Wonderland Amusement Park (usually simply called Wonderland) was a trolley park that operated on the east side of Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, from 1906 to 1911. The park, near the intersection of East Washington Street and Gray Street, surrounded a lake and featured a shoot the chute ride, a scenic railway ride, the signature -tall Electric Tower,Jeffrey Tenuth, Indianapolis: A Circle City History (Arcadia Publishing 2004) a ride that simulated the Johnstown Flood,Charlie Nye, editor Hoosier Century: 100 Years of Photographs from the Indianapolis Star and the Indianapolis News (Sports Publishing LLC 1999) a dirigible ("Kann's War Air-Ship"),W. C. Madden, Indianapolis in Vintage Postcards (Arcadia Publishing 2003) a funhouse, a dance pavilion, and other exhibits and games in its 24 buildings.David J. Bodenhamer and Robert Graham Barrows, The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis (Indiana University Press 1994) In addition to the standing attractions, the park also offered live exhibits and performances from bands, acrobats, animal acts, vaudeville acts, and members of a "Filipino tribe", the "Igorrote."
Throughout its existence, Wonderland competed against the nearby Riverside Amusement Park to the west (in Riverside) and White City to the north (in Broad Ripple Park), with each park trying to top the other two with new attractions and activities each year. In 1909, Wonderland met local resistance when it announced its intentions to add a beer garden; when Wonderland management applied for a beer license, the Indianapolis Brewers Exchange was instrumental in obtaining the park's withdrawal of the application. In 1911, the park management started to operate a "Blind Tiger" establishment (one that sells alcohol without a license to do so); it was raided by the local police. On August 27, 1911, Wonderland burned to the ground; the park was never rebuilt.
History Origin and grand opening In the wake of the successful grand opening of Riverside Amusement Park in Indianapolis (1903), local residents Edward H. Rentsch and Minnie E. Wilson joined Milwaukee resident Richard Kann in a partnership that submitted corporation papers for the Wonderland Construction Company in November 1905. Their stated mission was to "organize, promote and carry on pleasure resorts..." and to build and maintain "buildings, structures, appliances, machinery, and lawful devices adapted thereto, and to carry on and furnish lawful amusement at such resorts"."Wonderland Construction Company," Articles of Association, cited in Indianapolis Amusement Parks 1903–1911: Landscapes on the Edge – Connie J. Zeigler, Indiana University 2007 By the spring of 1906, construction of a park was started at the eastern edge of Indianapolis, near Irvington (which was later annexed by Indianapolis). The site, at the corner of East Washington and Gray Streets, covered two city blocks that once contained a baseball field."Building Scenic Railroad at Wonderland," Indianapolis Star, May 13, 1906, cited in Indianapolis Amusement Parks 1903–1911: Landscapes on the Edge – Connie J. Zeigler, Indiana University 2007
The park had its grand opening on a rainy May 19, 1906, with 8000 customers braving the elements (it took two hours to admit the crowd)."Wonderland Opening Drew a Great Crowd," Indianapolis News, May 21, 1906, cited in Indianapolis Amusement Parks 1903–1911: Landscapes on the Edge – Connie J. Zeigler, Indiana University 2007 Admission cost ten cents per adult, five for each child. The park's signature -tall Electric Tower and scenic railroad greeted the crowds a week before the season's opening of Riverside Amusement Park and the grand opening of another nearby trolley park, White City, at a time in which the amusement park business was booming in the United States.Indianapolis Amusement Parks 1903–1911: Landscapes on the Edge – Connie J. Zeigler, Indiana University 2007 Following the leads of the earliest Luna Parks (Coney Island, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland), Wonderland's grounds were bathed in the light of about 50,000 light bulbs. The park also employed a 100,000 watt searchlight.
Customers passed through an arch (similar to that of the Luna Parks of the era) on which the park's name – "Wonderland" – was engraved (the park's offices were located on each end of the arch). Inside the grounds, the park's buildings were painted white with yellow trim, a nod to the original White City of the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893.
Rides and attractions in 1906 In addition to the Electric Tower (which people were encouraged to climb) and the one-quarter-mile-long scenic railroad (constructed by the L. A. Thompson Scenic Railway Company) featuring four elevated, intertwining, tracks, the crowds were treated to even more attractions."Building Scenic Railroad at Wonderland Park," Indianapolis Star, May 13, 1906, cited in Indianapolis Amusement Parks 1903–1911: Landscapes on the Edge – Connie J. Zeigler, Indiana University 2007 A shoot the chute ride similar to that of the park's rivals proved popular, as did a funhouse ("The Third Degree"), a circle swing ride, a giant slide ("Bump the Bump") that entertained adults and children alike, a Whip ride, and an exhibit that simulated the Johnstown Flood.Charlie Nye, Hoosier Century: 100 Years of Photographs from the Indianapolis Star and the Indianapolis News (Sports Publishing LLC 1999) A skating rink also proved popular, as did the arcade and the restaurants.
Live entertainment quickly became Wonderland's chief drawing card, from the trick motorcyclists to bands, acrobats, vaudeville acts, to a display of Igorot people from the Philippines (advertised as "a visit from the Igorrote tribe")."Work at Wonderland," Indianapolis Star, May 13, 1906, cited in Indianapolis Amusement Parks 1903–1911: Landscapes on the Edge – Connie J. Zeigler, Indiana University 2007 The park's elephant mascot bathed in the shoot the chute lagoon, delighting many patrons.
