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Coordinates: 45°36′47″N 122°40′55″W / 45.613°N 122.682°W / 45.613; -122.682
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[[File:Jantzen Beach SuperCenter Portland Oregon.jpg|thumb]]
{{Short description|Former amusement park in Portland, Oregon}}
{{Redirect|Jantzen Beach|the current retail complex|Jantzen Beach Center|the former seaplane base and airport|Jantzen Beach Seaplane Base|the area commonly referred to as "Jantzen Beach"|Hayden Island, Portland, Oregon}}
'''Jantzen Beach Amusement Park''' was a popular [[amusement park]] from 1928 to 1970 in [[Portland Oregon|Portland]], [[Oregon]], on [[Hayden Island, Portland, Oregon|Hayden Island]] in the middle of the [[Columbia River]]. ''"The Coney Island of the West"'' opened on May 26, 1928 as the largest amusement park in the nation, covering over {{convert|123|acre|km2}} at the northern tip of Portland.
{{More citations needed|date=February 2014}}
[[File:Jantzen Beach Amusement Park, 1936.JPG|thumb|Jantzen Beach Amusement Park photographed in 1936]]
'''Jantzen Beach Amusement Park''' was a popular [[amusement park]] from 1928 to 1970 in [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], [[Oregon]], on [[Hayden Island, Portland, Oregon|Hayden Island]] in the middle of the [[Columbia River]]. ''"The Coney Island of the West"'' opened on May 26, 1928 as the largest amusement park in the nation, covering over 123 acres (50 ha) at the northern tip of Portland.


==History==
==History==
In 1927, William A. Logus and Leo F. Smith purchased {{convert|40|acre|ha}} of land on [[Hayden Island, Portland, Oregon|Hayden Island]] from the [[Portland General Electric|Portland Electric Power Company]]. Logus and Smith headed the Hayden Island Amusement Company and they built an amusement resort and tourist park named ''Jantzen Beach Amusement Park'' for one of the park's investors, Carl Jantzen, of [[Jantzen|Jantzen swimsuit]] fame. The door opened to the public on May 26, 1928. It surpassed all attendance expectations; over 30 million people patronized the park through its 42 years.


On opening day, Saturday May 26, 1928, 15,000 people paid the $0.10 admission. The following day, 25,000 people came out to the park. The amusement park included a merry-go-round, fun house, Big Dipper roller coaster, Golden Canopy Ballroom, four swimming pools, a [[natatorium]], {{convert|25|acre|ha}} of picnic grounds, and {{convert|15|acre|ha}} of parking.
In 1927, William A. Logus and Leo F. Smith purchased {{convert|40|acre|m2}} of land on [[Hayden Island]] from the [[Portland General Electric|Portland Electric Power Company]]. Logus and Smith headed the Hayden Island Amusement Company and they built an amusement resort and tourist park named ''Jantzen Beach Amusement Park'' for one of the park's investors, Carl Jantzen, of [[Jantzen swimsuit]] fame. The door opened to the public on May 26, 1928. It surpassed all attendance expectations; over 30 million people patronized the park through its 42 years.


The C.W. Parker [[carousel]], built in 1921, was moved to Jantzen Beach in 1927. Some of the hand carved horses were made by inmates of the [[United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth|United States Penitentiary]] in [[Leavenworth, Kansas]]. The amusement park's popularity peaked during the 1940s.
On opening day, Saturday May 26, 1928, 15,000 people paid the $0.10 admission. The following day, 25,000 people came out to the park. The amusement park included a merry-go-round, fun house, Big Dipper roller coaster, Golden Canopy Ballroom, four swimming pools, a [[natatorium]], {{convert|25|acre|m2}} of picnic grounds, and {{convert|15|acre|m2}} of parking.


