Chain of Rocks Park

[silverstreak]

The Chain of Rocks Amusement Park sat on top of a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River north of St. Louis Missouri. The historic Route 66 ran right next to it and Chain of Rocks was a popular destination along the route.In 1893 the land for Chain of Rocks Park was acquired from the Water Division. The 29.76 acre park was lanscaped in 1910. In 1927 the small amusement park sprouted on the hillside overlooking the Chain of Rocks Waterworks, and by 1958 Fun Fair Park, owned by Ken Thone, entrenched itself on the site. Also known as Chain of Rocks Amusement Park in its heyday. Paul Revere and the Raiders performed live concerts annually for many years at this location. The park closed in 1977.In the past several years has been rumored to be rebuilt as a multi million dollar theme park on the same site.

[junkman306]

Thats cool. I've heard of it before.

[Chris]

I used to operate the St. Louis Waterworks streetcar No.10 at the Museum of Transportation in Kirkwood. It's function was bring waterworks employees in from the city, but it was also used by amusement park patrons.



The tracks still exist along Riverview.

[silverstreak]

Thats effing awesome! Streetcars rock-check out the substation on the creve Coeur post...

[Chris]

That's a handsome little building! I'll have to check that out, thanks!

No.10 was more of an "interurban car" than a streetcar. Heavier, larger, and built to interchange railroad specs - with knuckle couplers and the ability to actually pull cars - like tank cars full of chemicals - in and out of the plant. The point is that Illinois Terminal - the railroad that built the "tunnel" under tucker was also an electrically operated "interurban" and they had tracks all over the state of Illinois. There's similar substations tucked away on farms and in small towns all over the state. I know there's a website out there that details the remains of the railroad including a listing of surviving substations. I'll try to dig it up. It's interesting if you're a "rail dork" like me!

[ropingk]

This will show how old I really am but i remember going to the Chain of rocks park for our School Amusment Day---back before the evil Six Flags shut it down they had 2 of them huge toy soilders at the entrance kinda scarry for a little kid

[ropingk]

HEy i just remember I think and i said I THINK they took the Red Rat Roller Coaster from this park and moved it to Dog Patch I could be worng and i am sure someone will corect but that is what i kinda remember

[silverstreak]

Mad mouse existed from 1959-the 1970's and was constructed by the Herschell Mouse Rides. It replaced the L shaped coaster designed by John Miller. A new coaster was to replace it when it was removed, but it never happened. Rumor is that it COULD have been moved to Dogpatch which was later removed for a Mighty Mouse ride. There were over 100 of the "mouse" rides in use at one time in the US.

[BROUSER]

There was one at Doling Park here in Springfield. I was too scared to ride it when I was 7, and Doling park shut down very shortly after that.

[ropingk]

the mad mouse was werid and it was scarry but then like you say i was young it was shaped like a big box wasnt it???

[BROUSER]

Usually. Very compact coasters, that being their biggest advantage, don't require much space.

[silverstreak]

For those of you out there that really want more info on this type of roller coaster, locations, formations builders etc...heres a great link

http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/v/a/vac3/wdm.html

[ropingk]

says it was installed in 1959???can that be right???

[crazydrummerdude]

So, is there actually anything left of it? Usually the pics in these threads are kind of vague.. just wondering if this was also a case of that.

[Chris]

Not really. It's all houses now.