Luna Park, Scranton
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Amusement park |
| Founded | 1906 |
| Founder | Frederick Ingersoll |
| Defunct | 1916 |
| Headquarters | Scranton , United States |
Area served | Scranton, Pennsylvania |
Key people | Frederick Ingersoll, Adolph Blau, J.E. Monroe |
| Products | Amusement rides, entertainment shows, vaudeville performances |
Luna Park was a recreational amusement venue located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, operating between 1906 and 1916. The park was developed, constructed, and managed by enterprises connected to Frederick Ingersoll. Situated on a 20-acre parcel atop Moosic Mountain, it overlooked the Roaring Brook gorge, directly across from what is now known as Nay Aug Park.
Inception
The name Luna Park in Scranton was inspired by the renowned amusement park of the same name at Coney Island, New York. Prior to establishing the Scranton location, Frederick Ingersoll had opened several other Luna Parks. He actively promoted investment opportunities to regional backers through industry publications such as The Billboard.
From as early as 1900, local newspapers including Scranton Republican and The Scranton Truth documented increasing public enthusiasm for amusement parks. This rising interest was seen by local investors as a promising chance to retain economic benefits within the community. The anticipated profitability of the venture led to investor endorsement of Ingersoll’s Luna Park project announced in late 1905. The Ingersoll Construction Company secured financing amounting to $300,000 and began building the park on November 14, 1905. Luna Park officially welcomed visitors on May 28, 1906.
Design and construction
Ingersoll characterized the park’s layout as comprising three distinct zones. The first area involved damming Roaring Brook to create a lake designated for boating and water-based activities. The second area centered on amusement attractions, featuring rides such as Folks Shoot-the-Chutes, "The Lagoon" swimming pool, a Scenic Railway roller coaster, H.G. Traver’s Aerial Circle Swing, Scenic River/Old Mill ride, Blarney Castle, Shades and Shadows, E. Conley’s Shooting Gallery, a Steele MacKaye Scenitorium, Temple of Mystery, Edisonia Hall, Trip to Rockaway ride, a dance pavilion, J.D. William’s Restaurant, a three-tier Dentzel carousel, Williams Ice Cream/Soda Fountain, a bandstand, and a circus platform known as "The Hippodrome." The third section functioned primarily as picnic grounds featuring a large pavilion. Additional attractions included Hale’s Tours train ride and Mahoney’s Pony Rides. Visitors also enjoyed complimentary entertainment offerings such as vaudeville performances, exhibitions, circuses, and orchestras. Among the most popular acts were Lincoln Beachey’s Knabenshue Toledo No. 2 airship demonstration and Dolores Vallecita’s leopard performance.
Classified as a trolley park, Luna Park was accessible by rail transportation. Initial attendance was supported by trolley services provided by the Lackawanna & Wyoming Valley Railroad and Scranton Railway Company. The facility later incorporated parking areas for automobiles several years after opening.
Financial challenges
One of the primary obstacles involved leasing two expansive plots with rising rental costs during the economic downturn triggered by the Panic of 1907. Although Ingersoll had initially envisioned growth following the inaugural year, monetary limitations compelled him to divest his shares to the Scranton Luna Park Company board and step down from his role as vice-president. The recession caused a significant drop in group reservations from churches and businesses. Despite the decline in visitor numbers, the board continued with plans for expansions and improvements, resulting in accumulating debt as income fell short of covering operational expenses and lease obligations.
To prevent lease defaults, the board brought in new local investors capable of settling construction debts and acquiring land outright. Adolph Blau became the leading investor, owning several area enterprises including a private banking institution. Blau took control of the majority stock and held the position of park president for multiple years. Prior to the 1909 season, new attractions were introduced, such as an arcade, Billiken's Temple funhouse, an alligator zoo, a glassblowing demonstration, and a miniature railroad, alongside enhancements to existing rides. Nonetheless, attendance began to suffer due to competition from neighboring amusement parks.
Revenue streams remained unstable; weekends and special occasions attracted large crowds, while weekday attendance stayed low over the next four years.
Luna Park’s decline
Despite being part of the National Amusement Park Association, Luna Park faced difficulties booking top-tier vaudeville performers. To draw more visitors, an outdoor "moving picture" screen was installed to showcase new films, including untitled daily reels from New York studios. Plans to stage a full-scale circus inspired by P.T. Barnum were abandoned because of financial concerns. A notable incident involved aviator Lester Weeks crashing a biplane during an exhibition at the park.