In the late 1950s, attendance declined while the commercial value of the land increased. The park closed on Labor Day, 1970. The pumping system from the swimming pools remains installed, and is used to pump drinking water to the residents of Hayden Island. The [[Jantzen Beach Carousel]], also known as the C.W. Parker Four-Row Park Carousel, was installed inside the [[Jantzen Beach Mall]], a [[shopping mall]] located on the grounds formerly occupied by the park, and it operated there from 1972 to 2012. However, it was removed in 2012 for the reconstruction of the shopping center,<ref name="carousel mystery">{{cite news|last=Marum|first=Anna|title=What ever happened to the Jantzen Beach carousel? Location remains a mystery|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/window-shop/index.ssf/2015/06/jantzen_beach_carousel_mystery.html|access-date=July 3, 2015|newspaper=The Oregonian|date=July 1, 2015|orig-year=online date June 24|page=C5}}</ref> and it remains in storage {{as of|2016|lc=y}}. The carousel was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1987 but was removed in 2008.<ref name=nrhp-weekly-2008jan11>{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/20080111.HTM |title=Weekly list of actions taken on properties: 12/31/07 through 1/04/08 |date=January 11, 2008 |publisher=[[National Park Service]] |access-date=2016-02-17}}</ref>
The C.W. Parker [[merry-go-round]], built in 1921, was moved to Jantzen Beach in 1927. Some of the hand carved horses were made by inmates of the [[United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth|United States Penitentiary]] in [[Leavenworth, Kansas]]. The amusement park's popularity peaked during the 1940s.

In the late 1950s, attendance declined while, unrelatedly, the commercial value of the land increased. The park closed on Labor Day, 1970. The pumping system from the swimming pools remains and is used to pump drinking water to residents of Hayden Island. The C.W. Parker Carousel is now at the [[Jantzen Beach SuperCenter]], a [[shopping mall]] located on the grounds formerly occupied by the park.


==Attractions==
==Attractions==
* Big Dipper - [[Wooden roller coaster]] (May 26, 1928-1969)
* Big Dipper&nbsp;— [[wooden roller coaster]] (May 26, 19281969)
* Kiddie Dipper - [[Steel roller coaster]] (1947-1970)
* Kiddie Dipper&nbsp;— [[steel roller coaster]] (1947–1970)
* Golden Canopy Ballroom
* Golden Canopy Ballroom
* The C.W. Parker [[merry-go-round]]
* The [[Jantzen Beach Carousel]]
* [[Natatori
* [[Natatorium]]
* [[Picnic]] grounds
* [[Picnic]] grounds
* Two robot circus criers, "[[Laffing Sal]]" and "Joe Barker"
* Two robot circus criers, "[[Laffing Sal]]" and "Joe Barker"
* Venetian Canal ride
* Venetian Canal ride
* Jantzen Beach Railway
* Jantzen Beach Railway
* [[Fun House]]
* [[Funhouse|Fun House]]
* Elbow Room Restaurant
* Elbow Room Restaurant
* [[Midway (fair)|Midway]]
* [[Midway (fair)|Midway]]
* Buzzer
* Roll-O-Planes
* Ferris Wheel
* Haunted house

==See also==
* [[Oaks Amusement Park]]
* [[Lotus Isle]]


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
* [http://www.ccrh.org/comm/slough/primary/coney.htm "The Coney Island of the West"] -- The Spectator, July, 1942 2006.
* [http://www.pdxhistory.com/html/jantzen_beach.html "Jantzen Beach Amusement Park"] -- PDXHistory.com.
* [http://www.ccrh.org/comm/slough/primary/coney.htm "The Coney Island of the West"]&nbsp;— The Spectator, July, 1942 2006.
* [http://www.pdxhistory.com/html/jantzen_beach.html "Jantzen Beach Amusement Park"]&nbsp;— PDXHistory.com.
* [http://www.ccrh.org/comm/slough/primary/jantzen.htm "WHAT ALL PORTLAND HAS BEEN WAITING FOR - JANTZEN BEACH"] -- Oregon Journal, May 24, 1928
* [http://www.ccrh.org/comm/slough/primary/jantzen.htm "What All Portland Has Been Waiting For&nbsp;— Jantzen Beach"]—Oregon Journal, May 24, 1928


