977 would become West View Park's swan song. A last attempt to save the park was re-theming the Ride-N-Laff into Davey Jones Locker that year, but it was too late. On September 5, the park ended its 71st season; its patrons not knowing that they were riding their beloved Dips and Racing Whippet coasters for the very last time. Only 3½ weeks later on September 30, the T. M. Harton Company made the official announcement that West View Park would not reopen.For the next few years, West View Park's dedicated patrons watched sadly as everything was taken down and either sold to other amusement parks or scrapped. The famous Dips roller coaster was one of the last rides to be dismantled.
Since 1981, The West View Park Shopping Center has occupied the old amusement park grounds, its sign showing a replication of the Dips coaster. The stretch of land where the Dips coaster once stood is now occupied by a Monro
Monro
- In education :* Alexander Monro , the founder of Edinburgh Medical School* David Binning Monro, Scottish Homeric scholar- In politics :* Cecil Monro, Australian politician* Charles Carmichael Monro , Governor of Gibraltar...
car service center, Long John Silver's
Long John Silver's
Long John Silver's, Inc. is a United States-based fast-food restaurant that specializes in seafood. The name and concept were inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's book Treasure Island. Formerly a division of Yum! Brands, Inc., the company was divested to a group of franchisees in 2011.-History:The...
restaurant, Subway
Subway (restaurant)
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
sandwich shop, and a couple of empty buildings. A strip mall, including a K-Mart and Giant Eagle
Giant Eagle
Giant Eagle, Inc., is a supermarket chain with stores in the U.S. states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland. The company was founded in 1918 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Supermarket News ranked Giant Eagle No. 21 in the 2009 "Top 75 North American Food Retailers" based on 2008...
supermarket, were constructed at the back end of the park where the Racing Whippet coaster was.
Although there are no traces of the park left at the site, a few nearby businesses feature old photos, articles and memorabilia from West View Park's past. The West View Isaly's
Isaly's
Isaly’s was a chain of family-owned dairies and restaurants started in Mansfield , Ohio with locations throughout the American Midwest from the early 20th century until the 1970s. It is best known today for its iconic chipped chopped ham The company was founded by William Isaly, son of Swiss...
, located just 1/8 of a mile north of the park site on Perry Hwy, now owns the bull head skull from the Boot Hill Walk Through attraction as well as a red West View Park directional sign, old chairs, and many other articles.