Kennywood is an

amusement park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...

located in

West Mifflin, Pennsylvania West Mifflin is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, located southeast of downtown Pittsburgh. The population was 20,313 at the 2010 census. It is named after Thomas Mifflin, 1st Governor of Pennsylvania, signer of the Un ...

, just southeast of

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

. The park opened on May 30, 1899, as a

trolley park Trolley may refer to: Vehicles and components * Tram, or trolley or streetcar, a rail vehicle that runs on tramway tracks * Trolleybus, or trolley, an electric bus drawing power from overhead wires using trolley poles ** Trolleytruck, a trolleyb ...

attraction at the end of the

Mellon family The Mellon family is a wealthy and influential American family from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The family includes Andrew Mellon, one of the longest-serving U.S. Treasury Secretaries, along with prominent members in the judicial, banking, financi ...

's Monongahela Street Railway. It was purchased in 1906 by F. W. Henninger and Andrew McSwigan, both of whom later formed the family-owned

Kennywood Entertainment Company The Kennywood Entertainment Company was the operator of five United States amusement parks in Western Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. History Kennywood Entertainment Co. was effectively created when F. W. Henninger and Andrew McSwiga ...

. The company later sold Kennywood, along with four other parks, in 2007 to

Parques Reunidos Parques Reunidos (meaning "Reunited Parks") is an international entertainment operator based in Madrid, Spain. The group operates over 60 parks in about dozen countries. Parques Reunidos operates theme and amusement parks, zoos, water parks, fam ...

, an international entertainment operator based in Spain. The amusement park features various structures and rides dating back to the early 1900s. Along with Rye Playland Park, it is one of two amusement parks in the United States designated as a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places liste ...

. Kennywood is also one of thirteen trolley parks in the United States that remain in operation.

Location

Kennywood is approximately from

Downtown Pittsburgh Downtown Pittsburgh, colloquially referred to as the Golden Triangle, and officially the Central Business District, is the urban downtown center of Pittsburgh. It is located at the confluence of the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River who ...

, in

. The park is along

Pennsylvania Route 837 Pennsylvania Route 837 (PA 837) is a state route located in western Pennsylvania. The southern terminus of the route is at Pennsylvania Route 88 in the Carroll Township hamlet of Wickerham Manor. The northern terminus is at U.S. Route 19 (US 19) ...

(Green Belt), known as Kennywood Boulevard as it passes through the borough. The closest Interstate connection is Exit 77 (Edgewood/Swissvale) on

Interstate 376 Interstate 376 (I-376) is a major auxiliary route of the Interstate Highway System in the US state of Pennsylvania, located within the Allegheny Plateau. It runs from I-80 near Sharon south and east to a junction with the Pennsylvania T ...

. The

Mon–Fayette Expressway The Mon–Fayette Expressway is a partially-completed tolled freeway that is planned to eventually link Interstate 68 near Morgantown, West Virginia with Interstate 376 near Monroeville, Pennsylvania. The ultimate goal of the highway is to pro ...

will eventually go past Kennywood, which will prompt an expansion of the park when it is built. Historically, the park is on the location of the July 9, 1755

Battle of the Monongahela The Battle of the Monongahela (also known as the Battle of Braddock's Field and the Battle of the Wilderness) took place on 9 July 1755, at the beginning of the French and Indian War, at Braddock's Field in what is now Braddock, Pennsylvania, e ...

, where British general

Edward Braddock Major-General Edward Braddock (January 1695 – 13 July 1755) was a British officer and commander-in-chief for the Thirteen Colonies during the start of the French and Indian War (1754–1763), the North American front of what is known in Europ ...

was mortally wounded, ending his expedition to capture the French

Fort Duquesne Fort Duquesne (, ; originally called ''Fort Du Quesne'') was a fort established by the French in 1754, at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers. It was later taken over by the British, and later the Americans, and developed a ...

during the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the st ...

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

was a

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

to Braddock, and fought at the battle before they retreated.Hahner, pg. 9 Later the land on the bluff above the

Monongahela River The Monongahela River ( , )—often referred to locally as the Mon ()—is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 15, 2011 river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-c ...

was part of a farm owned by Anthony Kenny. Starting around the time of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...

, the site was a popular picnic grove for locals, known as "Kenny's Grove".

History

A tree-filled portion of a farm owned by Anthony Kenny, known as "Kenny's Grove" overlooking the

near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was a popular picnic spot for local residents since the

. In 1898, the Monongahela Street Railways Company, partially owned by prominent banker

Andrew Mellon Andrew William Mellon (; March 24, 1855 – August 26, 1937), sometimes A. W. Mellon, was an American banker, businessman, industrialist, philanthropist, art collector, and politician. From the wealthy Mellon family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylv ...

, seeking to increase fare profits on the weekends, leased the land from the Kenny family in order to create a

at the end of their line. The company's chief engineer, George S. Davidson, designed the original layout of the park and served as its first manager. A

carousel A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (international), roundabout (British English), or hurdy-gurdy (an old term in Australian English, in SA) is a type of amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular pl ...

, casino hall, and

dance pavilion Dance hall in its general meaning is a hall for Dance, dancing. From the earliest years of the twentieth century until the early 1960s, the dance hall was the popular forerunner of the discothèque or nightclub. The majority of towns and citi ...

were added in 1899. A

bandstand A bandstand (sometimes music kiosk) is a circular, semicircular or polygonal structure set in a park, garden, pier, or indoor space, designed to accommodate musical bands performing concerts. A simple construction, it both creates an orname ...

was constructed in 1900, while the Old Mill was constructed in 1901, and the park's first

roller coaster A roller coaster, or rollercoaster, is a type of amusement ride that employs a form of elevated railroad track designed with tight turns, steep slopes, and sometimes inversions. Passengers ride along the track in open cars, and the rides are ...

