Luna Park

This article is about the still-running or defunct amusement parks of this name. For other uses, see Luna Park (disambiguation).
Luna Park, Coney Island was the first of dozens of Luna Parks. Its success inspired the creation of dozens of Luna Parks, Electric Parks, and similar amusement parks.
The "Electric Tower", centerpiece of the original Luna Park on Coney Island, ca. 1905. Many subsequent amusement parks that took the name "Luna Park" would have their own central towers.

Luna Park is a name shared by dozens of currently operating and defunct amusement parks that have opened on every continent except Antarctica. They are named after, and partly based on, the first "Luna Park", which opened in 1903 during the heyday of large Coney Island, New York parks.

History

The original "Luna Park" on Coney Island, a massive spectacle of rides, ornate towers and copulas covered in 250,000 electric lights, was opened in 1903 by the showmen and entrepreneurs Frederic Thompson and Elmer "Skip" Dundy. The park was either named after the fanciful airship "Luna", part of the new park's central attraction "A Trip to the Moon", or after Dundy's sister.[1][2] Luna Park was a vastly expanded attraction built partly on the grounds of Sea Lion Park, the first enclosed amusement park on Coney Island which closed down due to competition from near by Steeplechase Park.

In 1905, Frederick Ingersoll, who was already making a reputation for his pioneering work in roller coaster construction and design (he also designed scenic railroad rides) borrowed the name when he opened Luna Park in Pittsburgh and Luna Park in Cleveland. These first two amusement parks, like their namesake, were covered with electric lighting (the former was adorned with 67,000 light bulbs;[3] the latter, 50,000[4]). Later, in 1907, Charles Looff opened another Luna Park in Seattle, Washington. Ultimately, Ingersoll opened 44 Luna Parks around the world, the first chain of amusement parks. For a short time, Ingersoll renamed his parks Ingersoll's Luna Park to distinguish them from the Luna Parks to which he had no connection.[5] Ingersoll's death in 1927 and the closing of most of his Luna Parks did not stop new parks from taking the name.

Today, the term "Lunapark" is a synonym for "amusement park" in several European languages. [6] [7] [8]

List of Luna Parks

In Africa

Name Location In operation Notes
Luna Park, Cairo[9] Heliopolis, Egypt 1911 to 1915 Was the first in Africa and the Middle East.[10] On 19 January 1915, buildings and grounds were converted into Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Luna Park for World War I.;[11] the hospital was closed 10 July 1916[12]
Luna Park, Obala[13] Obala, Cameroon ? to present

In Asia

Luna Park, Beirut
The Luna Park Tel Aviv currently operates in Israel.
Luna Park, Osaka, one of two Japanese Luna Parks, was open to the public from 1912 to 1923. The original Tsutenkaku Tower was completed at the same time as the amusement park.
Night photograph of original Tsutentaku Tower overlooking Luna Park, Osaka in 1912.
Name Location In operation Notes
Luna Park, Abha Saudi Arabia ? to present Part of the Abha Palace complex[14]
Alanya Lunapark[15] Near Alanya, Turkey ? to present
Luna Park, Baku[16] Baku, Azerbaijan 2000 to present
Luna Park, Beirut Beirut, Lebanon ? to present
Luna Park, Bombay[5] Mumbai, India Designed and built by Ingersoll
Bostanci Luna Park Bostancı, Turkey ? to present
Eski Luna Park Near Balıkesir, Turkey ? to present
Girne Lunapark Near İzmir, Turkey ? to present
Luna Grand Park[17] Haifa, Israel 2001 to 2013 Closed after five months due to poor attendance following a religious boycott[18] and reopened after negotiations with the local religious community.[19] Closed for good on October 31, 2013 to make room for a new cinema.[20]
Luna Park, Hong Kong[21] Hong Kong, China 1949 to 1954 Amusement park, cinema and nightclub complex
Lunapark, Mersin Mersin, Turkey ? to present
Luna Park, Nazilli Nazilli, Turkey ? to present
Luna Park, Osaka[22] Osaka, Japan 1919 to 1923 Also known as Shinsekai Luna Park[23]
Luna Park, Sincan Sincan, Turkey ? to present
Luna Park, Tehran Tehran, Iran 1970s to 1980 Reopened in 1988 as Shahr-e Bazi; closed 2007 to make room for new highway[24]
Luna Park, Tel Aviv[25][26] Tel Aviv, Israel 1970 to present
Luna Park, Tokyo Tokyo, Japan 1910 to 1911 Burned down in 1911[27][28]
Luna Park, Yerevan Yerevan, Armenia ? to present

