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A reader has sent in this image with the following information. Can anyone else track down what this coaster might be?

 

This is my Great Uncle, Aunt and cousin of Menasha WI. I just read in the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern that they had been to the "Century Of Progress" exhibition - The Chicago World's Fair in August 1934. I think it is possible this photo was taken there/then. That would make this a Harry G Traver Cyclone.

 

Can you confirm this, or am I mistaken?

 

Additional info:

 

I have been thinking more about this… My aunt's clothes are definitely more like 1929 -but in those days, maybe her best dress was a few years old. However, my cousin was born in 1922. This would have made him 12 when they went to the World's Fair. I don't know if a 12 year old would have still been in short pants, but he looks more like 8 years old regardless.

 

So I googled "cyclone roller coaster chicago 1929" and found The Muskego Beach Cyclone. Near Milwaukee, this park was later known as DandiLion Park - and I had forgotten all about it! I had even been there as a child!

 

So - I am leaning toward this, rather than my earlier idea. I still hope you will post it on the forum and see if anyone there can tell me for sure.

 

SteveSophAl.thumb.jpg.2dc439509fcd24508e76b55629116332.jpg

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I have no idea Robb but in that last picture, there looks to be a pretty kick-ass air-time hill!

 

I love those old family photos! Maybe I sound like a dork, but I love clothing far better than what we see today. In a modern day picture, that kid would have his pants falling halfway down his butt

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Looking through the titles in the RCML, and in particular the book: "HARRY TRAVER - LEGENDS OF TERROR." The above image doesn't appear to show any coaster at the Century of Progress (the pic' doesn't typify a Traver-built Cyclone).

 

Furthermore, looking at articles in early NAPHA News and ACE magazines, it doesn't appear to be the TailSpin coaster at Dandilion Park either. [FLUMMOXED SO FAR]

 

Simon A.S. Baynham

rollercoastermedialibrary.com

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^According to RCDB, the Tailspin was built well after this photo would of been taken. Looks like there was a coaster called Cyclone (that would fit the timeline of the mystery photo) and that Tailspin utililized one of its turnarounds. Unfortunately, there are no photos of the original Cyclone.

Edited by ernierocker
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Thanks for all your help so far! I would say the world's fair (Chicago '34) has been ruled out.

 

I still think Muskego Beach is a strong contender.

a timeline:

1861 - The land where it was located was owned by the Schuet family, who operated the Muskego Lake/Resort Hotel

1927 - They then sold the property to William Boszhardt who made it into the Muskego Beach Amusement Park.

1927 - The park added the Cyclone roller coaster (built by Charles Rose. The Midwest's largest roller coaster with a drop of 75 feet)

1944 - Charles Rose, operator of Wisconsin State Fair Park purchased Muskego Beach Amusement Park. After World War II he reopened it.

1967 - Willard Masterson purchased the park. He renamed it, "DandiLion Park"

1967 - The roller coaster was rebuilt in a more compact design in 1967 (using a portion of the old Cyclone, as ernirocker said)

1977 - park closed

 

There is a photo on Flickr of the Muskego Beach Cyclone c.1930 but not enough to compare to my old photo.

 

There is this undated photo . I think it is from prior to 1967. Hard to say for sure. If there were aerial photos from 1968-75 showing the new coaster, that would help

 

 

also, there is a site with virtual coasters you may know (negative g) that has some info, but it may be muddled between the 2 rides. not sure there.

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These two pictures seem to have really similar rides. The airtime hills look really similar, but something else catches my eye. If you look at the aerial photo, you can see a fence around the trough prior to the airtime hill. This fence is also present in the family photo around the same trough. Looking even closer at the two photos, the trough seems to be really close to the ground. I may be crazy (it's been known to happen), but I think they're the same ride.

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finding different reports of when the Tailspin originated. rcdb says 1951. Muskego Historical Society indicated it was new around 1968 . It occurred to me to look at old newspapers. I was trying to judge that nice aerial photo's age by the automobiles. I was pretty sure it could not be 1968, but 1954 makes it harder. I like what GwaziBSRider said noting similarities.

WaukeshaFreeman.thumb.jpg.3f5c498fdfef481f57aa14bfe680b3b0.jpg

a few news clippings about Muskego Beach before it was DandiLion Park

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I don't think that the coaster sought after and the one at the Muskego Beach (Tailspin) is the same, they are similar but there are 2 major things that put me off to call then the same.

1. The entrance and exit to the turnaround are way to close and are angled so that they meet at the bottom.

2. The hills (whether they are two "airtime hills" or the taller one is the first drop) seems to share the same structure, since it looks like there is no gap between them.

 

Both of these points towards that the aerial picture is of some other coaster than the sought after one.

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I don't think that the coaster sought after and the one at the Muskego Beach (Tailspin) is the same, they are similar but there are 2 major things that put me off to call then the same.

