Kennywood is an amusement park located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. The park first opened in 1898 as a trolley park for the Monongahela Street Railway Company. Along with Rye Playland Park, it is one of only two amusement parks listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Kennywood is owned by Kennywood Entertainment, which until December 2007 was a closely held family business owned by the Henninger and McSwigan families. Kennywood Entertainment is now operated by Palace Entertainment, a subsidiary of Parques Reunidos, an international amusement park company based in Madrid, Spain.
Location
Kennywood is approximately 8 miles (13 km) from Downtown Pittsburgh, in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. The park is along Pennsylvania Route 837, known as Kennywood Boulevard through the borough. The closest interstate connection is Swissvale Exit 7 on Interstate 376.
Historically, the park is on the location of the July 9, 1755 Battle of the Monongahela, where British general Edward Braddock was mortally wounded, ending his expedition to capture the French Fort Duquesne during the French and Indian War. George Washington was a colonel to Braddock, and fought at the battle before they retreated. Later the land on the bluff above the Monongahela River was part of a farm owned by Anthony Kenny. Starting around the time of the American Civil War, the site was a popular picnic grove for locals, known as "Kenny's Grove".
History
Before developing the park, the Kenny family owned a grove of trees overlooking the river. People began picnicking at the site, and eventually a trolley line was added. Kennywood Park began in 1898 as a trolley park that catered to local industrial workers and their families. Originally built at the end of a trolley line to encourage ridership, the park began to generate more revenue than the trolley business itself. However, the Pittsburgh Street Railway Company wanted out of the amusement park business and sold it to A.S. McSwigan and Frederick W. Henninger in 1906. The two would work to expand the park into the Kennywood known today with a large and loyal customer base.
From its origin as a working-class picnic 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 pools and dance halls.
The park was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1987.
In the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, the park remained successful by adding rides such as the Log Jammer, the Raging Rapids, the Steel Phantom (later turned into the Phantom's Revenge) and the Pitt Fall. Kennywood is also known for its scenery and mascot Kenny Kangaroo.
Kennywood Park has its own armed Public Safety Department. While not an actual police force, the organization enforces laws, investigates crimes, and responds to incidents within the park.
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 , which opened in 1989; Idlewild Park near Ligonier; Story Land , a children's theme park in Glen, New Hampshire; and Lake Compounce , New England's family theme park in Bristol, Connecticut, which is the oldest continuously-operating amusement park in North America.
After the Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl XL in 2006, Steelers safety Mike Logan, a native of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, near Kennywood, made a humorous riff on the "I'm Going to Disney World!" advertising campaign usually associated with the Super Bowl, saying, "Forget Disney World, I want them to open up Kennywood!"
The phrase "Kennywood's open!" is often used in the Pittsburgh region to alert another person that the zipper on his/her pants is open.
On December 12, 2007, Kennywood Entertainment announced that it would be selling Kennywood Park, along with four other amusement parks in the Northeastern United States, to Parques Reunidos, a company based in Madrid, Spain.
Kennywood now uses the slogan "America's Finest Traditional Amusement Park" as well as "Make a New Memory," although from the 1960s through the early 1990s the slogan was "The Roller Coaster Capital of the World." The property features three old wooden coasters still in working order, along with a newer steel coaster, the Phantom's Revenge (2001), and one indoor coaster, the Exterminator (added in 1999).
Recognition
It ranked second to Cedar Point in the category of "Favorite Park" in Theme Park Magazine's 2004 Reader's Choice Awards.
Attractions
Roller Coaster History
Through the years, Kennywood has made use of the hilly Pittsburgh terrain to create coasters that wouldn't be feasible anywhere else. 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. Many coasters sit in the footprint of former coasters. The Phantom's Revenge may seem familiar to the record-setting Steel Phantom, because in fact the length of track from the station brake run all the way to about 15' down the second drop is original track from the Steel Phantom. Also, the Steel Phantom was built on the former site of the Laser Loop. Older visitors will recall that the Thunderbolt is an improvement of the Pippin.
Roller Coasters
Flat Rides
Vertical Rides
Dark Rides
Water Rides
Transportation Rides
Kiddieland
Kennywood's 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 Aero360. 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.
Past Rides
Food Vendors
Themed Areas
- Kiddieland is the first children's ride area 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. It is located next to the edge of the cliff on the river-view side of the park. Rides include miniature versions of the Turtle, Wave Swinger, Phantom's Revenge, Cosmic Chaos, Pitt Fall, Whip, and Merry-Go-Round. It was originally located next to the Jack Rabbit.
- Lost Kennywood , which was added to the park in 1995, was built on the old sunlite pool/pay parking lot area. The area evokes memories of Kennywood's long history, including its short-lived rival Luna Park (1905-1909), and also the illusion of yesteryear's dangerous rides, with modern safety features. The area includes the Pittsburg Plunge, the Whip, the Bavarian Wave Swinger, the Exterminator, the Pitt Fall 251-foot (77 m)-drop tower ride, and the Swing Shot. Older rides which have been removed from Lost Kennywood since its opening include the Phantom Phlyers, Roll-O-Plane, 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, Pittsburgh's name was spelled that way. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a spelling error.
- Volcano Valley was created in the park in 2003 for the addition of the new ride that year, King Kahuna. Also, the park's Enterprise was re-themed as the Volcano during the transformation of this section of the park, which includes the Volcano, Pirate, and King Kahuna and features cement volcanoes that are capable of spewing smoke.
Entertainment
- Entertainment is a focal point of Kennywood. Strolling musicians, live shows, and costume characters truly evoke Kennywood's rich history. For the park's 100th anniversary in 1998, the park had side shows, magicians, and other events in their "anniversary 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" can also be viewed at various other locations throughout the park. 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 the early 1970s. From 2001 up through the end of 2008, the comic characters Garfield 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, and Italian Day. On these days some of the park's many picnic pavilions will be in use for
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