In Europe

Until it was permanently closed in 1933, Luna Park, Berlin was the largest amusement park in Europe.
Aerial view of Luna Park, Berlin in 1935.
Mountain railroads (also known as Russian mountains were popular in European Luna Parks
Postcard showing mountain railroad at Luna Park, Leipzig.
Lunapark Sowinski is a currently operating amusement park near Władysławowo, Poland.
Aerial view of Lunapark Sowinski near Władysławowo, Poland, in 2009
Name Location In operation Notes
Luna Park, Aidonakia Athens, Greece ? to present Constructed by Ingersoll. Also known as "Ta Aidonaka"[4]
Luna Park, Berlin Berlin, Germany 1909 to 1933 In its time, it was the largest amusement park in Europe[29]
Luna Park, Saint-Brieuc, France Saint-Brieuc, France 1982 to present Located in the Brézillet area of Saint-Brieuc, Cotes d'Armor, France[30]
Luna Park, Budapest[31][32] Budapest, Hungary ? to present
Luna Park, Cap d'Agde[33] Cap d'Agde, France ? to present
Luna Park, Cologne[34] Cologne, Germany 1909 to 1927
LunEur[35][36] Near Rome, Italy 1953 to 2008
Fantasia Luna Park Near Faliraki, Greece 2003 to present
Lunapark Fréjus[37] Fréjus, France ? to present
Luna Park Funfair Scarborough, United Kingdom ? to present
Luna Park, Geneva[38][39] Le Parc des Eaux Vives alongside Lake Geneva, Switzerland 1912 to 1918
Luna Park, Hamburg-Altona Near Hamburg, Germany 1913, and again 1917 to 1923
International Luna Park Near Athens, Greece ? to present
Luna Park, La Palmyre La Palmyre, France ? to present
Luna Park, Larnaca Larnaca, Cyprus ? to present Now known as Lucky Star Park[40]
Luna Park, Leipzig Leipzig, Germany 1911 to 1932
Luna Park, Lisbon[5] Lisbon, Portugal Designed and built by Ingersoll
Lunapark, Łódź[41] Łódź, Poland ? to present
Luna Park, London London, UK
Luna Park, Madrid[5] Madrid, Spain Designed and built by Ingersoll
Luna Park, Milan Near Milan, Italy 1965 to present Name was changed 11 April 2004 to Luna Europark Idroscalo Milano[42]
Luna Park, Moscow[43] Moscow, Russia 1993 to present Officially called "Luna Park Carousel."
Luna Park, Nice Nice, France ? to present
Luna Park, Paris[44] Paris, France 1909 to 1931
Luna Park, Rome[5] Rome, Italy ? to 1930s Designed and built by Ingersoll
Luna Park, St. Petersburg Saint Petersburg, Russia 1916 to 1924
Luna Park, Skopje Skopje, Republic of Macedonia
Lunapark Sowinski Near Władysławowo, Poland 2006 to present

