Many Sacramento natives may not know that we had an old fashioned roller coaster in a thriving place called Joyland, in the beginning years of the 1900s. Where was Joyland, you wonder? It was in the heart of Oak Park, in the area known as McClatchy Park today. 35th Street between 4th and 5th Avenue was a bustling oasis from downtown Sacramento.
In addition to the roller coaster, there was also a miniature railroad that had a scenic ride through the park. The park also had a stage which hosted free vaudeville shows.
Within the two-block area of 35th street between 5thAvenue and Broadway, there were two theatres - "The California Theatre" which burned down in the late 1950s. The Oak Park post office sits on that ground today; and "The Oak Park Theatre" which was given a new façade during the 1950s, and renamed "The Guild."
The pictures are from the Bancroft Library.
 |
|
|
Whether your real estate needs are entry level or executive level - I have the experience to give you the professionalism, you deserve.
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
Powered by the ActiveRain Real Estate Network
© 2009 ActiveRain Corp. All Rights Reserved
Hi Mryl!
Found it! What a great post! I love the roller coaster and had no idea we had such an impressive one! We just keep learning, don't we? Thanks for the history lesson!
Paula - When I was growing up, I lived near an elderly couple who had been in Sacramento all their lives. The man of the house, was actually a boy that worked as a pharmacy delivery boy during the 1918 Flu epidemic, and told amazing stories about Oak Park, and the surrounding area (Curtis Park an Land Park). It was this couple, who told me so much about Joyland, the roller coaster, the miniature train etc.
It's so interesting to discover things about our neighborhood history. Those old pictures are fun to look at.
Oak Park was once the jewel of Sacramento. It still has some of the most beautiful homes in Sacramento. I volunteered for a while on the Building Unity in Oak Park committee, hoping to resurrect and protect the neighborhood, and I stay in touch with the neighborhood activists and organizations. Progress is happening in Oak Park. There's new construction and a renewed feeling of camaraderie among the neighbors. I love these old photos and stories, Myrl.