By the conclusion of the 1911 season, there was a sharp decrease in group outings and picnics. Revenue was sustained largely by a Labor Day charter from a prominent labor union that allowed reopening for the following season. To offset its relatively higher admission fees, Luna Park regularly offered promotions and hosted dance events aimed at increasing attendance.
In April 1913, park manager J.E. Monroe collaborated with Cities and Towns Film Company to produce a film at Luna Park starring Maclyn Arbuckle that featured a brush fire scene. The park earned only minimal royalties from these film showings.
Following industry-wide accident trends, new safety regulations enacted in 1914 prompted Luna Park’s board to make significant investments in ride safety improvements. These costs increased dependence on private group excursions and picnics, which proved profitable. The decision to open on Sundays led to a boycott spearheaded by Reverend Anderson; this resulted in Sunday closures and cancellations by religious organizations that substantially impacted revenue.
Charlie Chaplin’s visit on June 7, 1915, attracted large audiences eager to see the famed entertainer.
The park’s financial downfall began on June 11, 1915, when Blau Bank House—holding considerable Luna Park deposits—collapsed and those funds were lost. Blau controlled 1,393 shares of park stock that sold at depressed prices during bankruptcy proceedings and held a promissory note secured by Luna Park property. Bankruptcy lawyers discovered this note while recovering depositor assets. As the season neared its end without fresh capital, management extended operations until September 25 in an effort to generate additional income despite mounting difficulties. Large group bookings caused overcrowding and resulted in an accident on the Scenic Railway coaster. In its final year, Luna Park drastically reduced expenditures—including insurance costs—as it faced imminent financial failure.
Fire and park shutdown
On August 23, 1916, a blaze of undetermined cause consumed roughly one-third of the park, destroying major income sources including the dance pavilion, Scenic Railway station, Shoot-the-Chutes ride, and sections of the Laurel Line Railroad tracks. The fire is believed to have originated near the dance pavilion where combustible materials were stored, although electrical faults or locomotive embers were also considered possible triggers. Overnight, strong winds accelerated the fire’s spread, resulting in damage estimated at $15,000.
During the fire, the board of directors convened an urgent meeting and decided to prioritize the rapid reconstruction of the dance floor to accommodate a forthcoming large event and address pressing financial obligations. By the end of that week, a roofless dance platform was erected using emergency contributions from board members. Nevertheless, funds proved insufficient to restore other significant attractions or repair extensive destruction. Inclement weather on the day of the event further reduced attendance and income.
Due to an inability to fulfill payment obligations, the park was auctioned publicly on January 5, 1917, where attorney Ralph W. Rymer acted on behalf of an undisclosed purchaser. By May 1917, all amusement structures had been dismantled. The subsequent owner, Peter Stipp, Sr., eventually transferred ownership to the city of Scranton, which resolved outstanding liens through a confessed judgment agreement.
In 1929, A.H. Strohl submitted a plan to reestablish an amusement park on the site; however, Scranton city council rejected the proposal citing inadequate financial planning and community apprehensions regarding noise disturbances.
Current status
Today, only a few traces of the original park remain visible: a dam, the platform once used for circus performances, the former alligator pit location, remnants along the Shoot-the-Chutes lagoon shoreline, an access tunnel from the Laurel Line rail bed, and scattered concrete foundations. Much of the area has become overgrown and was partially covered during construction of Interstate 81 in 1960, which crosses through what was once park territory. Further portions of park land were lost during expansion of the Central Scranton Expressway in 1998. Urban development has also encroached upon the northern boundary of what was formerly Luna Park.
See also
External links
- Electric City Trolley Museum – Official site for Electric City Trolley Museum Association
- Knabenshue Toledo No. 2 – "Airship Investigations" resource
- Lackawanna and Wyoming Valley RHS – Historical Society homepage for LWVRR
- Lincoln J. Beachey – Website honoring aviation pioneer
- Scranton Luna Park postcard images – NEPA's Lost Parks collection
- Northern Electric Park – Luna Park’s main competitor featured on NEPA's Lost Parks site
- Photographs from 2007 showing Luna Park remains by blogger Frank Dutton
- Lackawanna Historical Society – Documentation and images related to the park in their archives