, the Figure Eight Toboggan, was added in 1902. After less than a decade, the trolley company no longer wanted to manage the park. The standing manager, Andrew S. McSwigan, along with partners Frederick W. Henninger and A. F. Meghan, leased and operated the park as Kennywood Park Limited beginning in 1906. From its origin as a

working-class The working class (or labouring class) comprises those engaged in manual-labour occupations or industrial work, who are remunerated via waged or salaried contracts. Working-class occupations (see also " Designation of workers by collar colou ...

picnic A picnic is a meal taken outdoors ( ''al fresco'') as part of an excursion, especially in scenic surroundings, such as a park, lakeside, or other place affording an interesting view, or else in conjunction with a public event such as preceding ...

entertainment destination, the park grew in the first half of the twentieth century into a popular attraction that combined thrill rides with recreation venues such as

swimming pool A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, paddling pool, or simply pool, is a structure designed to hold water to enable Human swimming, swimming or other leisure activities. Pools can be built into the ground (in-ground pools) or built ...

s and

dance hall Dance hall in its general meaning is a hall for dancing. From the earliest years of the twentieth century until the early 1960s, the dance hall was the popular forerunner of the discothèque or nightclub. The majority of towns and cities in ...

s. Kennywood ceased to be served by streetcar when Mon Street Railways successor

Pittsburgh Railways Company Pittsburgh Railways was one of the predecessors of Pittsburgh Regional Transit. It had 666 PCC cars, the third largest fleet in North America (after Toronto (745) and Chicago (683)). It had 68 streetcar routes, of which only three (until April ...

converted the route serving it, the lengthy #68 Duquesne-

McKeesport McKeesport is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is situated at the confluence of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers and within the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The population was 17,727 as of the 2020 census. It ...

line, to bus on September 15, 1958. Today, the park features a nostalgic atmosphere and is supported by a loyal fan base. As of December 2007, Kennywood Entertainment also ran

Sandcastle Waterpark Sandcastle Waterpark is a water park located in the Pittsburgh suburb of West Homestead. The park is located on a piece of land along the banks of the Monongahela River. Sandcastle is owned by Palace Entertainment, subsidiary of Spain-based P ...

br>
which opened in 1989;

Idlewild Park Idlewild and Soak Zone, commonly known as Idlewild Park or simply Idlewild, is a children's amusement park in the Laurel Highlands near Ligonier, Pennsylvania, United States, about east of Pittsburgh, along US Route 30. Founded in 1878 as a ...

br>
near Ligonier Township, Pennsylvania, Ligonier; Story Landbr>
a children's theme park in Glen, New Hampshire; and Lake Compouncebr>
New England's family theme park in

Bristol, Connecticut Bristol is a suburban city located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, southwest-west of Hartford. The city is also 120 miles southwest from Boston, and approximately 100 miles northeast of New York City. As of the 2020 census, th ...

, which is the oldest continuously operating amusement park in North America. On December 12, 2007, Kennywood Entertainment announced that it would be selling Kennywood Park, along with Sandcastle Waterpark and four other amusement parks in the

Northeastern United States The Northeastern United States, also referred to as the Northeast, the East Coast, or the American Northeast, is a geographic region of the United States. It is located on the Atlantic coast of North America, with Canada to its north, the Southe ...

, to Parques Reunidos, a company based in Madrid, Spain. Kennywood now uses the slogans “Welcome to the Family”, "America's Finest Traditional Amusement Park", and "Make a New Memory", although from the 1960s through the early 1990s the slogan was "The Roller Coaster Capital of the World" (a title which is now being used by

Cedar Point Cedar Point is a amusement park located on a Lake Erie peninsula in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. Opened in 1870, it is considered the second-oldest operating amusement park in the U.S. behind Lake Compounce. Cedar Point is owned and ope ...

). The property features three old

wooden roller coaster A wooden roller coaster is a type of roller coaster classified by its wooden Rail tracks, track, which consists of running rails made of flat steel strips mounted on laminated wood. The support structure is also typically made of wood, b ...

s still in working order, along with three newer steel coasters, the Phantom's Revenge (2001) and the Sky Rocket (2010), The Steel Curtain (2019), and one indoor coaster, the Exterminator (1999).

Park timeline

* 2000: Aero 360, Garfield and Odie added as park mascots * 2001:

Phantom's Revenge Phantom's Revenge is a steel roller coaster, steel hypercoaster located at Kennywood amusement park in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, United States. It originally opened as Steel Phantom in 1991, featuring the fastest speed and longest drop of any ...

(rebuilt from Steel Phantom), Crazy Trolley * 2002: Pounce Bounce, Phantom Fright Nights debut * 2003: King Kahuna (formerly Top Spin from Lake Compounce), Ham-on-Rye, Volcano Valley themed area, Enterprise renamed Volcano, Roll-O-Plane and Miniature Golf removed * 2004: Garfield's Nightmare (theme change from Old Mill), Old Mill boats painted different color, Bayern Kurve removed * 2005: New front gate structures built, Merry-Go-Round completely overhauled, Wurlitzer Band Organ repainted, Swing Around, Garden Stage, and Ham-on-Rye removed * 2006: Swing Shot installed, Flying Carpet removed * 2007: Cosmic Chaos, SS Kenny, Gold Rusher removed * 2008: Ghostwood Estate, new games building in Kiddieland, WipeOut relocated to Lake Compounce * 2009:

Bayern Kurve The Bayern Kurve is roller coaster like amusement ride that moves a train around a banked circular track, gaining speed as the ride progresses. It is made in both a portable and park model and originally debuted in 1965. It was invented by German ...

returns, portions of Phantom's Revenge retracked, Turnpike and King Kahuna removed * 2010: Sky Rocket * 2011: Kandy Kaleidoscope, Parkside Cafe, and Star Refreshment remodeled, Merry-Go-Round horses and organ refurbished, Holiday Lights debut, Noah's Ark rerouted,

Pitt Fall Pitt Fall was a drop tower ride located at Kennywood amusement park in the Pittsburgh suburb of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. The name of the ride was a pun on the word " pitfall", a type of booby trap, but spelled with two "t"'s as in an abbrevi ...

removed * 2012: Black Widow * 2015: 4-D Theater showing Ice Age 4D: No Time for Nuts replaces Playdium Arcade * 2016: Noah's Ark renovation, former Lake Compounce Enterprise ride replaces Volcano but retains the same name * 2017: Sky Rocket VR experience debuts during Phantom Fright Nights, Ice Age 4D is replaced with The Lego Movie: 4D Experience, Floral Clock and Log Jammer removed * 2018: Thomas Town summer debut with new attractions, Olde Kennywood Railroad rethemed to coincide with Thomas Town, additional shows at 4-D Theater, entrance to Raging Rapids moved, Sky Rocket is temporarily closed for maintenance all season * 2019: First stage of Steelers Country section opens with Steel Curtain, new pavilion behind Star Refreshments, The Lego Movie: 4D Experience is replaced with Thomas & Friends in 4-D: Bubbling Boilers, Sky Rocket reopens, Black Widow is temporarily closed for maintenance all season, Pounce Bounce and Orbiter removed * 2020: The rest of Steelers Country opens with the Steelers Experience and End Zone Cafe, Garfield's Nightmare converted to Old Mill, all Garfield theming removed, Floral Clock returns in new location, , Black Widow remains temporarily closed all season, Steel Curtain is temporarily closed for maintenance all season, many attractions are temporarily closed for the season due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

, Phantom Fright Nights cancelled, five rides removed after the season (Bayern Kurve, Kangaroo, Kenny's Parkway, Paratrooper, and Volcano), Volcano Valley themed area disestablished * 2021: Black Widow and Steel Curtain reopen, some attractions remain temporarily closed for the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Phantom Fall Fest debut * 2022: Phantom's Revenge track fully debuts repainted track color, Kangaroo returns due to popular demand following a refurbishment, entrance plaza refurbished and repainted, Old Mill receives a new facade, two new seasonal events, Swing Into Spring and Summer's On debut, all attractions that were closed due to COVID-19 pandemic reopen except for Skycoaster, 4-D Theater and Raging Rapids * 2023: Spinvasion debuts alongside a new Area 412 themed section, Cosmic Chaos and Swing Shot repainted, Racer's paint gets touched up. * 1950:

Roll-O-Plane The Roll-O-Plane also known as the Bullet is an amusement park ride that originated in America. It was invented by the Eyerly Aircraft Company of Salem, Oregon, as an updated and more exciting version of the Loop-O-Plane. The ride is commonly nic ...

Loop-O-Plane The Loop-O-Plane is an amusement park ride that originated in America. It was invented by Lee Eyerly and manufactured by the Eyerly Aircraft Company of Salem, Oregon, in 1933. The ride was immediately popular with customers and became a staple o ...

removed * 1952: Octopus, Tickler removed * 1953: Swimming Pool closes and becomes U-Driven boat concession * 1955:

Rotor Rotor may refer to: Science and technology Engineering * Rotor (electric), the non-stationary part of an alternator or electric motor, operating with a stationary element so called the stator *Helicopter rotor, the rotary wing(s) of a rotorcraft ...

, Swimming pool reopens after renovation and renames Sunlite Pool, Kiddie Cadillacs, Daffy Klub removed, Little Dipper renovated and renamed Dipper * 1957: Round-Up opens, Old Mill gets a Trip Aound The World retheme with the Mechanical Monkey Band * 1958:

Wild Mouse A wild mouse is a type of roller coaster consisting of single or spinning cars traversing a tight-winding track with an emphasis on sharp, unbanked turns. The upper portion of the track usually features multiple 180-degree turns, known as flat ...

, Rotor and Hurricane removed * 1959: Paratrooper, Rock 'N Roll, Double Ferris Wheel, Crazy Orbit, Ridee-O removed * 1960: Wild Mouse removed, Bouncer, facade on Racer loading platform redesigned * 1961:

Bandshell In theater, a shell (also known as an acoustical shell, choral shell or bandshell) is a curved, hard surface designed to reflect sound towards an audience. Often shells are designed to be removable, either rolling away on wheels or lifting into ...

destroyed in fire, Calypso, new boats for Old Mill * 1962: Kangaroo opens * 1963: Tilt-A-Whirl removed * 1964: Tornado dark ride (from defunct Freedomland), new Round-Up model opens named Satellite * 1965: Rotor,

Popover A popover is a light roll made from an egg batter similar to that of Yorkshire pudding, typically baked in muffin tins or dedicated popover pans, which have straight-walled sides rather than angled. Popovers may be served either as a sweet, t ...