The exhibits and attractions changed almost constantly, even in Wonderland's first year of operation. The week of June 10, 1906, saw the arrival of Kann's War Airship (named after one of the park owners, Richard Kann), built in Indianapolis and temporarily moored at the park. Visitors viewed it for free in its aerodrome; it took brief flights, once in the morning, one in the evening, over the park each day while it was on exhibit."Something about Wonderland’s War Air-Ship," Indianapolis News, June 2, 1906, cited in Indianapolis Amusement Parks 1903–1911: Landscapes on the Edge – Connie J. Zeigler, Indiana University 2007
1907 The year 1907 saw the arrival of equestrian acts and King Bill, touted as "the greatest trained bull in the world". King Bill made headlines when it was spooked by a blown band instrument, jumped off the platform upon which it was performing, and landed in the crowd. A new band shell adorned the park in Wonderland's second season, and a monkey house was built for 48 new simian acquisitions"Bull Routs Crowd," Indianapolis Star, May 12, 1907, cited in Indianapolis Amusement Parks 1903–1911: Landscapes on the Edge – Connie J. Zeigler, Indiana University 2007 (following suit, Riverside Amusement Park added their own monkeys later that year). The acrobats and aerialists returned to Wonderland in 1907, including an albino aerialist (White City had another albino aerialist perform on it grounds shortly afterwards).Indianapolis Star, May 19, 1907, cited in Indianapolis Amusement Parks 1903–1911: Landscapes on the Edge – Connie J. Zeigler, Indiana University 2007 Stunt bicyclists (which became a popular sensation at the time) replaced stunt motorcyclists on the performing stage.
In addition to the acrobats, live entertainment at Wonderland frequently included animal acts. The aforementioned monkeys, horses, and Big Bill were augmented by trained lions, ostriches, alligators, and elephants in 1907.
As the competition among the three Indianapolis parks continued to heat up, Riverside Amusement Park reduced its advertising and reduced its expenditures of constantly updating the park and White City started emphasizing its natural features at Broad Ripple Park to try to maintain its customer base in the light of Indianapolis' slow decrease in entertainment dollars. Wonderland, the only major Indianapolis park not to have water access was forced to maintain its costly routine of renovating and upgrading itself and introducing new rides and attractions, making its continuing existence more and more problematic."City Pays Millions for Entertainment," Indianapolis Star, June 23, 1907, cited in Indianapolis Amusement Parks 1903–1911: Landscapes on the Edge – Connie J. Zeigler, Indiana University 2007 The three parks had drawn a combined one million patrons in 1906–1907.
Increasing costs of construction of new rides and attractions, coupled with an increasing need to advertise, eventually forced a change of ownership of Wonderland. The Wonderland Construction Company gave way to a new publicly owned corporation, the Wonderland Amusement Company; the officers include Indianapolis resident E. I. Fisher (also the president of Capital Paper Company) as president of Wonderland, Frank M. Talbott (Indianapolis Basket Company), A. Lehman (Indianapolis Paper Box Company), and park general manager Frank M. Wicks. Capital stock was issued in an effort to maintain profitability."Articles of Association for White City Amusement Company," Indiana State Archives, cited in Indianapolis Amusement Parks 1903–1911: Landscapes on the Edge – Connie J. Zeigler, Indiana University 2007
1908 The new ownership wasted no time in upgrading Wonderland, adding eight attractions in 1908. In addition to a new restaurant, the "Flatiron" proved to be an instant success as the new building offered "human squirrel cake", and trick floors, carpets, and ceilings (the Flatiron was advertised as a "show" geared to those who wished "harmless excitement with a touch of terror"."Eight New Attractions Please at Wonderland," Indianapolis Star, May 24, 1908, cited in Indianapolis Amusement Parks 1903–1911: Landscapes on the Edge – Connie J. Zeigler, Indiana University 2007 New features include "Brewster's Millions" (inspired by the popular novel by George Barr McCutcheon), "Ray's Manikans", "The Tickle", "Battle Royal", and the "Old Swimmin' Hole".
The restaurant patrons enjoyed their sodas as they enjoyed the live entertainment that was a mainstay of the park. Vaudeville shows were the primary source of entertainment, augmented with performances of Sleight's Military Band. In June 1908, Millie Spellman brought her drinking and cigarette-smoking bears to Wonderland as the Teddy bear craze was beginning to take hold in the United States."Trained Bears to visit Wonderland," Indianapolis Star, June 7, 1908, cited in Indianapolis Amusement Parks 1903–1911: Landscapes on the Edge – Connie J. Zeigler, Indiana University 2007"Teddy Bear Appears in Real Life," Indianapolis Star, June 14, 1908, cited in Indianapolis Amusement Parks 1903–1911: Landscapes on the Edge – Connie J. Zeigler, Indiana University 2007
The initial reaction to the new attractions kept the park's precarious finances hidden as rival parks found new ways to preserve the bottom line. White City also introduced new attractions and finished its construction of a huge swimming pool (covering two acres, it was scheduled to open June 27);"Both Sexes will Bathe in Big White City Pool," Indianapolis Star, June 21, 1908, cited in Indianapolis Amusement Parks 1903–1911: Landscapes on the Edge – Connie J. Zeigler, Indiana University 2007 Riverside Amusement Park sharply reduced its construction and advertising costs, opting to rely upon the rides it had the previous year and showcasing "the world's largest steer"."Big Steer at Riverside," Indianapolis Star, June 7, 1908, cited in Indianapolis Amusement Parks 1903–1911: Landscapes on the Edge – Connie J. Zeigler, Indiana University 2007