== External links ==
== External links ==
{{Commons category|Jantzen Beach Amusement Park}}
* [http://www.pdxhistory.com/html/jantzen_beach.html pdxHistory.com History of Jantzen Beach], collection of historic photos
* [http://www.pdxhistory.com/html/jantzen_beach.html pdxHistory.com History of Jantzen Beach], collection of historic photos
* [http://www.ccrh.org/comm/slough/hayden3.htm Center for Columbia River History]
* [http://www.ccrh.org/comm/slough/hayden3.htm Center for Columbia River History]
*{{RCDB|4634}}


{{Hayden Island, Portland, Oregon}}
{{coord|45.613|-122.682|type:landmark_region:US-OR_source:googlemaps|display=title}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|45.613|-122.682|type:landmark_region:US-OR_source:googlemaps|display=title}}


[[Category:1928 establishments]]
[[Category:1928 establishments in Oregon]]
[[Category:1970 disestablishments]]
[[Category:1970 disestablishments in Oregon]]
[[Category:Amusement parks in Oregon]]
[[Category:Amusement parks in Oregon]]
[[Category:Defunct amusement parks in the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct amusement parks in the United States]]
[[Category:History of Portland, Oregon]]
[[Category:20th century in Portland, Oregon]]
[[Category:Hayden Island, Portland, Oregon]]
[[Category:North Portland, Oregon]]

Latest revision as of 22:53, 30 May 2021

Jantzen Beach Amusement Park photographed in 1936

Jantzen Beach Amusement Park was a popular amusement park from 1928 to 1970 in Portland, Oregon, on Hayden Island in the middle of the Columbia River. "The Coney Island of the West" opened on May 26, 1928 as the largest amusement park in the nation, covering over 123 acres (50 ha) at the northern tip of Portland.

History

[edit]

In 1927, William A. Logus and Leo F. Smith purchased 40 acres (16 ha) of land on Hayden Island from the Portland Electric Power Company. Logus and Smith headed the Hayden Island Amusement Company and they built an amusement resort and tourist park named Jantzen Beach Amusement Park for one of the park's investors, Carl Jantzen, of Jantzen swimsuit fame. The door opened to the public on May 26, 1928. It surpassed all attendance expectations; over 30 million people patronized the park through its 42 years.

On opening day, Saturday May 26, 1928, 15,000 people paid the $0.10 admission. The following day, 25,000 people came out to the park. The amusement park included a merry-go-round, fun house, Big Dipper roller coaster, Golden Canopy Ballroom, four swimming pools, a natatorium, 25 acres (10 ha) of picnic grounds, and 15 acres (6.1 ha) of parking.

The C.W. Parker carousel, built in 1921, was moved to Jantzen Beach in 1927. Some of the hand carved horses were made by inmates of the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas. The amusement park's popularity peaked during the 1940s.

In the late 1950s, attendance declined while the commercial value of the land increased. The park closed on Labor Day, 1970. The pumping system from the swimming pools remains installed, and is used to pump drinking water to the residents of Hayden Island. The Jantzen Beach Carousel, also known as the C.W. Parker Four-Row Park Carousel, was installed inside the Jantzen Beach Mall, a shopping mall located on the grounds formerly occupied by the park, and it operated there from 1972 to 2012. However, it was removed in 2012 for the reconstruction of the shopping center,[1] and it remains in storage as of 2016. The carousel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 but was removed in 2008.[2]

Attractions

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Weekly list of actions taken on properties: 12/31/07 through 1/04/08". National Park Service. January 11, 2008. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
[edit]

45°36′47″N 122°40′55″W / 45.613°N 122.682°W / 45.613; -122.682