Luna Park (Seattle)

Luna Park

Luna Park 1910. In the foreground is part of the Great Figure Eight roller coaster. At right rear is the carousel, and to its left the natatorium.
Location	Seattle, Washington
Opened	1907
Closed	1913

Luna Park was an amusement park in Seattle, Washington that operated from 1907 until 1913. Designed by famed carousel carver Charles I. D. Looff, who carved and installed Coney Island’s very first carousel, Luna Park took its name from Coney Island’s Luna Park. On July 4, 1908, Luna Park became the site of Seattle’s first manned flight.

The 12-acre (4.9 ha) park was constructed near the Duwamish Head on the northern tip of Alki Point in West Seattle. Construction started in 1906, headed by Charles I. D. Looff. Built on pilings, the expansive boardwalk extended over Elliott Bay and was called the Greatest Amusement Park on the West Coast.

Luna Park was accessible by the West Seattle ferry or the Seattle Municipal Railway’s Luna Park Line. During evening hours the park was brilliantly illuminated, with each building and ride outlined in bulbs. Because of its extravagant lighting scheme the park could be seen for miles and was billed as a safe nighttime destination for women and children.

Luna Park’s main attractions were Charles I.D. Looff's hand-carved carousel, the Great Figure Eight Roller Coaster, the Giant Whirl, Shoot the Chutes, the Canals of Venice, and the Cave of Mystery. The carousel was originally intended for an amusement park in San Francisco, but the earthquake of 1906 disrupted the city's plans and the carousel was installed in Seattle instead. The carousel is currently located at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco. With vaudeville enjoying immense popularity at the time, Luna Park also housed two theaters, the Dreamland Theater and the Trocadero, with the latter performing a new play each week.