, Laff in the Dark and Octopus removed * 1966: Turnpike, Tornado removed * 1967: Road Runner (Cuddle Up), Ghost Ship dark ride replaces Tornado * 1968: Pippin becomes

Thunderbolt A thunderbolt or lightning bolt is a symbolic representation of lightning when accompanied by a loud thunderclap. In Indo-European mythology, the thunderbolt was identified with the 'Sky Father'; this association is also found in later Hel ...

after renovation (4 drops in the ravine and lift hill retained) * 1969: Noah's Ark remodeled, Loop-O-Plane, Roll-O-Plane removed, Rock 'N Roll removed, inner helix small hill removed from Thunderbolt * 1971: Bayern Kurve, Roll-O-Plane * 1972: Le Cachot dark ride (translates to "The Dungeon" in French) replaces Safari, Monster, Rotor removed * 1973: Gran Prix, Sunlite Pool removed * 1974: Hardheaded Harold's Horrendously Humorous Haunted Hideaway (theme change of park's Old Mill), The Dragon Heads on The Old Mill Boats removed, Crazy Orbit converted into Space Odyssey, Kenny Kangaroo debuts as park mascot, Monster removed * 1975: Log Jammer (first multimillion-dollar ride in the park history), Bouncer removed, Merry-Go-Round along with organ refurbished, a fire burns down Ghost Ship and Road Runner (Cuddle Up) * 1976:

Tilt-A-Whirl Tilt-A-Whirl is a flat ride similar to the Waltzer in Europe, designed for commercial use at amusement parks, fairs, and carnivals, in which it is commonly found. The rides are manufactured by Larson International of Plainview, Texas. Descri ...

, Round Up (damaged in 1975 fire) replaced by (Super) Round Up, SkyDiver new model and renamed Paratrooper,

Monster A monster is a type of fictional creature found in horror, fantasy, science fiction, folklore, mythology and religion. Monsters are very often depicted as dangerous and aggressive with a strange, grotesque appearance that causes terror and fe ...

(removed after 1 season) * 1977: Cinesphere opens * 1978:

Enterprise Enterprise (or the archaic spelling Enterprize) may refer to: Business and economics Brands and enterprises * Enterprise GP Holdings, an energy holding company * Enterprise plc, a UK civil engineering and maintenance company * Enterprise ...

, Rockets and Space Odyssey removed, Cinesphere renames to Cinema 180 * 1979: Monongahela Monster, Garden Stage, Skooter removed * 1980: Laser Loop opens * 1981: Gold Rusher, Paddle Boats opens * 1982:

Pirate Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...

, new PTC trains replace Wonder Bread versions on Racer * 1983:

Ranger A Ranger is typically someone in a military/paramilitary or law enforcement role specializing in patrolling a given territory, called “ranging”. The term most often refers to: * Park ranger or forest ranger, a person charged with protecting and ...

(removed after 1 season), Loop-O-Plane removed * 1984:

Wave Swinger The swing ride or chair swing ride (sometimes called a swing carousel, wave swinger, yo-yo, waver swinger, Chair-O-Planes, Dodo or swinger) is an amusement ride that is a variation on the carousel in which the seats are suspended from the rot ...

, Swing Around (removed after 1 season), Bayern Kurve (original replaced), Dipper removed * 1985: Raging Rapids, Super Round-Up relocated to Idlewild, Roll-O-Plane removed * 1986: Wonder Wheel, Bayern Kurve removed, new water features on Raging Rapids, Calypso removed * 1987:

Musik Express A Music Express is an amusement ride based on the original Caterpillar rides of Germany. Several near-identical ride designs are also produced by other companies: Musik Express by Italian company Bertazzon and US Majestic Rides, Himalaya b ...

, Turnpike electric cars added and are faced in reverse, Kennywood designated National Historic Landmark * 1988:

Flying Carpet A magic carpet, also called a flying carpet, is a legendary carpet and common trope in fantasy fiction. It is typically used as a form of transportation and can quickly or instantaneously carry its users to their destination. In literature One ...

, Tilt-A-Whirl relocated to Idlewild, Kennywood Memories is filmed and premiers in September * 1989: Swing Around returns, Monongahela Monster removed * 1990: Great Balloon Race, original facade on Racer loading platform restored, Laser Loop removed * 1991:

Steel Phantom Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...

, Merry-Go-Round organ major restoration * 1992: Tri-Star (removed after 1 season) * 1993: WipeOut opens, Haunted Hideaway renamed Old Mill * 1994: SkyCoaster, Bayern Kurve, Rotor removed (moved to Lake Compounce) * 1995: Lost Kennywood (expansion using former location of Sunlite Pool), Pittsburg Plunge, Phantom Phlyer, Roll-O-Plane, Great Balloon Race relocated to Idlewild * 1996: Lil Phantom (Kiddieland), Kenny's Parkway, Noah's Ark remodeled, Phantom Phlyer relocated to Lake Compounce * 1997:

opens * 1998: Kennywood celebrates 100th anniversary, Centennial Midway (one season), Le Cachot demolished * 1999: Exterminator roller coaster, Wonder Wheel removed * 1898: Kenny's Grove purchased on December 18 by Monongahela Street Railway Co. * 1899: Kennywood Park formally opens on May 30, Merry-Go-Round (G.A. Dentzel carousel), Dancehall * 1900: Figure Eight Toboggan (park's first coaster) * 1901: Old Mill (also formerly named/themed as Garfield's Nightmare, Hard Headed Harold's Horrendously Humorous Haunted Hideaway, and Panama Canal before being converted back to the Old Mill) Casino (park's restaurant) * 1903: Steeplechase opens * 1904: Steeplechase removed * 1905: Dip-the-Dips Scenic Railway * 1906: Figure Eight Toboggan renamed to Gee Whizz Dip the Dips * 1907: Panama Canal (re-themed Old Mill) * 1910: 1910 Racer (original version), Dip-the-Dips Scenic Railway removed * 1911: Speed-O-Plane, A fired occurred at the park * 1912: Panama Canal rethemed Old Mill Rapids Gorge from the fire * 1913: Merry-Go-Round (original G.A. Dentzel carousel replaced by T.M. Harton model) * 1915: Old Mill Rapids Gorge rethemed Old Mill * 1916: Wurlitzer Band Organ provides music for Merry-Go-Round * 1917: Old Mill rethemed Fiaryland Floats * 1919:

Whip A whip is a tool or weapon designed to strike humans or other animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain. They can also be used without inflicting pain, for audiovisual cues, such as in equestrianism. They are generally ...

