Luna Park, Johnstown
Encyclopedia
Originally known as Roxbury Park, Luna Park was an amusement park
located near Johnstown, Pennsylvania
, USA. Located by a loop at the end of the Franklin Street line of the Johnstown Passenger Railway Company, the park was centered on an artificial lake that was surrounded by a racetrack (originally for harness racing
, but other forms of racing were presented there over the years) Throughout its existence, the park had picnic
facilities. In 1905, the trolley park
added amusement rides and attractions, including many that now are considered mainstays for such facilities. Locally popular, the park was beset with an instability of ownership until it was purchased by the City of Johnstown on 18 July 1922. Subsequently, the park's name was reverted to Roxbury Park. Eventually the mechanical rides and the racetrack disappeared from the grounds as Roxbury Park became a municipal park.
track. When the Tri-County Driving Park Association defaulted on $40,000 in bonds, ownership of the land fell into the hands of stockbroker Frank Cresswell, who then quadrupled the rent on the Roxbury Race Track in 1904. Track manager John Pender responded by moving all of the track's scheduled races to nearby Westmont Race Track, ensuring that Roxbury would have a disastrous 1904 season.
After Cresswell attempted to persuade Pender to return to Roxbury, Roxbury Park was subsequently leased to an association of roughly 100 businessmen and community leaders, including the incoming mayor Charles Young. The association invested an additional $50,000 for facilities, including a merry-go-round, a roller coaster
, a crystal maze
, a laughing gallery, an "upside-down house," enhanced lakeside attractions (expanded lake and new boats), a vaudeville
theater, and a grandstand
that could seat 2000 people. Just before the grand opening
on Memorial Day
1905, the park's name was changed to Luna Park.
Luna Park's initial year, capped by the 1905 Inter-State Fair (attended by 25,000 people) was successful, as was the second season. The Panic of 1907
, a severe recession that started in 1907 and continued into 1908, had a devastating effect on the park's attendance figures in both years (including the cancellation of the 1908 Inter-State Fair), forcing the transfer of Luna Park's lease
from its original ownership to a new partnership
led by local brewer Ernest Emmerling in 1908. The races, picnics, and boxing
matches that predated the park's grand opening continued to be Luna Park's main draw as the amusement park industry was contracting as the region's (and America's) economic difficulties slowly subsided.
While its popularity never returned to the heights it attained in 1905, the Johnstown Luna Park managed to outlast most of its contemporary namesakes despite uncertainty of ownership. A new "New Luna Park Amusement Company" was incorporated 5 April 1910. Capitalized
at $10,000, the corporation was chartered for "buying, selling, or otherwise acquiring or disposing of real estate, for the purpose of erecting and operating thereon a scenic railway, dancing pavilion, and other amusements of a similar or cognate character, and generally to conduct the business of a recreation park."
In late 1914, the City of Johnstown was investigating the possibility of purchasing land for possible use as a municipal park. While the first attempt (to purchase 50 acres (202,343 m²) of land in nearby Constable Hollow) fell through, the city acquired parkland in northern Somerset County
(later called Carpenter Park) after overtures toward buying Luna Park and Elk Run Park. In 1917, the city stepped up its attempts to increase its parkland
, but an offer for a larger tract in Constable Hollow (188 acres for $50,000) was narrowly turned down by the City Council
as the dissenting members preferred buying the land occupied by Luna Park instead. After the 1918 purchase of Highland Park, Johnstown mayor Joe Cauffiel urged the purchase of Luna Park. He reiterated his position in his second inauguration address (January 1920).
In 1921, trolley service to the park ended. On 18 July 1922, the City of Johnstown purchased Luna Park, its land, and an additional tract in Upper Yoder Township with an appropriation of $366,618 ($210,469 going to the heirs of Frank Cresswell, who still owned Luna Park's land). Subsequently, a vote of the Johnstown City Commission restored the Roxbury Park name to the still-open amusement park and gradually converted Roxbury Park into a municipal park. No trace remains of the racetrack or the amusement park itself.
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...
located near Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...
, USA. Located by a loop at the end of the Franklin Street line of the Johnstown Passenger Railway Company, the park was centered on an artificial lake that was surrounded by a racetrack (originally for harness racing
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
, but other forms of racing were presented there over the years) Throughout its existence, the park had picnic
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
facilities. In 1905, the 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...
added amusement rides and attractions, including many that now are considered mainstays for such facilities. Locally popular, the park was beset with an instability of ownership until it was purchased by the City of Johnstown on 18 July 1922. Subsequently, the park's name was reverted to Roxbury Park. Eventually the mechanical rides and the racetrack disappeared from the grounds as Roxbury Park became a municipal park.
