Mystery Fair, June 1966
I have two nice photos from what I assume is a County Fair, in Somewheresville, USA - June, 1966. It would be a lot more fun if I knew a little about the location, at least, but vintage slides often go unlabeled. As usual, I am useless when it comes to identifying the vintage rides, but I know that there are lots of Junior Gorillas who are good at it! I call "dibs" on the Ferris Wheel! I'm most interested in that impressive rocket ride, it looks like the two vehicles would scrape each other as they passed, but of course that wouldn't happen.
The juxtaposition of the antique auto ride with the cool space capsule vehicles in the distance is pretty swell! And both rides look fun, though the autos might be for the younger folks. Project Gemini was still going in June of 1966 (Gemini IV was launched that month, with Ed White performing the first U.S. "space walk"), and astronauts were the heroes of the day.
13 comments:
The antique auto is an Allan Herschell Company “FLIVER” ride. The same track system offered a tail-finned sports car called “Kiddie -Auto Ride”. Both these systems could be disassembled and loaded onto a truck for easy transport …. The “FLIVER” last appears in the company’s catalog in 1970 - no doubt because of competition from ARROW DEVELOPMENTS offering of antique car rides . Despite the “Fliver” not shown in catalogs after 1970 … they appear on price sheets into the mid 70’s . were these used systems or old stock still available?
The "rocket ride" is an Eyerly "Loop-O-Plane". Not to be confused with the "Roll-O-Plane", which was similar... but different. :-D
I don't know the name of the ride on the left (below the ferris wheel) but it seems to be a cousin of the 'Turtle" ride, except... no turtles. Andrew has a couple of Kennywood photos of the Turtle on his blog, from January of this year.
I've never seen one of those 'space capsule' rides before. They remind me of popsicles, or fireworks 'fountains'. Maybe the riders could make the capsules go up and down like Disney's Dumbo ride or the Astro Jets... probably not. That would be too complicated for most traveling carnivals. I wonder if the Car Ride track could be set up in different configurations, or if it had to be the same layout every time? Seems like they could have placed decorative things along the track route to give riders something to look at. But I guess that would be asking too much.
No idea where this fair/carnival was, Major. But it was fun to look at. Thanks.
I have fallen in love with the space capsule spinner ride in the second photo. Please don’t tell Mrs. Chuck; it will just complicate things.
In that second photo, "brother" might be just a little annoyed that he doesn't get to drive. I guess Knott's solved that problem on their "Antique Auto Ride" (aka "Tijuana Taxi"), by installing TWO steering wheels.
Thanks for the trip to the magical mystery fair, Major!
This is great! I loved the fairs. We would get two, one in Kings County and the other in Fresno County, a month or so apart. These bring back great memories.
Thanks Major!
JG
Mike Cozart, thank you for the information about the Flivver ride, it makes sense that the Herschell Company would also offer a cool sports car version that used the same track. Put a few of each kind of car on the track to really shake things up! Kids would probably cry if they didn’t get the car they wanted though. You know how they are. So immature!
JB, I wonder how many of the “Loop-O-Planes” are left today? I remember seeing one at a fair when I was a kid (possibly the LA County Fair) and thinking, “There is NO way I am going on that thing!”. I remember the Turtle ride, and that one does look very similar. Like you, I thought of those popsicles (rocket pops?) when I saw that ride, I truly love that it is a clear nod to the space craze going on in the US at that time! I would imagine that the track had a number of different layouts, depending on what the customer wanted and how much they were willing to pay.
Chuck, yeah, that one is pretty great! I won’t tell Mrs. Chuck.
TokyoMagic!, the brother could have been the driver, but he is clearly inebriated! “Marky, you just don’t know when to say ‘when’!”, said the sister. She’s so over it.
JG, I think the first Ferris Wheel I ever rode was when I was a little kind in Virginia, I was scared, but once I was on it, I had fun. It was probably no larger than the one in the first picture! But it seemed so high up.
Thanks, LTL, for the links! Interesting that the first pic has both, helicopters and capsules. Sort of a transition from one model to the other.
Very cool! I have never seen anything like that tub ride below the Ferris wheel, so I don't know who manufactured it or if it was custom-built. That's a Miler kiddie coaster on the right. I love those little Herschell Flivver cars. I can't think of any off the top of my head that still exist. Idlewild used to have one until about 15 years ago, until it was removed and unceremoniously dumped in the boneyard--in plain view of guests in the parking lot.
So my crush has a name…
Thanks, LTL!
LTL, cool! Thank you!
JB, yes, kids were used to flying helicopters every day, and they needed to be coaxed into using spacecraft!
Andrew, it seems hard to believe that a little fair/carnival would custom-build their own ride, it must be some rare oddball? Wow, such a shame that the Flivver ride at Idlewild was just dumped without any care.
Chuck, my crush’s name is Trixie, and she dances at a certain place!
I wonder if the lamp next to the telephone in the center of the second photo is part of the ride or permanent in the park.
I'm not wondering where this fair took place. I'm wondering what that young lady in the 2nd picture is carrying in that huge purse (suitcase?) of hers (about center of the picture).
Oh, to be a kid, again, and enjoy these fairs! Nice summertime memories, Major, thank you.
Sue, it’s probably a fried chicken.
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