(replaced in 1926) * 1920:

Jack Rabbit Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores, and live Solitary animal, solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are precociality, able to fend for themselves ...

opens * 1921: Gee Whizz Dip the Dips and Figure Eight Toboggan removed, Fairyland Floats rethemed Tour of the World * 1922: Dodgem opens * 1923: Speed-O-Plane removed * 1924: Pippin (converted to Thunderbolt in 1968), Kiddieland (located near Jack Rabbit coaster) * 1925:

Swimming Pool A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, paddling pool, or simply pool, is a structure designed to hold water to enable Human swimming, swimming or other leisure activities. Pools can be built into the ground (in-ground pools) or built ...

* 1926: 1910 Racer removed, Whip (16 car model), Tour of the world renamed Old Mill, Old Mill rebuilt and rethemed to comic or cartoon characters * 1927:

Merry-Go-Round A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round ( international), roundabout (British English), or hurdy-gurdy (an old term in Australian English, in SA) is a type of amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular ...

(T.M. Harton model replaced by William H. Dentzel model, retains Wurlitzer Band Organ), new Racer debut, Tumble Bug, Kiddieland moved to current location * 1928: Brownie Coaster, Tilt-A-Whirl opens * 1929: Dodgem removed * 1930:

Auto Race Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. Auto racing has existed since the invention of the automobile. Races of various sorts were organise ...

, Laff in the Dark * 1931: Tickler roller coaster opens * 1934: Tilt-A-Whirl removed, Fun on the Farm opens * 1935: Teddy Bear roller coaster, Skooter opens * 1936: Noah's Ark (re-built in 1996),

, Fun on the Farm removed * 1937: 13 Spook Street, Kiddie Old Mill (Swan Boats, removed mid-1970s) opems * 1938: Ridee-O opens * 1940: Rockets (Traver circle swing added to island in lagoon) * 1941: Daffy Klub (replaces 13 Spook Street) * 1945:

Olde Kennywood Railroad Olde is the surname of: * Barney Olde (1882–1932), Australian politician * Erika Olde, Canadian film producer, financier and billionaire heiress * Hans Olde (1855–1917), German painter and art school administrator * Margareth Olde (born 2000), ...

opens * 1946: Original facade on Racer loading platform replaced * 1947: Teddy Bear removed * 1948: Little Dipper, Auto Race hills removed and cars renovated, Tumble Bug cars receive new turtle look renamed Turtle, Tilt-A-Whirl * 1949: Hurricane opens

Recognition

For the past several years, Kennywood has been rated the "Favorite 'Dark Attraction Park'" by the Darkride And Funhouse Enthusiasts, or DAFE. It ranked second to

in the category of "Favorite Park" in Theme Park Magazine's 2004 Reader's Choice Awards. The park was designated a U.S.

in 1987. and

Attractions

Themed areas

* Kiddieland was one of the first children's ride areas in the world, featuring all the rides in the park's diverse array of young child-specific rides in a compact area between the Auto Race and the Aero 360. Rides include miniature versions of the Turtle, Wave Swinger, Phantom's Revenge, Cosmic Chaos, Whip, and Merry-Go-Round. It is located next to the edge of the cliff on the river-view side of the park. It was originally located next to the Jack Rabbit before moving to its current location in 1927. * Lost Kennywood, which was added to the park in 1995, was built on the old sunlite pool/pay parking lot area. The area references Kennywood's long history, including its short-lived rival

Luna Park Luna Park is a name shared by dozens of currently operating and defunct amusement parks. They are named after, and partly based on, the first Luna Park, which opened in 1903 during the heyday of large Coney Island parks. Luna parks are small-s ...

(1905–1909), and also the illusion of yesteryear's dangerous rides. The area includes the Pittsburg Plunge, the Whip, the Bavarian Wave Swinger, the Exterminator, the Black Widow, and the Swing Shot. Older rides which have been removed from Lost Kennywood since its opening include the Phantom Phlyers, Roll-O-Plane, the Pitt Fall -drop tower ride and WipeOut. The gateway to Lost Kennywood is a one-third scale replica of Luna Park's main entrance which spells Pittsburgh with no 'H', because in 1905–1909, the

name of Pittsburgh The name of the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has a complicated history. Pittsburgh is one of the few U.S. cities or towns to be spelled with an ''h'' at the end of a ''burg'' suffix, although the spelling ''Pittsburg'' was acceptable for many ...

was commonly spelled that way. * Thomas Town based around

Thomas the Tank Engine Thomas the Tank Engine is an anthropomorphised fictional tank locomotive in the British ''Railway Series'' books by Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher, published from 1945. He became the most popular and famous character in the series, ...

opened as an extension of Kiddieland on July 27, 2018, containing 4 new rides and a re-themed Kennywood Railroad. Based on the popular long-running British television series, ''

Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends ''Thomas & Friends'' (originally known as ''Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends'' and later ''Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures!'') is a British children's television series that aired across 24 series from 1984 to 2021. Based on ''The ...

