Chutes Park

Chutes Park

Company type	Amusement park and baseball stadium
Industry	Entertainment, Sports
Founded	1887
Defunct	1914
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California , United States
Area served	Los Angeles, California

Chutes Park, located in Los Angeles, California, originated as a trolley park in 1887. This amusement park was enclosed by Grand Avenue, Main Street, Washington Boulevard, and 21st Street. Its attractions included various rides, animal displays, a theater, and a baseball stadium. In 1910, under new ownership that included Frederick Ingersoll, the park reopened as Luna Park, which operated until its closure in 1914.

The term Chutes Park was also used to identify the baseball stadium established around 1900, serving as the initial home field for the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League.

History

In 1887, David V. Waldron acquired approximately at the intersection of Washington and Main and began developing the site. Since it was outside city boundaries, he created a horse-drawn rail connection to link with the city’s streetcar system. Waldron introduced weekly variety performances, animal exhibitions, and cultivated an orange grove.

By the late 1890s, the park's popularity waned and it saw little activity. Then in 1899, new proprietors established the Los Angeles County Improvement Co., constructing a theater and baseball stadium while adding fresh amusement rides.

The rides

Among the main attractions were a roller coaster, a chutes water slide that sent riders down from a high tower into an artificial lake, and a miniature train. Both the carousel and boat lift operated using electric power.

In October 1903, a steel-framed figure-eight roller coaster was introduced to the lineup.

Attractions

Additional features comprised a seal pond, ostriches, the House of Trouble, Cave of the Winds, a theater seating 4,000 spectators, and by 1901, a baseball stadium with a capacity of 10,000.

The Los Angeles County Improvement Co. further enhanced the park with a fishing pond, a small circus, hot-air balloon rides, performances by the Catalina Marine Band, and an outer loop railroad encircling the grounds.

The baseball park

By 1900, the northern section’s baseball field hosted a team competing in the California League—the earliest incarnation of the Los Angeles Angels. The venue also served as home to the Vernon Tigers. After games concluded, spectators could access the amusement park through center field.

This ballpark was occasionally referred to as Washington Park. In 1911, it was succeeded by a "new" Washington Park constructed slightly to the south and east over portions of the former outfield and previous waterslide location. This updated ballpark’s expansion ahead of the 1913 season effectively replaced much of the amusement park. The original Chutes/Washington site was abandoned when the Angels relocated to Wrigley Field. Today, this former location accommodates the Metropolitan Courthouse of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, along with commercial developments and parking facilities.

Sources

• Berman, Jay and Sesar Carreno. "A Brief Existence of a Downtown Amusement Park," Los Angeles Downtown News, 9/4/2006
• Stanton, Jeffrey. 2005. Chutes & Luna Park - 1900 - 1912. Accessed 27 July 2007
• Take Me Out to the Ball Park, Lowell Reidenbaugh, The Sporting News, 1983 & 1987, pp. 138-142
• Ballparks of North America, Michael Benson, McFarland, 1989, p. 209

External links

• LAistory: Chutes Park - LAist.com
• Sanborn map of Chutes Park, 1907