Chutes Park
Encyclopedia
Chutes Park in Los Angeles, California
began as a trolley park
in 1887. It was a 35 acres (141,640.1 m²) amusement park
bounded by Grand Avenue on the west, Main Street on the east, Washington Boulevard on the north and 21st Street on the south. At various times it included rides, animal exhibits, a theater and a baseball park. In 1910 the park was sold to new owners (including Frederick Ingersoll
) and reopened as Luna Park. The amusement park closed in 1914.
The name Chutes Park was also applied to the baseball park which opened around 1900 and was the original home of the Los Angeles Angels
of the Pacific Coast League
.
. He also made a business arrangement to establish a horse-drawn rail line to connect to the city streetcar lines because the location was outside of the Los Angeles city limits. He began weekly variety shows in a small pavilion, brought in animals for display, and planted an orange grove
. Unfortunately, the park was allowed to decline and by the late 1890s was seldom used. In 1899, however, the property was sold to new owners which created the Los Angeles County Improvement Co. They built a new theater, baseball park and brought in new rides.
, a chutes
water slide that dropped riders in boats from a 75 feet (22.9 m) tower into a manmade lake, and a miniature railroad. The park's merry-go-round was electrically powered, as was the engine that pulled the boats back up from the lake to the tower.
In October 1903, the operators added a steel-framed figure-eight roller coaster.
pond, ostrich
es and the interestingly named House of Trouble and Cave of the Winds
. By 1901, it also had a 4,000-seat theater and a baseball park
that seated 10,000.
The Los Angeles County Improvement Co. added fishing
pond, a small circus
, hot-air balloon rides, the Catalina Marine Band and a small railroad that followed the outer perimeter of the park.
. It would be the first team to be called the Los Angeles Angels. It was also home of the Vernon Tigers
. Following games, a gate in the center field fence was opened and fans were allowed to enter the theme park.
Chutes Park was replaced by Washington Park
in 1912, which had been built nearby Chutes Park, at Washington and Hill Streets. The Chutes / Washington area was abandoned entirely when the Angels moved to Wrigley Field
at 42nd Street and Avalon Boulevard.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
began 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...
in 1887. It was a 35 acres (141,640.1 m²) 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...
bounded by Grand Avenue on the west, Main Street on the east, Washington Boulevard on the north and 21st Street on the south. At various times it included rides, animal exhibits, a theater and a baseball park. In 1910 the park was sold to new owners (including Frederick Ingersoll
Frederick Ingersoll
Frederick Ingersoll was an inventor, designer, and builder who created the world's first chain of amusement parks and whose manufacturing company built 277 roller coasters, fueling the popularity of trolley parks in the first third of the Twentieth Century...
) and reopened as Luna Park. The amusement park closed in 1914.
The name Chutes Park was also applied to the baseball park which opened around 1900 and was the original home of the Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels (PCL)
The Los Angeles Angels were a team based in Los Angeles, California that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 through 1957, after which they transferred to Spokane, Washington to become the Spokane Indians. Los Angeles would later become the host city to a Major League Baseball team, the...
of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
.
History
David V. Waldron bought about 35 acres (141,640.1 m²) at Washington and Main and began to develop the property in 1887. It had previously been the site of a hotelHotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
. He also made a business arrangement to establish a horse-drawn rail line to connect to the city streetcar lines because the location was outside of the Los Angeles city limits. He began weekly variety shows in a small pavilion, brought in animals for display, and planted an orange grove
Orange Grove
-Music:* Orange Grove , a Dutch/Antillean reggae band-Australia:* Orange Grove, Western Australia* The Orange Grove affair, a political scandal-United States:...
. Unfortunately, the park was allowed to decline and by the late 1890s was seldom used. In 1899, however, the property was sold to new owners which created the Los Angeles County Improvement Co. They built a new theater, baseball park and brought in new rides.
The Rides
The park featured such rides as a roller coasterRoller 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...
, a 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....
water slide that dropped riders in boats from a 75 feet (22.9 m) tower into a manmade lake, and a miniature railroad. The park's merry-go-round was electrically powered, as was the engine that pulled the boats back up from the lake to the tower.
In October 1903, the operators added a steel-framed figure-eight roller coaster.
Attractions
The site also included, at various times, such exotic diversions as a sealPinniped
Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped...
pond, ostrich
Ostrich
The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
es and the interestingly named House of Trouble and Cave of the Winds
Cave of the Winds
Cave of the Winds may refer to:*Cave of the Winds , a cave at Niagara Falls*Cave of the Winds *Cave of the Winds , a cave at Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Borneo...
. By 1901, it also had a 4,000-seat theater and a baseball park
Baseball park
A baseball park, also known as a baseball stadium, ball park, or ballpark is a venue where baseball is played. It consists of the playing field and the surrounding spectator seating...
that seated 10,000.
The Los Angeles County Improvement Co. added fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
pond, a small circus
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
, hot-air balloon rides, the Catalina Marine Band and a small railroad that followed the outer perimeter of the park.
The baseball park
By 1900, the baseball diamond was completed on the northern end of the park, with a team to play in the new California LeagueCalifornia League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
. It would be the first team to be called the Los Angeles Angels. It was also home of the Vernon Tigers
Vernon Tigers
The Vernon Tigers were a minor league baseball team which played in the Pacific Coast League from 1909 through 1925. Vernon, California, was and is a small town in Los Angeles County. The Tigers, together with the Sacramento Solons, joined the PCL as new teams in 1909 as the league expanded from...
. Following games, a gate in the center field fence was opened and fans were allowed to enter the theme park.
Chutes Park was replaced by Washington Park
Washington Park (Los Angeles)
Washington Park was a baseball park in Los Angeles, California, United States. It was primarily used for baseball and was the home of the Los Angeles Angels from 1912 until they moved to Wrigley Field late in the 1925 season....
in 1912, which had been built nearby Chutes Park, at Washington and Hill Streets. The Chutes / Washington area was abandoned entirely when the Angels moved to Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field (Los Angeles)
Wrigley Field was a ballpark in Los Angeles, California which served as host to minor league baseball teams in the region for over 30 years, and was the home park for the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League as well as a current major league team, the later Los Angeles Angels, in their...
at 42nd Street and Avalon Boulevard.
Sources
- Berman, Jay and Sesar Carreno. "The Short Life of a Downtown Amusement Park," Los Angeles Downtown News, 9/4/2006
- Stanton, Jeffrey. 2005. Chutes & Luna Park - 1900 - 1912. Retrieved 27 July 2007
- Take Me Out to the Ball Park, Lowell Reidenbaugh, The Sporting News, 1983 & 1987, p. 138-142
- Ballparks of North America, Michael Benson, McFarland, 1989, p. 209