History
City founder Joseph Johns set aside land in the Point area of his embryonic town for use as public parks in 1800. Part of that land was Roxbury Park, which, by 1904, was a fenced-off amusement area that contained a horse racingHorse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
track. When the Tri-County Driving Park Association defaulted on $40,000 in bonds, ownership of the land fell into the hands of stockbroker Frank Cresswell, who then quadrupled the rent on the Roxbury Race Track in 1904. Track manager John Pender responded by moving all of the track's scheduled races to nearby Westmont Race Track, ensuring that Roxbury would have a disastrous 1904 season.
After Cresswell attempted to persuade Pender to return to Roxbury, Roxbury Park was subsequently leased to an association of roughly 100 businessmen and community leaders, including the incoming mayor Charles Young. The association invested an additional $50,000 for facilities, including a merry-go-round, a 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 crystal maze
Maze
A maze is a tour puzzle in the form of a complex branching passage through which the solver must find a route. In everyday speech, both maze and labyrinth denote a complex and confusing series of pathways, but technically the maze is distinguished from the labyrinth, as the labyrinth has a single...
, a laughing gallery, an "upside-down house," enhanced lakeside attractions (expanded lake and new boats), a vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
theater, and a grandstand
Grandstand
A grandstand is a large and normally permanent structure for seating spectators, most often at a racetrack. This includes both auto racing and horse racing. The grandstand is in essence like a single section of a stadium, but differs from a stadium in that it does not wrap all or most of the way...
that could seat 2000 people. Just before the grand opening
Grand opening
Grand opening is a term used when a business, public office, or private association wishes to announce the official opening of a new location. This differs from just opening the doors on the first day, in that a grand opening is more of a celebration event, not just the first day having the doors...
on Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
1905, the park's name was changed to Luna Park.
Luna Park's initial year, capped by the 1905 Inter-State Fair (attended by 25,000 people) was successful, as was the second season. The Panic of 1907
Panic of 1907
The Panic of 1907, also known as the 1907 Bankers' Panic, was a financial crisis that occurred in the United States when the New York Stock Exchange fell almost 50% from its peak the previous year. Panic occurred, as this was during a time of economic recession, and there were numerous runs on...
, a severe recession that started in 1907 and continued into 1908, had a devastating effect on the park's attendance figures in both years (including the cancellation of the 1908 Inter-State Fair), forcing the transfer of Luna Park's lease
Lease
A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the lessee to pay the lessor for use of an asset. A rental agreement is a lease in which the asset is tangible property...
from its original ownership to a new partnership
Partnership
A partnership is an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests.Since humans are social beings, partnerships between individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments, and varied combinations thereof, have always been and remain commonplace...
led by local brewer Ernest Emmerling in 1908. The races, picnics, and boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
matches that predated the park's grand opening continued to be Luna Park's main draw as the amusement park industry was contracting as the region's (and America's) economic difficulties slowly subsided.
While its popularity never returned to the heights it attained in 1905, the Johnstown Luna Park managed to outlast most of its contemporary namesakes despite uncertainty of ownership. A new "New Luna Park Amusement Company" was incorporated 5 April 1910. Capitalized
Capitalization
Capitalization is writing a word with its first letter as a majuscule and the remaining letters in minuscules . This of course only applies to those writing systems which have a case distinction...
at $10,000, the corporation was chartered for "buying, selling, or otherwise acquiring or disposing of real estate, for the purpose of erecting and operating thereon a scenic railway, dancing pavilion, and other amusements of a similar or cognate character, and generally to conduct the business of a recreation park."
In late 1914, the City of Johnstown was investigating the possibility of purchasing land for possible use as a municipal park. While the first attempt (to purchase 50 acres (202,343 m²) of land in nearby Constable Hollow) fell through, the city acquired parkland in northern Somerset County
Somerset County, Pennsylvania
Somerset County is a county located in the state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 77,742. Somerset County was created on April 17, 1795, from part of Bedford County and named for Somerset, United Kingdom. Its county seat is Somerset. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania,...
(later called Carpenter Park) after overtures toward buying Luna Park and Elk Run Park. In 1917, the city stepped up its attempts to increase its parkland
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
, but an offer for a larger tract in Constable Hollow (188 acres for $50,000) was narrowly turned down by the City Council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
as the dissenting members preferred buying the land occupied by Luna Park instead. After the 1918 purchase of Highland Park, Johnstown mayor Joe Cauffiel urged the purchase of Luna Park. He reiterated his position in his second inauguration address (January 1920).
In 1921, trolley service to the park ended. On 18 July 1922, the City of Johnstown purchased Luna Park, its land, and an additional tract in Upper Yoder Township with an appropriation of $366,618 ($210,469 going to the heirs of Frank Cresswell, who still owned Luna Park's land). Subsequently, a vote of the Johnstown City Commission restored the Roxbury Park name to the still-open amusement park and gradually converted Roxbury Park into a municipal park. No trace remains of the racetrack or the amusement park itself.