fbpx
Wikipedia

Wildwood Amusement Park

January 01, 1970

Wildwood Amusement Park was an amusement park and picnic ground that existed from 1889 to 1932 on the southeast shore of White Bear Lake in Mahtomedi, Minnesota, United States.[1] The park was built and operated by the Minneapolis and St. Paul Suburban Railroad Company, a subdivision of the Twin City Rapid Transit Company, which ran a streetcar line from Mahtomedi to nearby St. Paul.[2] It was the sister park of Big Island Amusement Park on Lake Minnetonka, as both were intended to draw crowds of people to opposite ends of the Minneapolis-St. Paul streetcar system on weekends.[3] Wildwood Amusement Park proved to be more successful than Big Island Amusement Park, which closed in 1911, and lasted until 1932 when financial losses brought about its demise.[4]

Wildwood Amusement Park 1907

History edit

In 1883, the First Mahtomedi Assembly of the Chautauqua Association first platted the city of Mahtomedi.[5] As part of a nationwide education movement known as Chautauqua, the Assembly built a tabernacle in Mahtomedi on the southeast side of White Bear Lake for lecture series, correspondence courses, and other events and meetings intended for adult education. During the summers, as many as 3,000 people sometimes took up temporary residence at the lake in tent villages in pursuit of further education.[5]

By the 1870s, major rail lines had reached the east side of White Bear Lake.[5] Wildwood had already become a popular spot for picnickers, but didn’t yet feature the amusement park and its rides and other attractions.[1]

Location edit

The Wildwood Amusement Park was located on the southern shore of White Bear Lake,[5] on the border of Mahtomedi and nearby Birchwood. The precise location of the park is still debated, since little of the original structures remain today.[6]

Park Attractions edit

Once called the "Coney Island of St. Paul,"[7] the Wildwood Park featured numerous attractions. In addition to the popular picnic grounds and amusement rides, there were traveling shows, diving ponies, and hot air balloon rides. A bathhouse operated just west of the rides, and had a water chute and springboards. Athletic types would play baseball at the water’s edge on the beach.[5] Additional activities included orchestral concerts, free dancing lessons, boating, bowling, a carousel, fishing, a penny arcade, a shooting gallery, playgrounds, a postal photo gallery, swings, ball-throwing games, and a twenty-five cent motorboat trip around White Bear Lake.[8]

Admission edit

Admission to the Wildwood Amusement Park was free.[5]

Attendance edit

Park Decline and Closure edit

The change in transportation and the railroad no longer running to the park was the beginning of the end.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Wildwood Park mnopedia.org. Retrieved 05/14/14.
  2. ^ Wildwood Park placeography.org. Retrieved 05/14/14.
  3. ^ Amusement parks of the Twin Cities slphistory.org. Retrieved 05/14/14.
  4. ^ Washington County Historical Society wchsmn.org. Retrieved 05/14/14.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Mahtomedi – Washington County Historical Society". Retrieved 2020-06-23.
  6. ^ Bussjaeger, Jackie (Jun 28, 2017). "Wildwood Amusement Park is gone but not forgotten". White Bear Press. Retrieved Jun 23, 2020.
  7. ^ Humanities, National Endowment for the (1904-06-26). "The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, June 26, 1904, Image 22". p. 22. ISSN 2151-5328. Retrieved 2020-06-23.
  8. ^ Twin City Lines. July 1915. “Wildwood Park on Beautiful White Bear Lake,” Advertisement, The Appeal, 2.

Wildwood Amusement Park Gone but not Forgotten Press Pubs 2017 https://www.presspubs.com/white_bear/news/wildwood-amusement-park-is-gone-but-not-forgotten/article_72e2c0ca-5c1b-11e7-ac68-f7d6eac5492f.html

External links edit

Photos
Articles
  • "Where the children find fresh air", St. Paul Globe, June 26, 1904
  • "Remembering Wildwood Amusement Park", StarTribune, April 27, 2012
  • "The end of the line: Wildwood Amusement Park", Forgotten Minnesota, June 30, 2011
The Library Of Congress
  • Wildwood Park in Historic American Newspapers

