BRAND NEW UNREAD COPY OF “Excelsior Amusement Park: Playland of the Twin Cities" [paperback]
Publisher
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From the
Publisher:
Minneapolis roared into the 1920s as a major
metropolis, but it lacked the kind of outdoor amusement facilities common
elsewhere across the country. In 1925, Fred W. Pearce introduced the Twin
Cities to his "Picnic Wonderland." Crowds eagerly poured onto the
shores of Lake Minnetonka by the trolley load. Luckily, Excelsior Park survived
the Great Depression and World War II on the strength of its celebrity acts. Changes
in the forms of transportation, combined with innovations in the outdoor
entertainment industry such as Disneyland and an aging infrastructure,
eventually forced the park to close its gates.
About
the Author
Never being one to appreciate amusement parks
when he was younger, Greg Van Gompel never was truly that interested in
amusement parks until a friend of his asked him to join her for a weekend event
with the National Amusement Park Historical Association (also known as NAPHA)
back in 1988. He has been hooked on amusement parks ever since. In 1990, Van
Gompel became legal counsel to NAPHA and for about six years was editor of its
magazine publication, NAPHA News. Combining his thirst of knowledge for historical
information with his passion for the amusement industry, Greg peruses postcard
collections, the Internet, libraries, historical societies and industry
publications to increase his knowledge on the amusement industry. He finds the
topic of Excelsior Amusement Park and its owner, Fred Pearce, and his family
intriguing and hopes you do as well.