CHARLESTON GAZETTE-MAIL, FRIDAY, MAY 21, 2021 7A TROLLEY FROM PAGE 6A entertainment included free outdoor movies, hot air balloons and trapeze artists. People walked to the park or rode streetcars. Excursion boats from Gallipolis and Point Pleasant sometimes stopped at the park to let off passengers. On May 5, 1923, a fire started by welders working on a new swimming pool destroyed most of the park. Although Luna’s owners announced that they would rebuild, the park never reopened. Eventually sin- gle-family houses were con- structed on the site. In 2012, the National Park Service designated 40 acres of Charleston’s West Side, including the area once occupied by Luna WV ENCYCLOPEDIA | Courtesy photo Park, as the Luna Park Historic In this undated file photo, crowds take part in the festivities at Luna Park on Charleston’s West Side. District. partnered to build Paden Park Oak Park was built in 1909 by the Terrapin Park on land in south Paden City, in- Morgantown & Kingwood Rail- In 1898, Charles H. Shattuck, stalling a baseball field, open- road. The park was an easy train president of the Parkersburg air dance floor, confectionary ride from Morgantown. Electric Power and Street Rail- and carousel. The park proved On weekends and holidays, it way, built a trolley park at the popular but didn’t come into full attracted thousands of fun seek- intersection of Dudley Avenue flower until 1909 when the ers, not just from West Virginia, and 25th Street. He named it Union Traction Company, which but also from neighboring Penn- Terrapin Park because of a small, operated the Sistersville-New sylvania and Maryland. On Au- humped-up knoll on the proper- Martinsville trolley line, built gust 25, 1909, 14 trains brought ty. The following year he built the the two-story Paden Park Pavil- more than 4,000 people to the Terrapin Park Casino — not a ion. park. gambling casino as we use the The pavilion’s first floor had a Oak Park’s attractions includ- term today, but a multi-purpose large ballroom that replaced the ed a 65-foot wooden slide, two building that included a 2,000- open-air dance floor on the park roller coasters, walking paths, seat auditorium. grounds. The second floor fea- picnic areas, a carousel, a Ferris In 1913, Henry L. Brenig ex- tured a big skating rink. Al- wheel, a swimming hole, paddle panded Terrapin Park by adding Courtesy photo though the last trolley in Tyler boats and carnival-style game A postcard showing the entrance to Luna Park, a trolley park served by the a roller coaster, carousel, dance County ceased operation in stands. One of the main attrac- Charleston Interurban Railway Company. The park was built in 1912 on the north hall and skating rink and other 1930, Paden Park lived on until tions was the baseball games bank of the Kanawha River. items. In 1916, Paul and Jack 1943. played at the park between teams Crane took over the park and Paden Park formed in surrounding towns had two good seasons, but when broke out that all but leveled it. Oak Park and by mine companies. the park closed for the season The owners had no insurance In 1904, the Ohio Valley and Located about one mile west of The park closed in 1930, a vic- after Labor Day in 1918, a fire and the park was not rebuilt. Duquesne Glass Companies Masontown, in Preston County, tim of the Great Depression. CAMDEN FROM PAGE 6A dealer John P. Boylin Sr., then purchased the park. When Boylin bought it, the park had nine rides and a number of buildings still damaged by the 1937 flood. He undertook a substantial expansion of the park, add- ing rides and other attrac- tions over the next few years. In 1980, the Boylin fami- ly sold the park to out-of- town owners, a move that would prove disastrous. The new owners neglected essential maintenance. When they found them- selves drowning in debt, they even sold off the hand- carved wooden horses that once graced the vintage carousel, replacing them with metal replicas. By 1994, the park owners owed $2 million to their credi- tors, including the Boylins. Courtesy photo In 1995, the Boylins, who U.S. Sen. Johnson M. Camden, the principal stockholder in the local still owned the land where trolley line, the Camden Interstate Railway, established Camden Camden Park stands, Park in 1903. stepped in and took the park back. It was at this his favorite rides is the Bog, Darts, Cat Toss, Balloon point that Jack Boylin got Haunted House, which Bust and Duck Pond. involved in the park. takes riders along dark, There’s also