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Kansas Fairy Tale Parks

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Joyland [gone]
Wichita, KS
Joyland was mostly an old-fashioned amusement park but it did have a fairy tale section. Joyland opened in 1949 and this sign was built around that time. There were old kiddie rides, a dilapidated Frontier Town, and a dark ride called the Whacky Shack. There were also old coin-operated rides like the rocket shown above and two trash cans (clown and pig). The bottom photo shows an old concession stand. The Shoe House was originally at Kiddieland in Wichita and moved here to the "Mother Goose Garden" when the two parks were combined in the 1960s. Joyland closed in 2004 and was reopened in 2006. At that time, the sign was repainted blue and purple (see second photo above). It closed again shortly after that. In 2011, a group was formed to raise money for the restoration and reopening of the park. However, the group disbanded in 2014. That same year, the neon sign and other items were removed and moved into storage. The Historic Preservation Alliance of Wichita plans to restore them. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, and 4. [photos thanks Glenda Campbell]

Fairy Tale & Santa Parks
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