Mission Beach Roller Coaster

Infobox_nrhp2 | name =Belmont Park Giant Dipper
nhl = yes


caption =
location= 3000 Mission Boulevard, San Diego, California
lat_degrees = 32
lat_minutes = 46
lat_seconds = 18
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 117
long_minutes = 15
long_seconds = 0
long_direction = W
locmapin = California
area =
built =1925
architect= Thomas Frank Prior, Berterick A. Church
architecture=
added = December 27, 1978
designated_nhl = February 27, 1987 [http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceID=1746&resourceType=Structure NPS Summary] ]
governing_body = Local
refnum=78000753cite 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]

The Giant Dipper is a wooden roller coaster, built in 1925. The Giant Dipper is in Belmont Park, right on Mission Beach in San Diego. It is the only remaining coaster built by noted coaster builders Prior and Church on the West Coast. [ [http://www.nr.nps.gov/writeups/78000753.nl.pdf NHL Writeup] ]

History

, the original coaster was built by a crew of 100 to 150 people in two weeks. The coaster became very popular in the 1940s and '50s but by the late '60s, it had fallen into disrepair. It closed in 1976.

In the early 1980s, people began calling for the demolition of the coaster, as it had been in disrepair and became a home for local transients. A date for the demolition was set, but a group of citizens calling themselves the "Save the Coaster Committee" intervened and had the Giant Dipper designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1987.

A few years later, the San Diego Seaside company was officially formed to restore the coaster to operation. $2 million was spent on the restoration. The new coaster contained six four-person cars. On August 11, 1990, the Giant Dipper was reopened to the public. The response was so strong that a second train was eventually added to the coaster.

References

External links

* [http://www.giantdipper.com/dipper.html Official Site]