In North America

Luna Park, Coney Island was the first of dozens of Luna Parks. It burnt down in 1944.
Comedian Fatty Arbuckle riding The Whip in Luna Park, Coney Island, as shown in the 1917 motion picture Coney Island
The Seattle Luna Park was designed by the same person who designed the original in Coney Island.
Postcard photo of Luna Park, Seattle entrance bridge
Name Location In operation Notes
Luna Park, Arlington Arlington, USA 1906 to 1915 Designed and built by Ingersoll. Some sources refer to it as Luna Park, Washington or Luna Park, Washington DC.[45][46]
Luna Park, Baltimore Baltimore, USA
Luna Park, Buffalo Buffalo, USA 1904 to 1920 Designed and built by Ingersoll. Damaged by fire 14 July 1909[47] Originally Carnival Court, became Athletic Park before closing[48]
Luna Park, Charleston[49][50][51] Charleston, USA 1912 to 1923
Luna Park, Chicago Chicago, USA 1907 to 1911 Owned by James "Big Jim" O'Leary, boxing promoter who was son of Mrs. O'Leary of Great Chicago Fire fame[52][52][53][54][55]
Luna Park, Cleveland Cleveland, USA 1905 to 1929 Designed by Ingersoll. Former site of Luna Bowl stadium for American football and Negro League baseball games[5]
Luna Park, Coney Island New York City, USA 1903 to 1944 First Luna Park and forerunner of amusement park chain[5]
Luna Park, Coney Island (opened 2010) New York CIty, USA 2010 to present Constructed on the site of the former Astroland (across the street from the original Luna Park).
Luna Park, Denver Denver, USA 1908 to 1914 Constructed on the site of the first US amusement park west of the Mississippi River, known as Manhattan Beach (1881–1908)[56]
Luna Park, Detroit Detroit, USA 1906 to 1927 Was actually named Electric Park but also called Luna Park, Riverview Park, and Granada Park (Ingersoll Amusement Center was a separate park[5])
Luna Park, Honolulu[5] Honolulu, USA Designed and built by Ingersoll.
Luna Park, Houston[57] Houston, USA 1924 to c. 1934
Luna Park, Hull[58] Hull, Canada 1925 to 1928
Luna Park, Johnstown Johnstown, USA Originally Roxbury Park; renamed Luna Park in 1905; sold to Johnstown in 1922; renamed Roxbury Park[59]
Luna Park, Los Angeles Los Angeles, USA 1911 to 1914 Was Chutes Park 1900-1910[60][61]
Luna Park, Mansfield[62][63][64] Mansfield, USA Also known as Casino Park
Luna Park, Mexico City[3] Mexico City, Mexico 1906 to ? Designed by Ingersoll. On the same site as Luna Loca.[4]
Luna Park, Olcott Beach[48][65] New York, USA 1898 to 1926 Destroyed by fire in 1927[66]
Luna Park, Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, USA 1905 to 1909 Was first of the Ingersoll Luna Parks and first amusement park to be covered with electric lighting[4]
Luna Park, Portland Portland, USA
Luna Park, San Jose[61] San Jose, USA 1910 to 1916 Included a baseball stadium that served as home for the San Jose Prune Pickers and San Jose Bears of the California State League.[67]
Luna Park, Schenectady[68] Rexford, USA 1901 to 1933 Designed and built by Ingersoll. Was also known as Dolle's Park, Colonnade Park, Palisades Park, and Rexford Park[69][70][71][72][73]
Luna Park, Scranton Scranton, USA 1906 to 1916 Constructed by Ingersoll.[74][75] Most of grounds now covered by Interstate 81.
Luna Park, Seattle Seattle, USA 1907 to 1913 Designed by Looff.[76]
Luna Park, Sylvan Beach New York, USA Absorbed by nearby Carnival Park[48][77]
Luna Park, West Hartford[78][79][80] West Hartford, USA 1906 to 1930 Name changed from White City just before the park's grand opening.
Luna Park, Wheeling Wheeling, USA

In Oceania

entrance of Melbourne Luna Park
Luna Park Melbourne entrance
entrance of Sydney Luna Park
Luna Park Sydney entrance
Name Location In operation Notes
Luna Park Glenelg Glenelg, South Australia 1930 to 1934 Closed due to objections of local populace to Sunday operations and expansion plans;[81] moved to Milsons Point (1935) and became Luna Park Sydney.
Luna Park Melbourne[4] Melbourne, Victoria 1912 to present Designed and built by Ingersoll. Oldest operational Luna Park and famous for having the oldest continually operating roller coaster in the world.
Luna Park Redcliffe[82] Redcliffe, Queensland 1944 to 1966
Luna Park Sydney Sydney, New South Wales 1935 to present Originally known as Luna Park Milsons Point[83]
Luna Park Scarborough[81] Scarborough, Western Australia 1936 to 1972
Luna Park Auckland Auckland, New Zealand 1926 to 1931 Established on Auckland's Waitemata Harbour, using rides and equipment from the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition, a world fair that ran in Dunedin, New Zealand, from 1925-1926. Due to the depression, Luna Park began to run at a loss and was shut down in 1931.[84]

In South America

Name Location In operation Notes
Luna Park, Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, Argentina 1934 to present Designed and built by Ingersoll. Became site of a sports arena built 1931-1934.[5] As of 2013, it still runs, serving as a venue for stage concerts & presentations, both national and international, and as a sports arena. Acclaimed international shows such as Disney on Ice and the Harlem Globetrotters have performed in Argentinean Luna Park. It is known for its adaptability to host ice-skating rinks, multiple stages, sports courts, and others.
Luna Park, Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ? to 2006 Now used to store portable amusement rides by owner Orlando Orfei; often called Luna Park, Nova Iguaçu
Lunapark, Lima Lima, Peru ? to 2007

