Denver's Lakeside Amusement Park

From the White City Beautiful to a Century of Fun

Nonfiction, History, Americas, United States
Cover of the book Denver's Lakeside Amusement Park by David Forsyth, University Press of Colorado
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: David Forsyth ISBN: 9781607324317
Publisher: University Press of Colorado Publication: April 1, 2016
Imprint: University Press of Colorado Language: English
Author: David Forsyth
ISBN: 9781607324317
Publisher: University Press of Colorado
Publication: April 1, 2016
Imprint: University Press of Colorado
Language: English

Denver's Lakeside Amusement Park details the history of Lakeside, exploring how it has managed to remain in business for more than a century (something fewer than thirty amusement parks have accomplished) and offers a unique view on larger changes in society and the amusement park industry itself. 

Once nicknamed White City in part for its glittering display of more than 100,000 lights, the park opened in 1908 in conjunction with Denver's participation in the national City Beautiful movement. It was a park for Denver elites, with fifty different forms of amusement, including the Lakeshore Railway and the Velvet Coaster, a casino, a ballroom, a theater, a skating rink, and avenues decorated with Greek statues. But after metropolitan growth, technological innovation, and cultural shifts in Denver, it began to cater to a working-class demographic as well. Additions of neon and fluorescent lighting, roller coasters like the Wild Chipmunk, attractions like the Fun House and Lakeside Speedway, and rides like the Scrambler, the Spider, and most recently the drop tower Zoom changed the face and feel of Lakeside between 1908 and 2008. The park also has weathered numerous financial and structural difficulties but continues to provide Denverites with affordable, family-friendly amusement today.

To tell Lakeside's story, Forsyth makes use of various primary and secondary sources, including Denver newspapers, Denver's official City Beautiful publication Municipal Facts, Billboard magazine, and interviews with people connected to the park throughout its history. Denver's Lakeside Amusement Park is an important addition to Denver history that will appeal to anyone interested in Colorado history, urban history, entertainment history, and popular culture, as well as to amusement park aficionados.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Denver's Lakeside Amusement Park details the history of Lakeside, exploring how it has managed to remain in business for more than a century (something fewer than thirty amusement parks have accomplished) and offers a unique view on larger changes in society and the amusement park industry itself. 

Once nicknamed White City in part for its glittering display of more than 100,000 lights, the park opened in 1908 in conjunction with Denver's participation in the national City Beautiful movement. It was a park for Denver elites, with fifty different forms of amusement, including the Lakeshore Railway and the Velvet Coaster, a casino, a ballroom, a theater, a skating rink, and avenues decorated with Greek statues. But after metropolitan growth, technological innovation, and cultural shifts in Denver, it began to cater to a working-class demographic as well. Additions of neon and fluorescent lighting, roller coasters like the Wild Chipmunk, attractions like the Fun House and Lakeside Speedway, and rides like the Scrambler, the Spider, and most recently the drop tower Zoom changed the face and feel of Lakeside between 1908 and 2008. The park also has weathered numerous financial and structural difficulties but continues to provide Denverites with affordable, family-friendly amusement today.

To tell Lakeside's story, Forsyth makes use of various primary and secondary sources, including Denver newspapers, Denver's official City Beautiful publication Municipal Facts, Billboard magazine, and interviews with people connected to the park throughout its history. Denver's Lakeside Amusement Park is an important addition to Denver history that will appeal to anyone interested in Colorado history, urban history, entertainment history, and popular culture, as well as to amusement park aficionados.

More books from University Press of Colorado

Cover of the book &luckier by David Forsyth
Cover of the book Annulments by David Forsyth
Cover of the book The Arapaho Language by David Forsyth
Cover of the book Colorado Water Law for Non-Lawyers by David Forsyth
Cover of the book Pueblos within Pueblos by David Forsyth
Cover of the book A Land Made from Water by David Forsyth
Cover of the book Hiking Circuits in Rocky Mountain National Park by David Forsyth
Cover of the book A Tenderfoot in Colorado by David Forsyth
Cover of the book Songs by David Forsyth
Cover of the book The Menial Art of Cooking by David Forsyth
Cover of the book Classic Maya Polities of the Southern Lowlands by David Forsyth
Cover of the book Uncertain Times by David Forsyth
Cover of the book Political Strategies in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica by David Forsyth
Cover of the book Life beyond the Boundaries by David Forsyth
Cover of the book Denver by David Forsyth
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy