Peony Park

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Peony Park
Location Omaha, Nebraska, United States Flag of the United States
Owner Carl Jennings
Opened 1919
Closed 1994
Area 35 acres (0.14 km²)
Rides total

Peony Park was an amusement park located at North 78th and Cass Streets in Omaha, Nebraska. Founded in 1920, over the next seventy-five years the 35 acre park included a 4.5 acre pool, beach and waterslide, a ballroom that billed itself as "one acre under one roof," an open air dance area for 3000 dancers, amusement rides, and various sundries. The park closed in 1994.[1][2] Throughout its existence the park maintained its status as Nebraska's largest amusement park.[3]

Contents

[edit] History

Peony Park was began be local entrepreneur Carl Rosenfield in 1919 as a gas station and restaurant on the Lincoln Highway. It was named after Roosenfield's neighboring Peony Gardens, which was established 35 years before with twenty-five acres of peonies in several hundred varieties.[4] The park became the official headquarters for the Lawrence Welk Band in the 1930s, which made it immensely popular. Other events included the Coca-Cola Date Night and Polka Days.[5] Originally built outside city limits, the park was annexed by the city of Omaha in 1958.[6]

In the 1980s Omaha's Italian community began holding their annual celebration called La Festa Italiana at the park, and continued until its closure. La Festa is now held at the College of St. Mary.[7]

[edit] Segregation policies

The park was strictly segregated until 1963. Earlier, in 1955, the State of Nebraska took Peony Park to district court over its segregated swimming policy. In State of Nebraska v. Peony Park, the court found that under Nebraska Civil Rights Law Peony Park discriminated against African American swimmers at the Amateur Athletic Union Swimming Meet held at the park on August 27, 1955. During that event, two African American participants were barred from the meet because Peony Park barred them from pool. On September 7, 1955, the court fined Peony Park $50 and costs of the trial. Additional civil suits were settled out of court.[8]

Continuing racial tension in Omaha led to the youth activists leading protests which brought down the color barrier at the park and added to the civil rights movement in the city.[9][10] The Omaha Star newspaper made a name for itself during this period, mixing "light news" and entertainment with articles about the incident, segregationist policies around the city and the ongoing trial.[11]

[edit] Amusements

Soon after its founding, the private park included a beer garden and ballroom. Little changed after a swimming pool was added in 1926, until the 1970s when the park added its first serious amusement rides, including a roller coaster and other, more standard fare including the "Seven Swings," Wonderland, and the Galaxy roller coaster.

[edit] Water slides and pool

The pool and surrounding beach occupied 4.5 acres of the park. Holding approximately five million gallons of filtered, chlorinated water, the seven hundred foot-long pool was supplied by artesian wells. The depth ranged from one foot to 10 feet (3.0 m).[12]

Peony Park was home to three water slides. In 1983 there was an endurance competition in which the winner, a student at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, slid down the four-story water slide at Peony Park 1,710 times in 87 hours and 19 minutes. For winning he won $1,300, a 1950 vintage Coke machine, a moped, waterbed, stereo and other prizes offered by radio station KQ 98, sponsor of the event.[13]

[edit] Royal Terrace Ballroom

On the south side of the lake was the Royal Terrace Ballroom, which was billed as "one acre under one roof."[14] Duke Ellington's band, including Omaha native Preston Love, played the park repeatedly during the Swing Era. Regional rock act The Rumbles reunited at the Royal Terrace in 1979.[15] The ballroom also hosted events with Metallica and Pearl Jam in its later years.[16]

[edit] Royal Grove

An open air stage and orchestra shell were covered with a white roof. Called Royal Grove, the area included an open air dance floor that accommodated three thousand dancers.[17]

[edit] Additional structures

Originally, there was an open area to the west of Royal Grove with a softball diamond and picnic and recreation grounds. There were also bathhouses, service buildings and refreshment stands throughout.[18]

[edit] Bibliography

  • Jennings, C.D. (2001) Omaha's Peony Park: An American Legend. Arcadia Publishing.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Palmer, J. (2004) "Cass Street area blooms", Omaha World Herald. June 24, 2004. Retrieved 3/30/08.
  2. ^ Jennings, C.D. (2001) Omaha's Peony Park: An American Legend. Arcadia Publishing.
  3. ^ Schmittroth, L. (1994) Cities of the United States: A Compilation of Current Information. Gale Research. p 350.
  4. ^ "Peony Gardens", Nebraska Memories. Retrieved 3/30/08.
  5. ^ Jennings, C.D. (2001) Omaha's Peony Park: An American Legend. Arcadia Publishing.
  6. ^ "Omaha Timeline", KETV.com. Retrieved 3/30/08.
  7. ^ Schmittroth, L. (1994) Cities of the United States: A Compilation of Current Information. Gale Research. p 350.
  8. ^ Civil Liberties Docket. Vol. I, No. 2. December, 1955.
  9. ^ Hord, B. "Nebraska Cattlemen's new director is bullish on north Omaha", Omaha World Herald. Jan. 28, 2008. Retrieved 3/30/08.
  10. ^ Calloway, B.W. and Smith, A.N. (1998) Visions of Freedom on the Great Plains: An Illustrated History of African Americans. Donning Company.
  11. ^ Suggs, H.L. (1996) The Black Press in the Middle West, 1865-1985. Greenwood Publishing Group. p 239.
  12. ^ "Flying North Over Peony Park... 35 Acres of Wooded Playground" Omaha from the Air. Retrieved 3/30/08.
  13. ^ (1983) "UNO student splashes way into record book", University of Nebraska at Omaha Alumni News. October. Retrieved 4/5/08.
  14. ^ "Flying North Over Peony Park...35 Acres of Wooded Playground" Omaha from the Air. Retrieved 3/30/08.
  15. ^ "History" The Rumbles. Retrieved 3/30/08.
  16. ^ Jennings, C.D. (2001) Omaha's Peony Park: An American Legend. Arcadia Publishing.
  17. ^ "Flying North Over Peony Park...35 Acres of Wooded Playground" Omaha from the Air. Retrieved 3/30/08.
  18. ^ "Flying North Over Peony Park...35 Acres of Wooded Playground" Omaha from the Air. Retrieved 3/30/08.

[edit] External links