''. * Steelers Country is themed around the

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...

and includes a new roller coaster called Steel Curtain, which has the tallest inversion in the world and the most inversions in the United States. The area also includes a Steelers themed restaurant called the End Zone Cafe, and the Steelers Experience. Steel Curtain opened on July 13, 2019, and replaced the Log Jammer, a flume ride which closed on September 17, 2017. * Area 412 is an intergalactic themed area with two alien themed rides, Cosmic Chaos and Spinvasion, which replaces the park's former

attraction, the Volcano. This section is to be officially established in 2023 with Spinvasion's debut.

Former

* Volcano Valley was established in 2003 for the addition of a new ride that year, King Kahuna. The Enterprise was rethemed as the Volcano during the transformation of this section of the park. The section then featured the King Kahuna, Pirate, Volcano, and cement volcanoes that are capable of spewing smoke. King Kahuna was replaced with Kenny's Kabanas after the 2009 season. Volcano Valley was disestablished as a themed area in 2020 after the removal of Volcano with Pirate and Kenny's Kabanas becoming independent from a themed area. In 2023, the portion of the area that had Volcano will be part of Area 412 with Spinvasion being on that land.

Roller coasters

Kennywood has made use of the hilly Pittsburgh terrain to create coasters that wouldn't be feasible in some amusement parks. The Thunderbolt and the Jack Rabbit, both wooden coasters, place the lift chain in the middle of the ride, not at the beginning. In both cases, the car leaves the station and drops into a valley for its first hill. Phantom's Revenge uses the same valley as the Thunderbolt, where the Phantom's second drop passes through the supports of the Thunderbolt's first drop, making the second drop the longest and steepest drop in the ride.

Flat rides

Upcharge attractions

Dark rides

Water rides

Transportation rides

Kiddieland

Thomas Town opened in 2018 to complement Kiddieland and contains Cranky's Drop Tower, Harold's Helicopter, Firefighting Flynn, and Diesel Drivers. The Olde Kennywood Railroad has also become part of this area, re-themed as Journey With Thomas.

Former attractions

Landmarks

Entertainment

* Entertainment is a focal point of Kennywood. Strolling musicians, live shows, and costumed characters are part of Kennywood's history. For the park's 100th anniversary in 1998, the park had side shows, magicians, and other events in their "centennial midway." During the 2008 season, the Kennyville Stage offered an act by Jason Pipatone – Master Entertainer as well as all day viewing of "Kenny TV", a closed circuit TV network displaying various videos and trivia. "Kenny TV" was at one time viewed at many other locations throughout the park, but the project was later abandoned and eventually removed. The Scheer's Lumberjack Show had a one-year run in 2008 replacing the "Pirates of Kenny Cove" high-dive show. In 2009, this location featured a show called Maximum Velocity, a BMX stunt show based on audience participation. The park also has strolling musicians and roaming mascots including the park's mascot, Kenny Kangaroo, who debuted in 1974. From 2001 up through the end of 2008, the comic characters

Garfield ''Garfield'' is an American comic strip created by Jim Davis. Originally published locally as ''Jon'' in 1976, then in nationwide syndication from 1978 as ''Garfield'', it chronicles the life of the title character Garfield the cat, his hum ...

and Odie also could be found at the park.

Nationality days

* Nationality Days are several annual events, each spotlighting a different local culture. These include, but are not limited to, Irish Day, Greek Day, Serbian Day, Croatian Day, Polish Day, Slovak Day, Hungarian Day, and Italian Day. On these days some of the park's many picnic pavilions will be in use for entertainers of the particular day's nationality, including ethnic dancers.

Phantom Fall Fest

Originally called Phantom Fright Nights until 2021, Phantom Fall Fest is a

Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observan ...

event held at Kennywood on Friday nights and all day Saturdays and Sundays during the month of October. The park traditionally opened at seven in the evening and closes at one in the morning. In 2015 the hours were changed from six until midnight. Then in 2021 the hours were change to Fridays from six to eleven, Saturdays from noon to eleven, and Sundays from noon to ten. The event began in 2002, though the concept of theming an amusement park for Halloween is not new. "Phantom Fright Nights" received third place in the

Golden Ticket Awards ''Amusement Today'' is a monthly periodical that features articles, news, pictures and reviews about all things relating to the amusement park industry, including parks, rides, and ride manufacturers. The trade newspaper, which is based in Arli ...

for best Halloween event in 2007.

Labor Day Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United St ...

traditionally marked the end of the season and the park would shut down until the spring. In 2002, Kennywood decided to break the long-standing tradition and turn almost half of the park into a giant Halloween extravaganza. The park's initial trial of Phantom Fright Nights in 2002 consisted of four traditional

haunted house A haunted house, spook house or ghost house in ghostlore is a house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were otherwise connected with the prope ...

s, with only a few rides and roller coasters in operation. Despite the relatively limited scope of the opening year, the experiment proved to be a success, and new areas of the park and rides are opened for the festivities every year. In 2004 Kennywood debuted Gory Park, a haunted zone in Lost Kennywood. The following year, 2005, the park managed to have 3/4 of the rides and attractions operable due to high demand and record-breaking crowds. The park has reported attendance greater for one Fright Night than they have on a good normal operating day. In the spirit of Halloween season, the park itself is given a complete make-over, with costumed actors roaming the paths, spooky music filling the air by dark wave bands Midnight Syndicate and

Nox Arcana Nox Arcana is the American neoclassical dark wave, dark ambient musical project of Joseph Vargo. It was founded in 2003 as a duo with William Piotrowski, who left in 2008 to pursue a career in film score composing but still acts as its studio en ...

