Luna Park, Charleston
| Company type | Amusement park |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | 1912 |
| Defunct | 1923 |
| Headquarters | Charleston , United States |
Area served | Charleston, West Virginia |
| Products | Roller coaster, dance pavilion, swimming pool, roller rink, live performances |
Luna Park was an amusement park situated on the West Side of Charleston, West Virginia, operating between 1912 and 1923. Positioned along the northern shore of the Kanawha River in Charleston, this attraction gained popularity by offering a variety of amenities including a roller coaster, a dance pavilion, a public swimming pool, a roller rink, and live performances. The entrance fee was 15 cents, while rides on the Royal Giant Dips roller coaster cost ten cents.[1] As a trolley park, it was accessible via the Charleston Interurban Railroad Company.[2]
The park’s highlight was its swimming pool, measuring 45 by 100 feet and containing approximately 200,000 gallons of water. Unlike typical pools made from concrete, it was uniquely built using “lumber and tin sheet.”[3] In 1913, daily visitor numbers reached over 30,000, with streetcars transporting nearly 1,200 passengers each hour; some attendees also arrived via steamboat.[4]
In May 1923, a fire devastated much of Luna Park, including the Royal Giant Dips roller coaster.[5] Although fundraising efforts were made to restore the park, it never reopened. Eventually, the land was repurposed for single-family residential development.
References
- ↑ Luna Park (Charleston) pictures
- ↑ McGraw Electric Railway Directory – August 1920 (McGraw-Hill Publishing Company 1920)
- ↑ Annual Report of the State Health Department of West Virginia 1920/21 (State of West Virginia 1921)
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedgazette-mail.com - ↑ Postcards Provide Visits to the Past – Charleston Daily Mail