MORE THAN FUN AND FRIES

1976 A History of Kennywood The Thunderbolt is named the “King of Coasters” by the New York Times. 1987 Kennywood is designated a National Historic Landmark 1815 1902 by the U.S. Department of the Charles Kenny purchases Kennywood builds its first roller 1936 Interior. the land that is the future coaster, the Figure Eight Noah’s Ark is 1991 Toboggan. (Nothing of this constructed at The Steel Phantom roller site of Kennywood. He The Monongahela Street mines coal on the land. remains now.) Kennywood, in coaster is built. It is the Railway Company merges the same year, 1950s–1970s fastest roller coaster in 1906 with the Pittsburgh Street coincidentally, With competition from Disney the world. Andrew McSwigan, Frederick Henninger, and Railway Company (PRC). At as the record- Land and other new “theme A.F. Megahan form the Pittsburg Kennywood 1758 this time, the trolley is an breaking St. parks,” Kennywood grows and Park Company and lease Kennywood from 2001 Pittsburgh is founded essential form of transporta- Patrick’s Day adapts in order to survive by PRC. Three and four generations later, The Steel Phantom is and named for British tion for those living in flood in building newer and bigger rides descendants of McSwigan and Henninger reconstructed as the statesmanWilliam Pitt. Pittsburgh’s newly expanding Pittsburgh. such as the Turnpike. suburbs and neighborhoods. (respectively) are still involved with the park. Phantom’s Revenge.

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1750 1800 1850 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 Kennywood enters 1755 1921 1995 1860s 1930–1935 a new century Across the The Jack Rabbit, 1941–1945 Lost Kennywood, which is Some of the Kenny Kennywood is as America’s Monongahela River Kennywood’s Kennywood gives based on Oakland’s Luna family’s land, known threatened by finest traditional from what is now oldest running free admission to amusement park from the early as “Kenny’s Grove,” the Great amusement park. Kennywood, English roller coaster, World War II service 1900s, is constructed. becomes a popular Depression. Outliving 11 other General Edward is built. men and women in It survives by amusement parks in Braddock and 2,200 picnic area. uniform. bringing in Allegheny County troops are disastrously 1898 1926 both local and from the same era, defeated by 850 French The Monongahela Street Railway Company The Carousel is built. national swing Kennywood is truly and Native Americans. leases Kenny’s Grove in order to open a trol- bands, and one of a kind. (George Washington is ley park that will encourage more people to by sponsoring here as a militia use the company’s trolley cars. Financier school picnics. colonel.) General Andrew Mellon, a company shareholder, Braddock is mortally names the park Kennywood in honor of the wounded. Kenny family and the popular picnic area.

P ITTSBURGH H ISTORY &L ANDMARKS F OUNDATION Protecting the Places that Make Pittsburgh Home 100 West Station Square Drive, Suite 450 Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1134 Phone (412) 471-5808 Fax (412) 471-1633 www.phlf.org Compiled by Darren DeArment, Intern, University of Pittsburgh, 2001 1. In the early years, to satisfy the complaints of local churches that 5. In 1987, Kennywood was made a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Kennywood was open on Sundays, the Pittsburgh Railway Company Department of the Interior as a way of recognizing the park’s historical sponsored outdoor religious services at Kennywood and its other parks. and architectural significance. The park is one of nine such landmarks in Allegheny County and one of only two amusement parks in the United 2. Andrew Mellon, a famous Pittsburgh financier and an owner of the States to be so honored. Monongahela Street Railway Company, named the new trolley park “Kennywood.” The park was on land that belonged to an Anthony 6. Kennywood is home to some rides that may no longer exist anywhere else. Kenny, who was well known and beloved because he let people picnic on These include the Kangaroo and Auto Race. his land (Kenny’s Grove) for free. 7. In 1981, Kennywood had over one million visitors for the first time. This 3. To go with Kennywood’s playful side, Noah’s Ark used to have air jets in is now a normal attendance figure. Over 1,000 high school and college its walkway that would blow air up under women’s skirts. students serve the one-million-plus visitors each season.

4. The Jack Rabbit is now on the site of Braddock’s Spring where English 8. The Potato Patch goes through over 400,000 pounds (around 200 tons) of General Edward Braddock and his men (including George Washington) potatoes each season! reputedly stopped for water and rest on their way to attack the French Fort “Du Quesne” in 1755.

Sources: 1. Jacques, Charles. Kennywood: Roller Coaster Capital of the World. Vestal, NY: The Vestal Press, 1982. 2. Jacques, Charles. More Kennywood Memories. Jefferson, OH: Amusement Park Journal, 1998. 3. Roth, David Julian and Louise Sturgess. “Lost Kennywood Educational Program.” Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, 1995. 4. Kennywood Memories, producer and narrator Rick Sebak, 60 min., QED Communications, Inc., 1990, P ITTSBURGH H ISTORY &L ANDMARKS F OUNDATION videocassette. Protecting the Places that Make Pittsburgh Home 100 West Station Square Drive, Suite 450 Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1134 Phone (412) 471-5808 Fax (412) 471-1633 www.phlf.org Compiled by Darren DeArment, Intern, University of Pittsburgh, 2001