, and fog blanketing the park and every light bulb in the park is changed to a different color—even the restroom windows are covered in colored films. The merry-go-round horse normally found in the fountain by the entrance is replaced by a giant Phantom-like figure with glowing red eyes hovering over bubbling red blood (dyed water). In some places, sheets are hung up and classic horror movies are played, such as the original "House on Haunted Hill". Several areas of the park, including Kiddieland and Lost Kennywood, are turned into open-air haunted attractions. Other buildings, such as the Penny Arcade and the Parkside Terrace Cafe, are converted into more traditional haunted houses. Some rides are given entirely new lighting and fog effects including strobes and blacklights, or in the Exterminator's case, an absolute absence of light. In the case of the Carousel and Musik Express, Halloween-themed music is all that is played. Even the entrance tunnel is affected; a great amount of fog is pumped into the passageway and chainsaw-wielding characters stalk unsuspecting guests as they enter. These ghouls are also found throughout the park when least expected. Starting in 2018 Kennywood added Happy Hauntings, a family friendly Halloween event during the daytime every Saturday and Sunday in October with Kiddieland, Thomas Town, and most of the rides opened along with kid friendly Halloween activities. In 2021, Happy Hauntings and Phantom Fright Nights merged into one event called Phantom Fall Fest. Kennywood discourages children under the age of thirteen from attending the park during Phantom Fall Fest at night as the atmosphere may be too intense for some younger children, but letting children attend is solely at the discretion of parents or guardians. Many children go to Fright Nights anyway, even with the suggestion since Kennywood will admit attendees of any age. On September 24, 2022, three people were injured during a shooting inside the park during Phantom Fall Fest.

Haunted attractions

;Indoor Haunts * Villa of the Vampire in the Penny Arcade * Ark in the Dark in Noah's Ark * Shady Grove Memorial Hospital in Kiddieland pavilion 17 * mAlice in Wonderland in Steelers Experience ;Outdoor Haunts * Kennyville Cemetery in the grassy Dancing Waters/Gazebo area * Dark Shadows in the back of Kiddieland * Voodoo Bayou in the Raging Rapids trough ;Haunted Midways * Hellbilly Hollow in Lost Kennywood * Fear Festival surrounding the area usually occupied by the George Washington statue * Dead Light District between Mushroom fountain and Noah’s Ark * The Welcoming inside tunnel ;Past/Changed Haunts * Creeper's Crypt in the Penny Arcade * Fort Despair behind the Star Refreshment stand * Terror Visions in 3-D in the former Whip Pavilion (Pavilion 23) * Fear Festival was part of Gory Park for its first year. * Dark Shadows once was located near Pavilion 5. * Captain Skully's Curse In 3D in the former Whip Pavilion (Pavilion 23) * BIOFEAR in the former Whip Pavilion (Pavilion 23) * Captain Skully's Haunted Ark in Noah's Ark * Mortem Manor in Parkside Cafe * Haunted Ark in Noah’s Ark * Gory Park in Lost Kennywood * Death Valley Haunted Ghost Town in front of and leading up to Ghostwood Estate/Between Mushroom fountain and Noah’s Ark * Mortem Manor Estate Sale between Mushroom fountain and Noah’s Ark

Kennywood in the media

Kennywood's world-renowned reputation and nationwide popularity has led to its mention and appearance in many forms of media, including TV shows, movies, books, records, and has even warranted a reason to film a documentary about the park's history.

Television

* Kennywood was mentioned in an episode of ''

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', also referred to as ''CSI'' and ''CSI: Las Vegas'', is an American procedural forensics crime drama television series that ran on CBS from October 6, 2000, to September 27, 2015, spanning 15 seasons. This wa ...

'' entitled " Turn of the Screws", which dealt with a Las Vegas roller coaster derailment. CSI Supervisor

Gil Grissom Gilbert Arthur Grissom (born August 17, 1956), Ph.D. is a fictional character portrayed by William Petersen on the CBS crime drama '' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' and its sequel, '' CSI: Vegas''. Grissom is a forensic entomologist and for t ...

, who is a roller coaster enthusiast, tells the park engineer that he holds the marathon riding record on the Steel Phantom in Kennywood Park, Pennsylvania. *Kennywood was also mentioned on an episode of ''Without a Trace''. They showed the park, but the name of it was not the same. It had the famous Steel Phantom in the park also. * After the

won

Super Bowl XL Super Bowl XL was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Seattle Seahawks and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion f ...

in 2006, Steelers safety Mike Logan, a native of

McKeesport, Pennsylvania McKeesport is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is situated at the confluence of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers and within the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The population was 17,727 as of the 2020 census. ...

, near Kennywood, made a humorous riff on the "

I'm going to Disney World! "I'm going to Disney World!" and "I'm going to Disneyland!" are advertising slogans used in a series of television commercials by The Walt Disney Company that began airing in 1987. Used to promote the company's theme park resorts in Florida and C ...

" advertising campaign usually associated with the Super Bowl, saying, "Forget

Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, th ...

, I want them to open up Kennywood!" * Singer/Actor

Micky Dolenz George Michael Dolenz Jr. (born March 8, 1945) is an American actor, musician, TV producer and businessman. He is best known as the drummer and one of three primary vocalists for the pop- rock band the Monkees (1966–1970, and multiple reunion ...

, former drummer for

The Monkees The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was con ...

, often fondly tells audiences at his live shows that Kennywood was the location of his first ever public appearance. He appeared at Kennywood with his elephant in the 1950s when he was known as ''

Circus Boy ''Circus Boy'' was an American adventure family western that aired in prime time on NBC, and then on ABC, from 1956 to 1957. It was then rerun by NBC on Saturday mornings, from 1958 to 1960. Summary Set in the late 1890s, the title of the ser ...

