Electric Park, Kansas City
| Company type | Amusement park |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | 1899 |
| Defunct | 1925 |
| Fate | Destroyed by fire and sold |
| Headquarters | Kansas City, Missouri , United States |
Area served | Kansas City metropolitan area |
| Owner | Heim Brothers Brewery |
Electric Park refers to two amusement venues in Kansas City, Missouri, both managed by the Heim Brothers Brewery from 1899 until 1925. The initial park, located in the East Bottoms and accessible by streetcar, was a favored local spot, whereas the subsequent, larger park evolved into a prominent attraction for the broader region.
The second iteration of Electric Park (operating from 1907 to 1925), situated at 46th Street and The Paseo, was a trolley park famed for its wide array of entertainments and spectacular evening lighting displays, earning it the moniker "Kansas City's Coney Island". At its height, it drew around one million visitors each year. A significant fire in 1925 ultimately destroyed the park. Notably, Walt Disney later acknowledged this park's ambiance and design as a major influence on the creation of Disneyland.
First park
The Heim brothers established the original Electric Park next to their brewery—then considered the largest worldwide—in East Bottoms, bordered by Montgall, Chestnut, Nicholson, and Rochester Avenues.
Operating between 1899 and 1906, it ranked among the earliest full-time amusement parks globally. Highlights included a Shoot-the-Chutes attraction named the Mystic Chute and a beer garden supplied directly with beer from the brewery via piping. As patronage exceeded the site’s capacity, rides were dismantled and relocated further south following the 1906 season.
For nearly two decades afterward, much of this area remained unused until a portion was transferred to Kansas City in 1925 to create a neighborhood playground. This playground officially opened on August 1, 1925, just prior to the closure of the second Electric Park.
Second park
The second Electric Park in Kansas City opened its doors on May 19, 1907, at 46th Street and The Paseo. Like its predecessor, it was a trolley park served by several streetcar routes. Among numerous Electric Parks across the country, this one stood out as one of the largest.
Its extensive attractions encompassed band concerts, vaudeville performances, an Electric Fountain, ballroom dancing, natatorium facilities, a German village exhibit, an alligator farm, Shoot-the-Chutes ride, Dips roller coaster, Norton slide, penny arcades, novelty stalls, Japanese rolling ball game, scenic railway coaster, pool hall, Hale's Tour of the World ride, Electric Studio, boat excursions, Old Mill ride, Temple of Mirth funhouse, Flying Lady ride, Double Whirl ride, Circle Swing ride, soda fountains and ice cream parlors, shooting galleries, giant seesaw, boating and outdoor swimming areas, carousel rides, clubhouse café, Casino five-cent theater nickelodeon shows, fortune telling and palm reading booths, covered promenades, and horseless buggy garages. Promotional materials touted it as "Kansas City's Coney Island," featuring an impressive display of 100,000 light bulbs illuminating its structures.
By 1911, annual attendance reached approximately one million visitors—translating to an average daily turnout of around 8,000 paying guests.
In 1925 a catastrophic fire ravaged much of the park. The event was witnessed by then-young journalist Walter Cronkite, who later provided a vivid account of the blaze:
Despite extensive fire damage, operations at the theater and aquarium continued through the park’s final year. To compensate for the loss of the midway area destroyed by fire, a Coin Carnival arcade was introduced. During its closing fortnight before shutting down on September 1, 1925—following the Heim family’s decision to sell—the park hosted a Mardi Gras event culminating in fireworks displays.
Walt Disney
Following the relocation of Elias Disney and his family to Kansas City in 1911, nine-year-old Walt and his sister Ruth often spent time at the second Electric Park, situated just 15 blocks from their residence at 3028 Bellefontaine Street. This amusement park drew inspiration from the White City of the 1893 Columbian Exposition, where Elias had been employed in construction. Many elements from Electric Park, including a train that circled the premises and nightly fireworks displays, were later integrated by Walt into Disneyland, which debuted in 1955.
In contrast to many parks of its era, Electric Park featured carefully designed landscaping intended to complement its rides and attractions—an approach Disney adopted as a core principle for Disneyland. One notable feature at Electric Park was the "Living Statuary" electric procession, where young women appeared from a fountain and stepped onto a platform illuminated by colored lights. The entrance designs of Disney’s park also reflected Electric Park’s Monkey Cage Gazebo. Numerous attractions from Walt’s childhood amusement park found parallels in the California theme park he created nearly thirty years later.
Further reading
External links
- Walt Disney's Childhood Amusement Park, Electric Park – Defunctland, November 15, 2019, via YouTube