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Luna Park.
  1. ↑ Dale Samuelson, AJP Samuelson, and Wendy Yegoiants, The American Amusement Park ISBN 0-7603-0981-7
  2. ↑ Coney Island's success with electronic attractions and rides also inspired a proliferation of parks named Electric Park (Samuelson, Samuelson, Yegoiants, The American Amusement Park).
  3. 1 2 Jim Futrell, Amusement Parks of Pennsylvania (Flagpole Books, 2002) ISBN 0-8117-2671-1
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Luna Park's luminary: Entrepreneur/roller coaster designer deserves his due - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 1 September 2008
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Robert Cartmell, The Incredible Scream Machine (Popular Press 1987) ISBN 0-87972-342-4
  6. ↑ “lunapark” in Polish-English dictionary: retrieved 2 February 2015
  7. ↑ “lunapark” in French-English dictionary: retrieved 2 February 2015
  8. ↑ “lunapark” in Dutch-English dictionary: retrieved 2 February 2015
  9. ↑ Magda Baraka, The Egyptian Upper Class Between Revolutions, 1919-1952 (Garnet & Ithaca Press 1998) ISBN 0-86372-230-X
  10. ↑ Yasser Elsheshtawy, Planning Middle Eastern Cities: An Urban Kaleidoscope in an Urbanizing World (Routledge 2004) ISBN 0-415-30400-8
  11. ↑ Peter Rees, Other Anzacs: Nurses at War 1914-1918 (Allen & Unwin 2009) ISBN 1-74175-549-2
  12. ↑ Casualty Clearance (2) - ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee (Queensland) Incorporated, 2005
  13. ↑ Cameroon:The Centre and East - listing on Columbus World Travel Guide]
  14. ↑ Description of Luna Park, Abha from official site
  15. ↑ Official site - Alanya Lunapark
  16. ↑ Luna Park Baku site
  17. ↑ official site - Luna Grand Park
  18. ↑ Luna Grand Park in Haifa Shuts Down - Dei'ah veDibur, 22 May 2002
  19. ↑ Luna Grand Park listing in Roller Coaster Database showing reopening of park
  20. ↑ Luna Grand Park Official Website
  21. ↑ Luna Park, Hong Kong - Gwulo: Old Hong Kong
  22. ↑ From Kansas to Osaka: The Evolution of the Billiken
  23. ↑ History of Shinsekai
  24. ↑ Part of Tehran Funfair Will Become Women's Park - Iran-Daily 26 June 2006
  25. ↑ Luna Park Tel-Aviv site
  26. ↑ Twenty evacuated from stalled roller coaster - rideaccidents.com
  27. ↑ Sakutarō Hagiwara and Robert Epp, Rats Nests:The Collected Poetry of Hagiwara Sakutarō (Yakusha, 1993) ISBN 1-880276-40-2
  28. ↑ Miodrag Mitrasinovic, Total Landscape, Theme Parks, Public Space (Ashgate Publishing 2006) ISBN 0-7546-4333-6
  29. ↑ Claudia Puttkammer/ Sacha Szabo: Gruß aus dem Luna-Park. Eine Archäologie des Vergnügens. Freizeit- und Vergnügungsparks Anfang des zwanzigsten Jahrhunderts. WVB, Berlin, 2007, ISBN 978-3-86573-248-4 (in German)
  30. ↑ Les manèges de Lunapark à Brézillet
  31. ↑ Budapest tra battelli, canali e locali galleggianti - "Budapest between vessels, channels and local floating" (in Italian), Viaggi24, 1 May 2009
  32. ↑ Travelling Women: Budapest - (in Italian)
  33. ↑ Official site: Luna Park Cap d'Agde (in French)
  34. ↑ Regina Dahmen-Ingenhoven and Kristin Feireiss, Animation: Form Follows Fun (Birkhäuser 2004) ISBN 3-7643-6631-1
  35. ↑ SCHEDA ANALITICA DEI PARCHI DEL DIVERTIMENTO EUROPEI/DATA ANALYSIS OF THE PARKS ENTERTAINMENT EUROPE - F Erlebnispark (in Italian)
  36. ↑ Entry in Roller Coaster Data Base - closed April 2008
  37. ↑ French Fun Park Bans the Electric Chair - Der Spiegel Online, 22 August 2008
  38. ↑ Roland Fuller and Allen Levy, The Bassett-Lowke Story (Taylor & Francis, 1984) ISBN 0-904568-34-2
  39. ↑ Eaux-Vives (in French), City of Geneva 2007
  40. ↑ Lucky Star Park site
  41. ↑ Official website
  42. ↑ History of Luna Euro Park (in italian)
  43. ↑ History of Moscow parks - Carrousel.ru (official site)
  44. ↑ Order - Time (magazine) 16 February 1931