1. The entrance and exit to the turnaround are way to close and are angled so that they meet at the bottom.

2. The hills (whether they are two "airtime hills" or the taller one is the first drop) seems to share the same structure, since it looks like there is no gap between them.

 

Both of these points towards that the aerial picture is of some other coaster than the sought after one.

 

I saw that too. What we are looking for is a coaster with the drop and hill right next to each other and separating for the turn around.

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what Wes said ...

I wonder how many "lost" coasters there are...like coasters built in the 20's that there's no documentation of.

 

As I look through more old newspapers, I am learning there were many more roller coasters around Wisconsin than I ever knew. There is still a park in Green Bay (has the Zippin Pippin), but in 1930, they boasted the grand opening of The Greyhound - Wisconsin's Largest Roller Coaster. More surprising than that is the local "Waverly Beach" on Lake Winnebago, right there in Menasha, where those folks lived, had a rollercoaster in those days. (Not to be confused with Waverly Beach in Beloit, WI)(or anywhere else)

 

Here is a description of the "Jack Rabbit" at Waverly Beach (first constructed in May 1924)

"The coaster ... is known as a "figure eight" ... There will be about 3,000 feet of track ... about 95,000 feet of timbers will be required for its construction ... The drops or valleys into which the little tram cars descend will vary in depth, but the biggest drop will be 45 feet."

 

and I found a historical photo - though most of the coaster is obscured

jackrabbit.thumb.jpg.d014761f255bee79f63841d8e9e1f35e.jpg

The Jack Rabbit at Waverly Beach, Lake Winnebago c.1925

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I don't think that the coaster sought after and the one at the Muskego Beach (Tailspin) is the same, they are similar but there are 2 major things that put me off to call then the same.

1. The entrance and exit to the turnaround are way to close and are angled so that they meet at the bottom.

2. The hills (whether they are two "airtime hills" or the taller one is the first drop) seems to share the same structure, since it looks like there is no gap between them.

 

Both of these points towards that the aerial picture is of some other coaster than the sought after one.

 

I saw that too. What we are looking for is a coaster with the drop and hill right next to each other and separating for the turn around.

 

The Tailspin is not the mystery coaster in the photograph. The original Cyclone would be the coaster that is a strong contender. The Tailspin is the one shown here:

 

 

It utilized the same turnaround as the Cyclone did. Supposedly, it was damaged by wind and a huge portion of the coaster collapsed.

 

There isn't a photo of the Cyclone that I can found, but the field where the family is standing does look similar to the field that is at the bottom of the photo above.

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The coaster in the picture looks like the first drop and turnaround of the Hersheypark Comet. Is this possibly a Herb Schmeck design? I only have photos of Chicago's Riverview Park from the 50s and 60s. I would imagine Riverview would be a destination for many Wisconsinites visiting Chicago. Is this maybe a lost Riverview Park coaster? They had many coasters come and go in the park's long history.

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  • 1 month later...

I am no authority on amusement parks and rides but I do know a bit about Muskego Beach park.

 

My grandfather ran the park from 1928 to 1944. My mom and her siblings grew up on the grounds and worked there all summer. My mom too was born in 1922 and she died last September. She would often ride the Cyclone every day, all summer. I had to piece together a lot of information and do much research as my mom's memory was bad.

 

There were two roller coasters at the park. First the Cyclone (1928/1929 - 1949) and then the TailSpin (1949/1950 - 1983, idle since 1977). Ironically, the Cyclone was damaged considerably by what was equivalent to a cyclone and replaced. Both were of timber and I need not tell the experts how important that is.

 

The Cyclone was very long, 4,000 feet, while the TailSpin was 2,200 feet in length (but had a larger width and more variation). The Cyclone had a single loop at each end, entrance at the middle of the a very elongated oval shape, with the ends at a mid-elevation, drops to grade after the end loops then varying but tall climbs (and back down) with the center points at grade.

 

The picture is the only detailed shot from grade I have seen without interference (I would certainly appreciate a digital copy, if possible) and therefore precious as an historical document. This would be the end loop, just a portion of the long and narrow ride.

 

If this is not the Muskego Beach Cyclone, it would be a twin. So, I am pretty sure the family took the car or train to the site. At the time, it might have been a 3-4 hour trip, one way. Cars started arriving in droves as of the late '20s but the train was still popular, dropping people off at the station about a mile or so to the south of the beach and park. There was a hotel at the site, but this was usually a day trip kind of place (often from the Milwaukee area) except that many cottages on the lake would rent for the summer, or for weeks at a time.

 

So, there you go.

 

Jeff Oertel

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  • 1 month later...

If this is not the Muskego Beach Cyclone, it would be a twin.

 

Jeff Oertel

So you think that is it then? Seems you do! How exciting.

He worked for Neenah Paper. I tried to find possible news of a company picnic there - as it seems that was common.

You should be able to save the picture from here, if that is what you want. The original is only about 2.25 x 4.

Thanks for sharing your story and information!

my condolences for the loss of your mother.

~Suzanne

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