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Columbia Gardens, Butte, MT
Roller Coaster
Council Crest, Portland, OR
Scenic Railway
Fun Forest, Seattle, WA
Galaxy and Wild Mouse
Happyland, Vancouver, BC
Giant Dipper
Jantzen Beach, Portland, OR
Big Dipper
Luna Park, Seattle, WA
Figure 8
Nat Park, Spokane, WA
Scenic Railway & Jack Rabbit
Oaks Park, Portland, OR
Monster Mouse and Zip coaster
Playland, Coeur d' Alene, ID
Playland Pier amusement rides
Playland, Seattle, WA
Giant Dipper
Playland, Vancouver, BC
Super Big Gulp
White City, Bellingham, WA
Roller Coaster
White City, Seattle, WA
Roller Coaster
Roller Coaster, White City, Seattle, WA
 Roller Coaster |
The picture above depicts White City around 1910. Admission to the park cost 10 cents. Besides the Roller Coaster was a Ferris Wheel, a few side shows, and some performers. A miniature ride called The Lake Shore Railway was quite popular with adults and kids. "Some of these [rides and attractions] were brought over from the Pay Streak, the carnival part of that grander Seattle "White City," the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, after it closed."
White City opened in 1910 and closed in 1912. It was more "fizzle than dazzle." This might have been due to the Exposition that took place prior to the park's opening. Or perhaps it was just a grand idea that never manifested itself.
According an article in the Seattle Times Magazine (March 6, 2005),
"The amusement park began with a cartooned proposal. In a 1906 advertisement that features a detailed bird's-eye sketch of the place, Emile Lobe, the secretary for Borderland White City Co., announced, "Happy Days will follow the building of Seattle's Big Amusement Park, a local enterprise that is now building on the shores of Lake Washington, south of Madison Street."
Lobe, who was also known locally as a fine violinist, was fiddling here as well. His illustrated promotion listed a June 1 opening while it promoted "White City Bonds . . . Not a speculation, but a certain money-maker . . . the best investment offered thus far in 1906." But White City did not open any summer soon and is listed in city directories only for the years 1910 through 1912. In that short life, its most popular amusement was the miniature "Lake Shore Railway," which was frequently stuffed with adults as kids yearned for the next go-round."
Though White City is long gone, Madison Park is now a growing residential area that is considered a trendy place to live.