a retro arcade “As a kid, I enjoyed com- winding corridors that fea- full of fun and games. Lo- ing to the park and riding ture sudden and unexpect- cated beside the arcade are the rides,” he said. “It never ed lights and noises, lumi- the Happy Clown Toy Shop, registered with me that my nescent images and ani- which sells everything from family owned the place. In mated props. Manufac- stuffed animals to Lego sets, 1995, when we bought back tured by the Pretzel and the Candy Store. the park, I had just graduat- Amusement Ride Co. of Camden Park’s rich his- ed from college and so the Bridgeton, New Jersey, it tory includes concerts by timing was right for me to originally was called the such country-music super- get involved. My father (J.P. Laughing Lady. stars as Garth Brooks, Vince Boylin Jr.) couldn’t run the Boylin believes it may Gill and Marty Stuart, who place by himself, so I was U.S. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS | Courtesy photo have been installed as early took the park’s stage early happy to help. I’ve been It’s hard to miss the jumbo happy clown sign that towers over the entrance to Camden Park. as the 1920s and then re- in their careers. The park here ever since.” themed and the name still offers country music Today, he and his moth- Fans of the park’s Ferris the park. Roller Coaster Landmark” changed in the ’60s. Howev- concerts. Today’s perform- er, Helen Bolin, own and Wheel were saddened Harry Nudd, who was in and honored the Boylin er, he doesn’t know much ers may not be well known operate the park. “She likes when it was dismantled, a charge of the rides at the family for their continued more than that since the but — who knows? — some working here,” said Jack. victim of old age. Its site is park, then worked with operation of the ride. oldest employee at the of them may be tomorrow’s “She says doing so keeps now used for two new rides. NAD construction supervi- Another certifiable an- park, which opened in 1903, stars. her young.” First came the Rattler, sor Jerome A. “Eddie” Leis tique ride at the park is the only goes back to 1980. To- At the center of the park Jack’s son, Dev, a student which suspends its riders to create a modest-sized Whip, built by William F. day, it’s one of only two is an Indian mound, said to at the University of South from an overhead axis and wooden coaster that would Mangels of Coney Island, Pretzel rides remaining in be one of the largest in Carolina, now works sum- puts them through dual be a perfect fit for the park. New York. It’s one of a operation in the United West Virginia. Never exca- mers at the park. He’s the swinging and spinning The old coaster was demol- handful of these classic States. vated, it was probably built fourth generation of Boy- motions. The park’s newest ished and the new coaster, flat-rides still in existence. Each October, the Haunt- by the Adena people be- lins at the park. “This year, ride, the Slingshot, came the Big Dipper, was put in The park also has a Kiddie ed House is the centerpiece tween 1000 B.C. and A.D. he’s helping out in mainte- next. It’s a figure-eight roll- service in 1958. Whip among its children’s of “Spooktacular,” a park- 100. The top of the mound nance,” his father said. er coaster with spinning The Big Dipper features rides. wide Halloween celebra- was used as a bandstand in On their return to the cars. six original Century Flyer “I have no idea how old tion. the early part of the 20th park, the Boylin family got cars with working head- the Whip is,” Boylin said. century. off to a rocky start with a $1 Big Dipper a lights, and a classic fig- “We installed it in the 1950s Then and now The presence of the million fire that in 1996 coaster landmark ure-eight track design. The and it was far from new Over the years, Camden mound has prompted ru- destroyed the park’s office, Surely, Camden Park’s ride’s name refers to a big then.” Park has been the setting mors that the park site is Skeeball area and popular best-known ride is the Big dip measuring almost the A replica steam train for an almost bewildering haunted by Native Ameri- Roller Rink. In addition to Dipper roller coaster. full 50-foot height of the long has chugged its way list of events and activities: can spirits. One witness re- dealing with the fire dam- Camden’s antique carou- roller coaster after the first around the park, while an marathon dances and roller ported seeing an apparition age, the Boylins faced a long sel is its oldest ride.