Playland (New York)

Infobox nrhp
name = Playland Amusement Park
nrhp_type = nhl

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caption = Gondola wheel at Playland
location = Rye, NY
nearest_city = City of Rye, NY
lat_degrees = 40 | lat_minutes = 57 | lat_seconds = 57 | lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 73 | long_minutes = 40 | long_seconds = 26 | long_direction = W
area = 280 acres (1.1 km²)
built = 1928
architect = Frank Darling; Walker & Gillette
architecture= Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals, Art Deco, Other
designated= February 27, 1987 cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1835&ResourceType=District
title=Playland Amusement Park|date=2007-09-18|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service]
added = July 04, 1980cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
refnum = 80004529
mpsub =
governing_body = Westchester County

Playland, often called Rye Playland and also known as Playland Amusement Park, is an amusement park located in Rye, New York. Run by Westchester County, it is the only government owned-and-operated amusement park in the United States.

History

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the waterfront area of Westchester County, New York along the Long Island Sound was the site of a growing collection of recreational developments, including hotels, resorts, and "amusement areas." Local residents concerned about what a County report described as "unsavory crowds" induced the Westchester County Park Association to purchase two existing theme parks, Rye Beach and Paradise Park, and planned a local-government-sponsored amusement park in their stead.

Frank Darling, a veteran park manager with experience at Coney Island and the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley, was hired to design and run the new park, called Playland. Construction commenced in September 1927 and was completed in six months. A design firm was commissioned to decorate the entire park in the Art Deco style.

The park began operation on May 26 1928. The original design included a boardwalk, ice-skating rinks, a swimming pool, and two beaches, as well as amusement park rides, some of which are still in use.

Built in 1929, the Dragon Coaster serves as the park's mascot and appears in the Playland logo. The Dragon Coaster is one of roughly 100 wooden roller coasters still in operation in the United States.

Historic status and modern use

Playland was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987.,cite web|url=PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/80004529.pdf "Playland Amusement Park", October 22, 1979, by Karen Morey Kennedy] |2.75 MiB |title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination|date=1979-10-22|publisher=National Park Service] ,cite web|url=PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Photos/80004529.pdf Playland Amusement Park--Accompanying 7 photos, from 1980.] |679 KiB |title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination|date=1979-10-22|publisher=National Park Service]

There is no charge for admission, and "fun cards" or wristbands may be purchased to go on rides. There is a charge for parking during the summer season. According to its website, "Playland also offers free entertainment and has a great beach, swimming pool, boardwalk and pier on scenic Long Island Sound, lake boating, picnic area, mini golf and indoor ice skating."

The "Ice Casino" , built in 1929, originally contained a main ice rink as well as a full dance floor on the second floor that functioned as a dance hall through the 1940's and 1950's. It also had a full service fine dining restaurant and an outdoor cafe. It had smaller dining rooms upstairs for upscale private dinners. A renovation in the 1970s added a kiddie rink as well as a mid-sized ice rink. A renovation to the main ice rink that included a new surface, boards and glass was completed in 2007 for the Empire State Games.

Playland is home to a "Grand Carousel". The Grand Carousel is a 1915 Mangels-Carmel. It has 4 rows with 48 jumpers, 18 standers and 3 chariots. It was originally in New Haven, CT and moved to Playland when the park opened in 1927. The Grand Carousel has a rare band organ built by the Gavioli company in Italy. The beautiful organ enclosure features two male figures that strike bells in time to the music while the central female figure moves a baton. The Grand Carousel contains designs including those on the horses that are completely hand-carved and painted by Charles Carmel from Brooklyn, New York. The Horses contain many unique traits that include elaborate "fish scale" blankets, gorgeous armor, and a lolling tongue on many of the horses.

Playland is also home to one of only three "Derby Racers" still in existence. The Derby Racer was built in 1927 for Playland by Prior & Church with horses carved by Marcus Charles Illions, a turn of the Century famed New York master carousel horse carver. The Derby Racer is not a carousel for the faint of heart as it rotates at 25 miles per hour (40 km/h) - three times the speed of a normal carousel. The horses move back and forth as well as up and down, simulating a true gallop as it races around the track. The other "Derby Racers" are located at Cedar Point [http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/park/rides/carousels/cedar_downs_racing_derby.cfm] , in Sandusky, Ohio; and Blackpool Pleasure Beach [http://www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com/ride.php?id=44&rideType=2] , in Blackpool, Lancashire, United Kingdom.

The Dragon Coaster, Playland Amusement Park's iconic attraction, is a wooden roller coaster which was opened in 1929. Designed and built by legendary amusement ride creator Frederick A. Church (also was the co-inventor of the Derby Racer) the Dragon Coaster has approximately 3400 feet of track and is approximately 85 feet tall at its highest point. It has a tunnel along its span, a common feature of wooden roller coasters from the 1920's. The tunnel resembles the body of a Dragon and the opening of the tunnel resembling the mouth of a Dragon, it has eyes that light up and it blows steam from its nostrils. Playland Park removed the classic Prior and Church trains in the mid-eighties and replaced them with Morgan trains because the P.T.C.'s did not have up-to-date safety technology such as lap bars and other items. The Dragon Coaster is still in operation to this day and is classified as one of the park's seven "classic" rides.