45°3′25″N 92°57′33″W / 45.05694°N 92.95917°W / 45.05694; -92.95917

January 01, 1970
wildwood, amusement, park, amusement, park, picnic, ground, that, existed, from, 1889, 1932, southeast, shore, white, bear, lake, mahtomedi, minnesota, united, states, park, built, operated, minneapolis, paul, suburban, railroad, company, subdivision, twin, ci. Wildwood Amusement Park was an amusement park and picnic ground that existed from 1889 to 1932 on the southeast shore of White Bear Lake in Mahtomedi Minnesota United States 1 The park was built and operated by the Minneapolis and St Paul Suburban Railroad Company a subdivision of the Twin City Rapid Transit Company which ran a streetcar line from Mahtomedi to nearby St Paul 2 It was the sister park of Big Island Amusement Park on Lake Minnetonka as both were intended to draw crowds of people to opposite ends of the Minneapolis St Paul streetcar system on weekends 3 Wildwood Amusement Park proved to be more successful than Big Island Amusement Park which closed in 1911 and lasted until 1932 when financial losses brought about its demise 4 Wildwood Amusement Park 1907 Contents 1 History 2 Location 3 Park Attractions 4 Admission 5 Attendance 6 Park Decline and Closure 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksHistory editIn 1883 the First Mahtomedi Assembly of the Chautauqua Association first platted the city of Mahtomedi 5 As part of a nationwide education movement known as Chautauqua the Assembly built a tabernacle in Mahtomedi on the southeast side of White Bear Lake for lecture series correspondence courses and other events and meetings intended for adult education During the summers as many as 3 000 people sometimes took up temporary residence at the lake in tent villages in pursuit of further education 5 By the 1870s major rail lines had reached the east side of White Bear Lake 5 Wildwood had already become a popular spot for picnickers but didn t yet feature the amusement park and its rides and other attractions 1 Location editThe Wildwood Amusement Park was located on the southern shore of White Bear Lake 5 on the border of Mahtomedi and nearby Birchwood The precise location of the park is still debated since little of the original structures remain today 6 Park Attractions editOnce called the Coney Island of St Paul 7 the Wildwood Park featured numerous attractions In addition to the popular picnic grounds and amusement rides there were traveling shows diving ponies and hot air balloon rides A bathhouse operated just west of the rides and had a water chute and springboards Athletic types would play baseball at the water s edge on the beach 5 Additional activities included orchestral concerts free dancing lessons boating bowling a carousel fishing a penny arcade a shooting gallery playgrounds a postal photo gallery swings ball throwing games and a twenty five cent motorboat trip around White Bear Lake 8 Admission editAdmission to the Wildwood Amusement Park was free 5 Attendance editPark Decline and Closure editThe change in transportation and the railroad no longer running to the park was the beginning of the end See also editTrolley parkReferences edit a b Wildwood Park mnopedia org Retrieved 05 14 14 Wildwood Park placeography org Retrieved 05 14 14 Amusement parks of the Twin Cities slphistory org Retrieved 05 14 14 Washington County Historical Society wchsmn org Retrieved 05 14 14 a b c d e f Mahtomedi Washington County Historical Society Retrieved 2020 06 23 Bussjaeger Jackie Jun 28 2017 Wildwood Amusement Park is gone but not forgotten White Bear Press Retrieved Jun 23 2020 Humanities National Endowment for the 1904 06 26 The Saint Paul globe St Paul Minn 1896 1905 June 26 1904 Image 22 p 22 ISSN 2151 5328 Retrieved 2020 06 23 Twin City Lines July 1915 Wildwood Park on Beautiful White Bear Lake Advertisement The Appeal 2 Wildwood Amusement Park Gone but not Forgotten Press Pubs 2017 https www presspubs com white bear news wildwood amusement park is gone but not forgotten article 72e2c0ca 5c1b 11e7 ac68 f7d6eac5492f htmlExternal links editWildwood Amusement Park at the Roller Coaster DataBase Photos Wildwood Park at the Minnesota Historical Society Wildwood Park at the Minnesota Transportation Museum Articles Where the children find fresh air St Paul Globe June 26 1904 Remembering Wildwood Amusement Park StarTribune April 27 2012 The end of the line Wildwood Amusement Park Forgotten Minnesota June 30 2011 The Library Of Congress Wildwood Park in Historic American Newspapers 45 3 25 N 92 57 33 W 45 05694 N 92 95917 W 45 05694 92 95917 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wildwood Amusement Park amp oldid 1207444388, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.