Hamel's Amusement Park
Encyclopedia
Hamel's Amusement Park was one of the few amusement park
s located in the state of Louisiana
for almost 20 years. Located in Shreveport, it was relatively small and yet hugely popular. People from across the state would visit its giant Ferris wheel
or its roller coaster
. A log flume
was also added later to round out the large ride attractions.
During the early years it had a train ride that covered the back end of the property, where zebras, elephants, and other zoo animals roamed. The park also hosted many musical activities and local business family day entertainment in the shaded outdoor stage area. Smaller kids enjoyed their birthday parties in the large indoor kiddie ride area, featuring The Whip
and a kiddie boat ride, helicopter ride, and of course a carousel
.
The midway featured rides such as the Paratrooper
, the yellow and black "Yo-Yo", bumper car
s, the Scrambler, Tilt-A-Whirl
, and "Magic Carpet". Also featured was skee ball
, a rifle target game (which broke down for long stretches, but was fun when it was operational) and the ubiquitous cotton candy
, funnel cake
, frozen ices, and hot dog
vendors. A fun ride that was only allowed for adults were the go-kart
s on a long stretch of track.
It also featured special events throughout the 70's and 80's with everything from Spider-Man
climbing the roller coaster to Star Wars Jawas signing autographs.
The park fell into hard times in the early 1990s when a tornado
literally bent their Ferris wheel in half, and with the rides removed, the park served as grounds for a monthly arts and crafts exposition. Shortly thereafter, in 1999 it closed permanently. The Hamel family is one of the wealthiest and best known of Louisiana, rivaled only by The Copelands in wealth. This is an interesting site to visit in Louisiana, as the buildings still stand, as well as the log flume which can be seen from the Jimmie Davis bridge.
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...
s located in the state of Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
for almost 20 years. Located in Shreveport, it was relatively small and yet hugely popular. People from across the state would visit its 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...
or its 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...
. A log flume
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...
was also added later to round out the large ride attractions.
During the early years it had a train ride that covered the back end of the property, where zebras, elephants, and other zoo animals roamed. The park also hosted many musical activities and local business family day entertainment in the shaded outdoor stage area. Smaller kids enjoyed their birthday parties in the large indoor kiddie ride area, featuring 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....
and a kiddie boat ride, helicopter ride, and of course a carousel
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
.
The midway featured rides such as the Paratrooper
Paratrooper (ride)
A Paratrooper also known as an "Umbrella Ride" is a type of fairground ride based on cars suspended below a wheel which rotates at an oblique angle. The cars are free to rock sideways and swing out under centrifugal force and the wheel rotates. Invariably, the cars on a paratrooper have an umbrella...
, the yellow and black "Yo-Yo", bumper car
Bumper car
Bumper car is the generic name for a type of flat ride consisting of several small electric cars which draw power from the floor and/or ceiling, and which are turned on and off remotely by an operator...
s, the Scrambler, 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...
, and "Magic Carpet". Also featured was skee ball
Skee ball
Skee ball is a common arcade game and one of the first redemption games. It is similar to bowling except it is played on an inclined lane and the player aims to get the ball to fall into a hole rather than knock down pins...
, a rifle target game (which broke down for long stretches, but was fun when it was operational) and the ubiquitous cotton candy
Cotton candy
Cotton candy , candy floss or candyfloss or candy buttox , or fairy floss is a form of spun sugar. Since cotton candy is mostly air, a small initial quantity of sugar generates a tremendously greater final volume, causing servings to be physically large and voluminous...
, funnel cake
Funnel cake
Funnel cake or funnelcake is a regional food popular in North America at carnivals, fairs, sporting events, and seaside resorts. Funnel cakes are made by pouring batter into hot cooking oil in a circular pattern and deep frying the overlapping mass until golden-brown. When made at concession...
, frozen ices, and hot dog
Hot dog
A hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...
vendors. A fun ride that was only allowed for adults were the go-kart
Go-kart
thumb|A [[Kart racing|racing kart]] at the [[Commission Internationale de Karting|CIK-FIA]] European Championship 2008A go-kart is a small four-wheeled vehicle...
s on a long stretch of track.
It also featured special events throughout the 70's and 80's with everything from Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
climbing the roller coaster to Star Wars Jawas signing autographs.
The park fell into hard times in the early 1990s when a tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
literally bent their Ferris wheel in half, and with the rides removed, the park served as grounds for a monthly arts and crafts exposition. Shortly thereafter, in 1999 it closed permanently. The Hamel family is one of the wealthiest and best known of Louisiana, rivaled only by The Copelands in wealth. This is an interesting site to visit in Louisiana, as the buildings still stand, as well as the log flume which can be seen from the Jimmie Davis bridge.