In 1927 construction began on the Airplane Coaster, overseen by Frank W. Darling. The footers were poured and the towering walls of timber soon began to take shape. It was originally thought that the Traver Engineering Company had been responsible for the construction of this ride; however, in 1983 the original blueprints, signed by Fred Church, were discovered in an attic at the park. These proved that Traver had nothing to do with the Airplane. Construction was completed in early 1928, and the coaster opened on May 26 of that year. After exiting the curved loading station, the coaster made a 90º turn to the left and began climbing the lift. After the lift, the track dipped straight into a tight, left hand turn. Then the track dropped straight into a tunnel, faded slightly to the right, and climbed. The next drop was a descending right hand spiral that banked so hard that riders were thrown to one side and rattled around. The rest of the layout was full of spiralling drops and high speed plunges.

The Airplane coaster was a phenomenal ride because of many factors. The ride was extremely fast and full of curves so that riders never knew what to expect. The track crossed over, under, and through its own structure often, and also travelled alongside its structure for much of the ride. The presence of the structure and groves of trees close to the track created a feeling of great speed over the entire ride. Its two whirlpool sections and distinctive "bottleneck" created a symmetry that was extremely visually appealing. At night, Airplane was an incredible sight, lit with lights all along its structure. Known originally as Airplane Dips, its name was changed to Aero-coaster and then finally to Airplane Coaster. For almost thirty years the it stood majestically over Long Island Sound, terrifying its riders. In 1957 Airplane ran its last train and thrilled its last passenger. Later that year Fred Church's great masterpiece was dismantled.

Playland is also home to the "Kiddie Coaster", built in 1928. It is an ACE Coaster Classic. [ [http://www.aceonline.org/CoasterAwards/?type=1 ACE Coaster Classic Awards] ]

In 1966, an historic fire claimed some of Rye Playland's classic and most beloved attractions, such as the original Bumper Car ride, as well as the famous "Magic Carpet" Fun House. The Magic Carpet Fun House allowed visitors to be able to enter into this attraction, traveling through mysterious and magical corridors and passageways, ane one would eventually get to the center of the Fun House. Once inside the center of the fun house, visitors were able to travel on wobbly walkways, that also sometimes shot out a blast of air. Also inside was a large walk-through barrel, a spinning circular ride and an inside carpet slide that amused many visitors.

The latest coaster to be installed is "Super Flight," in which the rider lies on their stomach, in a caged car with three other people, all in a single row. Cars are released one at a time, allowing multiple cars to be at different spots on the coaster at the same time. The coaster contains two 360 degree turns; giving the riders a zero-gravity experience.

Until the beginning of the 2002-2003 NHL season, the New York Rangers hockey team practiced at the Playland Ice Casino. Currently, the hockey team from Manhattanville College, located in nearby Purchase, New York, plays its home games at Playland.

Free Entertainment

Playland features entertainment performances on its main stage on the north side of the park towards Manursing Lake. 2006 included the dance show Oh-Zone as well as Magic and Spice featuring magician Brendon Yancey. In 2007 it had New York Nights and Shakin' at the 'High School Hop'; a "Grease" style performance. In 2008 dance shows included 'I Hear America Singing' a mix of new pop songs and 'Summer Cruisin' a mish-mash of 50's and 60's songs.

There is also strolling entertainment including kids dance and singing shows, costumed characters and drum acts that occur multiple times a day.

Free Concert Series

Playland features a free concert series every summer that is sponsored by tri-state radio stations, Pepsi, CulinArt, Manhattan Beer Distributors, Westchester County and the Westchester County Parks Department. The free concerts are usually on Thursdays and Fridays in July and August.

In 2007, Plain White T's performed on July 31, Bowling for Soup on August 9, and Teddy Geiger on August 23. The Plain White T's attracted a very large crowd at around 12,500 people.

In 2008, four Free Concerts were scheduled at Rye Playland. On May 24: the new Menudo performed. On July 18th: Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child, George LaMond, Kim Sozzi, and DJ Serg performed. On August 7th, second runner up on American Idol Elliott Yamin performed. Finally, on August 14th, British pop star Natasha Bedingfield performed to a crowd of over 15,000 in the rain.

Past free concerts at the park include Joan Jett, Lifehouse, Cindy Lauper, The Bangles, Daniel Bedingfield and Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch.

Film appearances

* The 1984 film "The Muppets Take Manhattan" features a scene filmed in Playland, although the scene is set in Michigan.
* Playland was the amusement park featured in the 1988 movie "Big" starring Tom Hanks, where "Zoltar the Magnificent" fortune teller machine induces Hanks to become younger.
* Playland appears in a scene from the film "Fatal Attraction" with Glenn Close.
* The park is featured in the Woody Allen film "Sweet and Lowdown" (1999) starring Sean Penn.
* In 2004, the Playland beach was used for the film "Tenderness" with Russell Crowe, it is set for release in 2008.

TV appearances

* "BET Now" taped a series of episodes from around the park including the pool, beach, boardwalk, Double Shot and Carousel on Friday July 25, 2008. The episodes aired the week of July 28, 2008.
* The third episode of "Are You Afraid of the Dark", "The Tale of Laughing in the Dark," takes place in an amusement park called Playland, however, it was not filmed at the actual park.
* The Naked Brothers Band made a free live appearance at Playland on Friday, August 24th at 6pm on the Music Tower Stage. They were taping an episode for the second season of their Nickelodeon show.
* Mariah Carey filmed 1995's "Fantasy" music video, including appearances on the Boardwalk, the Dragon Coaster and the parking lot.
* In 1980 the entire amusement park was used for a storyline on one of Procter & Gamble's soap opera's that they produced - CBS's/ABC's The Edge Of Night.

Deaths

There have been five deaths at Playland since 1920. See Incidents at independent parks for more information.

ee also

*Incidents at independent parks
*Playland Parkway

References

External links

* [http://www.ryeplayland.org/ Playland]
* [http://www.westchestergov.com/ Westchester County]