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June 18, 2019 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Aloha Amusement Park

An amusement park for the city of Honolulu was a long contemplated project by a number of prominent citizens, and various sites convenient to the public traffic were considered.

The “official” opening of Aloha Amusement Park on Kalākaua Avenue in Waikīkī was September 14, 1922.  (Although the American Legion held a 4th of July carnival there as its first use (even though the park was not completed, they used the partially completed facility for the celebration.)

The three-day 4th of July celebration attracted nearly 25,000 paid admissions to the park; of this number, 16,395 attended on the closing day.

That year’s annual report of the Honolulu Rapid Transit and Land Company noted the opening of the park “resulted in a considerable increase in night travel.  This attraction in its present location will no doubt stimulate travel on the cars.”  (In part, the siting of the facility was due to the accessibility over the transit line.)

Reportedly, the Advertiser described it as “another laurel to the wreath of Honolulu’s progressiveness.”

The reception was not all good.  Apparently, the Outdoor Circle and many residents called it an “atrocious ballyhoo bazaar”.  There were complaints of commercialization of Waikīkī.

Likewise, a petition, signed by property owners in the area, said the park was misrepresented when the permit was granted, would lead to immorality. RA Vitousek, attorney, represented the park and its manager, WA Cory.

City Supervisors said they cannot revoke the permit but feel it should be investigated.  (Krauss)  (The City’s 1922 financial report notes a $50 expense, for “Aloha Amusement Park Investigation”.)

The operator noted the complaints were coming from people who are already operating hotels, bath houses and dancing places – all of which were catering to the rich. He noted that the rest of the people should have a place in the same area.  (He had considered and decided against siting the Park in Pālama.)

Aloha Park was adjacent to Fort DeRussy, an American army base and was opened by the Aloha Amusement Company, a group of local investors. They invested $250,000 to build and equip the park with modern rides. They hired Los Angeles resident Cory to manage the park and gave him a stake in the new company.

While Honolulu only had a permanent population of 90,000, it also had a transient population of 30,000 soldiers, sailors and tourists. And its mild climate was perfect for year around operation.

Although its proximity to the army base was helpful, the five-acre site required extensive filling and dredging to make it into an amusement resort. Two acres were set aside as sunken gardens and grass lawns.

Technical director Mark Hanna was in charge of the park’s construction. The park’s entrance was designed after the Palace of Fine Arts arcade at the 1915 San Francisco Exposition.

The park’s rides included the Big Dipper roller coaster designed by Prior and Church of Venice, California, a Noah’s Ark fun house,  a 70 foot high Traver Seaplane, a ten-car Dodgem, a carousel built by Arthur Looff,  and a miniature railroad.

The dance hall had a floor 120 x 150 feet, with a 20 foot lanai, where refreshments were served, and contained boxes for private parties. Music was provided by the Hawaiian brass band, that played at the band pavilion where a big musical revue was staged nightly.

Electric lights at light brightly lit up the grounds and rides. Free daily entertainment was provided. Oscar V. Babcock performed his thrilling bicycle loop-the-loop during the park’s opening weeks.

Running into financial difficulties, the Park went into bankruptcy in 1924.  New investment came in and the park was renamed Waikiki Park.  It is believed the park lasted until the 1930 Depression.

The Park played a role in the Massie case in 1931.  Five young men who had been charged with rape of Thalia Massie, as she walked home from a Waikiki nightclub, had reportedly been at a dance at the Aloha Amusement Park (and used that as an explanation in their defense.)

Lots of information here from National Amusement Park Historical Association and Bob Krauss’s newspaper notes.

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Aloha Park-Hnl SB-Sept 14, 1922
1925 Entrance to the Waikiki Amusement Park-Ilikai
Aloha Amusement Park-Hnl SB-Sept 14, 1922
Aloha Park-Hnl Adv, August 20, 1922
Big Dipper-Hnl SB, Oct 14, 1922
Big Dipper-Hnl SB, Sept 14, 1922-page 2
Big Dipper-Hnl SB, Sept 14, 1922-page 8
Waikiki Amusement Park-Ilikai
Honolulu and Vicinity-Map-1934-(portion-noting-Waikiki_Park)
Waikiki_Park-Honolulu-Map-1927
Honolulu and Vicinity-Map-1934-(portion-noting-Waikiki_Park)-Waikiki_Park-Honolulu-Map-1927

Filed Under: General Tagged With: Hawaii, Waikiki, Honolulu Rapid Transit, Waikiki Park, Aloha Amusement Park

July 10, 2018 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Big Dipper

Nāhiku (the seven) is the asterism (pattern of stars) consisting of seven bright stars found in the constellation Ursa Major, the Great Bear. It is prominent in the northern sky in the summer, and is one of the first star patterns we learn to identify.

The Big and Little Dippers swing around the north star Polaris (the North Star) like riders on a Ferris wheel. They go full circle around Polaris once a day – or once every 23 hours and 56 minutes.

Wait … this isn’t about ‘that’ Big Dipper’ …

This is about the “two trains, 3,500 feet of track, two tunnels” of Big Dipper in the Aloha Park (aka Waikiki Park). (Honolulu Star Bulletin, September 14, 1922)

“Honolulu takes another step toward the metropolitan class with the opening tonight of the Aloha Amusement Park. … The park corporation has made good on its promise that Aloha Park would be outwardly attractive.” (Honolulu Star Bulletin, September 14, 1922)

“On the top of the 75-foot high incline the opening ceremony was held and at the close Mrs Cory boarded the front car of the train and with a dainty bet well directed swing brought the bottle of near wine, it must have been down, crashing it against the iron guard rail of the car and at the same time wishing bon voyage to the train and all who may ever ride the big dipper.”