''. The television series featured Micky as Corky, a boy who grows up on the road in a circus. * A scene of Kennywood can be seen in the

Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its networks division's Kids and Family Group. It ...

TV program

Zoey 101 ''Zoey 101'' is an American comedy drama television series created by Dan Schneider for Nickelodeon. It aired from January 9, 2005, to May 2, 2008. It focuses on the lives of Zoey Brooks ( Jamie Lynn Spears), her brother Dustin ( Paul Butcher), ...

(ep. 62: "Roller Coaster") with a sign reading "Spine Twister" on the lift hill of the Phantom's Revenge. * The park appears in a season 2 episode of

Shipping Wars ''Shipping Wars'' is a reality television series that aired on A&E from January 10, 2012 to April 29, 2015. Season 9 premiered on November 30, 2021 with a new cast of shippers. The show follows various independent shippers who have discovered tha ...

in which shippers Christopher Hanna and Robbie Welsh were hired to transport the giant black widow spider figure that adorns the entrance of Black Widow from a theming company in New Jersey to Kennywood a few days prior to the ride's opening day. The ending scene of the episode shows Chris and Robbie riding the attraction. * Kennywood was featured on the July 29, 2022, episode of CBS's '' Secret Celebrity Renovation'' featuring

Billy Gardell William Gardell Jr. (born August 20, 1969) is an American actor and stand-up comedian. Gardell played Chicago police officer Mike Biggs on '' Mike & Molly.'' He also had a recurring role as Billy Colivida on '' Yes, Dear'' and appeared in a dozen ...

who goes to Kennywood while renovating his best friend’s mom’s house.

Movies

* In the 1993 film

Striking Distance ''Striking Distance'' is a 1993 American action thriller film starring Bruce Willis as Pittsburgh Police homicide detective Thomas Hardy. The film co-stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Dennis Farina, and Tom Sizemore. It was directed by Rowdy Herrington ...

, a poster for Kennywood's

Fraternal Order of Police The Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) is a fraternal organization consisting of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. It reports a membership of over 355,000 members organized in 2,100 local chapters (lodges), state lodges, and th ...

picnic day is visible inside a

Pittsburgh Police The Pittsburgh Police (PBP), officially the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, is the largest law enforcement agency in Western Pennsylvania and the third largest in Pennsylvania. The modern force of salaried and professional officers was founded in ...

station. * Footage of Kennywood's

was shown in the beginning of the 1994 film Only You. The Wonder Wheel was also featured in this movie. * The 2009 film '' Adventureland'' was filmed at Kennywood. * Parts of the 2022 film

Dear Zoe ''Dear Zoe'' is an epistolary, young-adult novel by the American writer Philip Beard. which was first published in 2004. The narrator is fifteen-year-old Tess DeNunzio, who writes to her younger sister Zoe about her experiences after Zoe died. T ...

was filmed at Kennywood.

Literature

* Kennywood also served as the inspiration for "Joyland Park" in LJ Smith's teen horror novel ''The Forbidden Game: The Kill''. * Kennywood served as the main inspiration for Jennifer Cruise and Bob Mayer's novel ''Wild Ride''. The writers acknowledged the park by thanking "Kennywood for giving us a place to start thinking about Dreamland".

Music

* In 1899, Kennywood commissioned the "Kennywood Park Waltz" and it was popular around the turn on the century. Kennywood would sell the sheet music in the park. It was composed by Margaretha Scandroll. It has only been professionally recorded once for the 2007 documentary
Welcome Back Riders
. It was performed by the Bulgarian Tosheff Piano Duo. * In 1987, Rock 'n roll singer

Freddy Cannon Frederick Anthony Picariello, Jr. (born December 4, 1936), better known by his stage name Freddy Cannon, is an American rock and roll singer, whose biggest international hits included "Tallahassee Lassie", " Way Down Yonder in New Orleans", and " ...

recorded a slightly remade version of his 1962 hit " Palisades Park" called "Kennywood Park", featuring attractions at Kennywood. The song was released on a limited-edition 45 vinyl pressing and sold as a $1.99 fundraising item for Pittsburgh's Children's Hospital through the now-defunct National Record Mart. The record is considered by some to be a collector's item today.

Documentary

* On September 28, 1988, the local PBS station, WQED, first aired ''Kennywood Memories'', a one-hour documentary about Kennywood. Rick Sebak narrated. Although many of the rides mentioned are since defunct, the historic information about the park is still quite relevant. * Kennywood was featured in the 2007 documentary
Welcome Back Riders
.

Park police

Kennywood employs weapon-certified security officers that have the ability to make arrests that are supported by the district's local police force. A famous case resulting from a 1986 arrest of a park visitor for drug possession went all the way to the Pennsylvania Superior Court in 1988, which ruled in favor of the park's security force. The defendant had unsuccessfully attempted to have the evidence suppressed.

References

* *

References

External links

* *
Phantom Fright Nights Official Website

Kennywood Park Records
Detre Library & Archives, Heinz History Center
Kennywood Park Records digital collection
Detre Library & Archives, Heinz History Center {{Authority control 1898 establishments in Pennsylvania Amusement parks in Pennsylvania Buildings and structures in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania National Register of Historic Places in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Palace Entertainment Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmarks Tourist attractions in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Tourist attractions in Pittsburgh

Location

History

Park timeline

Recognition

Attractions

Themed areas

Former

Roller coasters

Flat rides

Upcharge attractions

Dark rides

Water rides

Transportation rides

Kiddieland

Former attractions

Landmarks

Entertainment

Nationality days

Phantom Fall Fest

Haunted attractions

Kennywood in the media

Television

Movies

Literature

Music

Documentary

Park police

See also

References

References

External links