  45. ↑ Pictoral History of Arlington, Virginia
  46. ↑ Luna Park Arlington entry at NorVAPics
  47. ↑ "Buffalo Luna Park Damaged by Fire",New York Times 15 July 1909
  48. 1 2 3 Jim Futrell, Amusement Parks of New York (Stackpole Books 2006) ISBN 0-8117-3262-2
  49. ↑ 20th Century Images: Cooling Off at Luna Park - Charleston Gazette, 8 September 2008
  50. ↑ Pictures of Charleston WV Luna Park
  51. ↑ Annual Report of the State Health Department of West Virginia 1920/21 (State of West Virginia 1921)
  52. 1 2 Perry Duis, Challenging Chicago: Coping with Everyday Life, 1837-1920 (University of Illinois Press 1998) ISBN 0-252-02394-3
  53. ↑ Reports of Cases Determined in the Appellate Courts of Illinois: Edwin C. Day vs. Luna Park Company and James O'Leary, Gen. No. 16,480 - Harvard Press, 1913: Ruling of an appeal of a case involving Luna Park, Chicago, and a concessionaire who declared bankruptcy in 1908. Case was filed in 1909, ruled and appealed in 1910, with the ruling of the appeal in 1912... the year after Luna Park itself was shut down.
  54. ↑ Jazz Age Chicago - Urban Leisure from 1893 to 1945
  55. ↑ Lauren Rabinovitz, For the Love of Pleasure: Women, Movies, and Culture in Turn-of-the-Century Chicago (Rutgers University Press 1998) ISBN 0-8135-2534-9
  56. ↑ Sloan's Lake Century
  57. ↑ Luna Park (Houston) - Houstonian
  58. ↑ Luna Park, Hull entry in "Closed Canadian Parks" - Coaster Enthusiasts of Canada
  59. ↑ Randy G. Whittle, Johnstown, Pennsylvania: A History (History Press) 2005, ISBN 1-59629-051-X
  60. ↑ Chutes & Luna Park - Venice, California History Site
  61. 1 2 Wells Drury and Aubrey Drury, California Tourist Guide and Handbook: Authentic Description of Routes of Travel and Points of Interest in California (Western Guidebook 1913)
  62. ↑ Diane DeMali Francis, Ohio's Amusement Parks in Vintage Postcards (Arcadia Publishing, 2002), ISBN 0-7385-1997-9
  63. ↑ Timothy Brian McKee, Mansfield in Vintage Postcards (Arcadia Publishing, 2003), ISBN 0-7385-3172-3
  64. ↑ Summer Parks - New York Clipper, 5 May 1907
  65. ↑ Ad in the 20 July 1906 edition of New York Times
  66. ↑ Avis A. Townsend, Newfane and Olcott (Arcadia Publishing 2005) ISBN 0-7385-3722-5
  67. ↑ Minor League Park History - Luna Park - Society for American Baseball Research
  68. ↑ Some sources refer to it as Luna Park, Clinton Park when not calling it by its longest-used (and most recent) name, Rexford Park
  69. ↑ Susan Rosenthal, Schenectady (Arcadia Publishing 1999) ISBN 0-7385-0339-8
  70. ↑ Rexford Ramble page
  71. ↑ John L. Scherer, Clifton Park (Arcadia Publishing 1996), ISBN 0-7385-5461-8
  72. ↑ Pictures of Rexford Park (Luna Park) ca. 1906, 1920, 1926 - CDLC Digital Collections
  73. ↑ The Way We Were - Town of Clifton Park - Saratoga County (New York) official site
  74. ↑ Luna Park, Scranton, Lackawanna County, PA - defunctparks.com
  75. ↑ Cheryl A. Kashuba, Darlene Miller-Lanning, and Alan Sweeney, Scranton (Arcadia Publishing 2005) ISBN 0-7385-3859-0
  76. ↑ Alki Beach Park: former site of Seattle Luna Park - official Seattle Parks and Recreation page
  77. ↑ Brandy Ann, Around Sylvan Beach (Arcadia Publishing 2008) ISBN 0-7385-5656-4
  78. ↑ Connecticut History Online - Luna Park West Hartford
  79. ↑ Picture of entrance - Connecticut History Online
  80. ↑ As town's 150th nears, residents share memories - Pam Shearer, WestHartfordNews.com, 5 December 2003
  81. 1 2 A Time Line of All You Need to Know in Luna Park Sydney and Everything Else
  82. ↑ Redcliffe Historical Timeline - Moreton Bay Regional Council
  83. ↑ Sam Marshall, Luna Park - Just for fun, 2nd edition. Sydney, Australia: Luna Park Sydney Pty Ltd. (2005) ISBN 0-646-44807-2
  84. ↑ Heritage et Al: Luna Park
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