“Mark Hanna, under whose personal direction and supervision the Big Dipper was built, was the recipient of many congratulations.”

“Director General Cory was the first one to congratulate him, which he did with generous abundance of praise, and vouched his appreciation many time for the excellent workmanship and detailed construction of the Dipper.” (Honolulu Advertiser, September 3, 1922)

“The dipper was designed by a California company which owns and operates three of the largest attractions of the kind in the world.”

“This Big Dipper is my special pet. It is an improvement over anything that has yet been built and there are only three as large on the mainland, at Venice, Idora Park, Oakland, and on the beach at San Francisco.”

“This one is better than any others. The first drop is 10-percent steeper, the cars run faster and the safety devices are more carefully worked out. There are no straightaways, thus making the ride faster, and more of a thriller.”

“The cars are specially designed and were made in San Francisco particularly for Aloha Park. They are two-passenger carriers and there are none cars to a train. Two wheels on each car instead of four, permits the trains to take sharper curves at greater angles.”

“At first the public seemed skeptical about the proposition. They seemed to fear that the park would not be the type that the city would want. … The buildings are put up to stay as anyone can see if they take the trouble to look. (Cory; Honolulu Star Bulletin, September 14, 1922)

Apparently, however, the Big Dipper and Aloha Park were not supported by the community. In less than ten-years, the Bank of Hawaii …

… “has owned the Waikiki park on Kalakaua Avenue, formerly Aloha Park, and the roller coaster, declared unsafe and unfit for further operation, has become something of a white elephant.”

“Officials of the bank say they want to realize as much as they can on the coaster, and wile thee has been a prospective buyer here and another there, the bank has refused to sell to anyone planning to operate the contrivance, and will only consider on a proposition from the standpoint of wood and metal.” (Honolulu Star Bulletin, December 1, 1930)

Aloha Park was adjacent to Fort DeRussy, an American army base and was opened by the Aloha Amusement Company, a group of local investors.

While Honolulu only had a permanent population of 90,000, it also had a transient population of 30,000 soldiers, sailors and tourists. And its mild climate was perfect for year around operation. The park’s entrance was designed after the Palace of Fine Arts arcade at the 1915 San Francisco Exposition.

The park’s rides included the Big Dipper roller coaster designed by Prior and Church of Venice, California, a Noah’s Ark fun house, a 70 foot high Traver Seaplane, a ten-car Dodgem, a carousel built by Arthur Looff, and a miniature railroad.

The dance hall had a floor 120 x 150 feet, with a 20 foot lanai, where refreshments were served, and contained boxes for private parties. Music was provided by the Hawaiian brass band, that played at the band pavilion where a big musical revue was staged nightly.

The Aloha Amusement Park, Ltd was “a locally financed. Locally-built and locally-managed concern.” Running into financial difficulties, the Aloha Park went into bankruptcy in 1924.

Then, “Court Lunalilo No 66000, Ancient Order of Foresters, on Thursday of this week closed a deal with the Bank of Hawaii whereby the lodge purchased for $15,000, a six-year lease on the Waikiki Park”.

“The dance pavilion at the park is being transformed into a meeting hall … The big dipper, the merry-go-round and the dance pavilion were included in the lease.”

“The Foresters intend to hold periodical carnivals at the park in addition to renting the grounds out for private use and to other organizations for dances, should, fairs and carnivals for the next six years.” (Honolulu Advertiser, April 3, 1926)

Eventually, as noted by the bank, the “ungainly ‘White Elephant’ is valuable only for metal, wood”. (Honolulu Star Bulletin, December 1, 1930)

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Big Dipper-Hnl SB, Sept 14, 1922-page 2
Big Dipper-Hnl SB, Sept 14, 1922-page 2
Big Dipper-Hnl SB, Sept 14, 1922-page 20
Big Dipper-Hnl SB, Sept 14, 1922-page 20
Big Dipper-Hnl SB, Oct 14, 1922
Big Dipper-Hnl SB, Oct 14, 1922
Aloha Park-Hnl Adv, August 20, 1922
Aloha Park-Hnl Adv, August 20, 1922
Big Dipper-Hnl Adv, Sept 3, 1922-page 11
Big Dipper-Hnl Adv, Sept 3, 1922-page 11
Waikiki Amusement Park-Ilikai
Waikiki Amusement Park-Ilikai
Aloha Park-Hnl SB-Sept 14, 1922
Aloha Park-Hnl SB-Sept 14, 1922
Aloha Amusement Park-Hnl SB-Sept 14, 1922
Aloha Amusement Park-Hnl SB-Sept 14, 1922
1925 Entrance to the Waikiki Amusement Park-Ilikai
1925 Entrance to the Waikiki Amusement Park-Ilikai
Honolulu and Vicinity-Map-1934-(portion-noting-Waikiki_Park)
Honolulu and Vicinity-Map-1934-(portion-noting-Waikiki_Park)
Honolulu and Vicinity-Map-1934-(portion-noting-Waikiki_Park)-Waikiki_Park-Honolulu-Map-1927
Honolulu and Vicinity-Map-1934-(portion-noting-Waikiki_Park)-Waikiki_Park-Honolulu-Map-1927

Filed Under: Economy, General Tagged With: Aloha Park, Waikiki Park, Big Dipper, Hawaii, Waikiki, Oahu

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