Manhattan Beach was a former amusement park in Denver (1881-1914). It was built on the shore of Sloan's Lake in Edgewater, Colorado (near Denver) and was the first amusement park created west of the Mississippi River.[1] Open to the public for the first time 27 June 1881,[2] it had a roller coaster, a dance hall, a Ferris wheel, boating attractions, hot air balloon rides, wrestling bears, contortionists, aerial acts (including a human cannonball), a man who walked on ceilings, and exhibits displaying more than 40 species of animals, but its primary draw was Roger the Elephant (real name: Rajah), who was a popular children's ride.[3] Visitors reached the park by streetcar, boats, and wagons.
While Manhattan Beach was a popular destination, competition (from nearby Elitch Gardens and White City, the latter eventually becoming Lakeside Amusement Park) and mishaps marked its existence. Roger the Elephant was spooked by the sound of a hot-air balloon, bucked passengers and stepped on the head of a six-year-old boy; Roger was subsequently put down and buried in a nearby swamp.[2] In 1908, Manhattan Beach was destroyed by fire; later that year, it was rebuilt and reopened as Luna Park. It closed for the final time in 1914.[1]