Then and now: captivating images of America's oldest theme parks
Historic thrills

America's modern-day theme parks draw in adrenaline junkies with mega thrill rides and inventive family attractions. But many had humble beginnings as trolley parks, pleasure gardens or recreational areas along well-trodden railroad routes.
Click through the gallery as we take a look at some of the oldest and most charming theme parks still in operation around the country today...
Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Park, California

Just a stone’s throw from the heady attractions of Disneyland Resort, Knott’s Berry Farm's history harks back to the 1920s. In this decade, namesake farmer Walter Knott and his wife Cordelia (pictured) bought the land and sold boysenberries from a simple roadside shack. Punters poured in and soon the couple decided to sell Cordelia’s tasty chicken dinner from their property too, attracting yet more visitors.
Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Park, California

Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Park, California

The atmospheric Ghost Town remains, but now one of the park’s most popular attractions is the Ghost Rider (pictured): opened in the Nineties, this wooden coaster is the largest on the USA’s West Coast, lording it over the Ghost Town from a height of 118 feet (36m). Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant still sates hungry parkgoers with fried chicken and all the trimmings too.
Kennywood, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania

Just outside the city of Pittsburgh, Kennywood was founded in the late 1890s, and its bucolic site on the Monongahela River has been a pull for visitors for more than a century. It started life as a simple recreational spot, with space for picnicking, plus the addition of traditional dance halls and pools. This 1906 photograph shows the park's historic Wonderland building.
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Kennywood, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania

Kennywood, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania

Now titans such as the 2019-built Steel Curtain – the biggest hitter in the park's Steelers Country area and the tallest coaster in the state – steal the show. For little ones, Kiddieland has been up and running since the 1920s and is now filled with gentle rides, from boat-themed SS Kenny to a replica of a 20th-century trolley. Thomas Town, the second largest Thomas & Friends attraction in North America, is another favourite among youngsters. It brings five new rides, live shows, an indoor play zone and more.
Arnolds Park, Arnolds Park, Iowa

The pride and joy of its namesake city, Arnolds Park, in Iowa's scenic Great Lakes Region, has been delighting visitors since 1889, when the very first ride was constructed on the site: a mighty 60-foot (18m) toboggan-style waterslide. From here, the attractions grew, with the addition of an enormous pavilion that hosted orchestral performances and, later, a merry-go-round and skating rink. Pictured is The Legend, a 94-year-old roller coaster that's still in operation today.
Arnolds Park, Arnolds Park, Iowa

In 1919, the Majestic Roller Rink opened, but it's since been converted into the Majestic Pavilion and plays host to big band concerts. The park is also now home to stellar rides such as Mad Mouse, Log Flume and Roll-O-Plane, while youngsters love Kiddie Wheel, Freddie the Fish and Dizzy Dragons.
Take a look at stunning historic images of theme parks in full swing
Lagoon Amusement Park, Farmington, Utah

Lagoon Amusement Park, Farmington, Utah

Modern-day visitors are still in awe of the uber-traditional carousel, which was installed here in 1906. The simply named Roller Coaster (pictured in 2020), which harks back to 1921 and is among America's oldest wooden coasters, has also stood the test of time. Beyond the veteran rides, there are also shiny new juggernauts such as Cannibal, a twirling steel coaster that boasts the tallest beyond-vertical drop in the world. There's also new ride Primordial, a unique steel coaster where riders travel through different rooms with special effects and 3D screens.
Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom, Allentown, Pennsylvania

Back in 1860, Solomon Dorney, who the park is named after, opened a fish hatchery on his property. The hatchery was a success, but not in the way that Dorney had expected – local folks came by to fish and picnic in the peaceful surrounds. Enterprising Dorney decided to capitalise on this, adding a petting zoo on site and later a slew of rides. This charming shot shows a trolley at the park back in the 1920s.
Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom, Allentown, Pennsylvania

Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom, Allentown, Pennsylvania

The park now comes under the Cedar Fair umbrella and has all the big-ticket attractions you'd expect from a theme park in this portfolio. Rides such as the 131-foot (40m) high Demon Drop satisfy the most extreme thrill seekers, though the antique carousel and the traditional wave swinger still can't be beaten. New for 2024 will be Iron Menace, the northeast's first dive coaster, which will suspend riders 160 feet (49m) in the air before plummeting at a 95-degree drop.
Seabreeze, Irondequoit, New York

This jolly amusement park in Irondequoit, near Rochester, started out as a trolley park – a kind of forerunner to the theme park that included picnic spots and recreational activities. That was in 1879 and as the site’s popularity blossomed, rides began to spring up, including a gloriously kitsch carousel. By the 1920s, the park was also home to what was tipped as the world’s largest salt-water swimming pool. This throwback shot captures the park’s beloved Jack Rabbit (pictured), a mammoth wooden roller coaster built in the 1920s and touted as the oldest continuously operating roller coaster in America.
Seabreeze, Irondequoit, New York

Some 60 family-focused attractions still draw in visitors today. The carousel (pictured) is an enduring favourite. This one was created in 1990 by the fifth generation of the original owners of the park, the Long family. It was updated to replace the first one built in 1900. New for 2024 is Windstarz, a ride similar that takes inspiration from hang gliding where riders will swoop, sway, climb and descend their way around a circuit.
Idlewild & SoakZone, Ligonier, Pennsylvania

Idlewild was dreamt up as an attraction to entice passengers onto the Ligonier Valley Railroad, owned by Judge Thomas Mellon. In 1878, landowner William Darlington gave Mellon his permission to develop the site as 'pleasure grounds' with campsites, a man-made lake and picnic tables. Soon local city dwellers began to descend on the bucolic spot, alighting from Ligonier Valley Railroad trains. This historic snap shows the miniature train that looped around Lake Bouquet and the former swimming pool.
Idlewild & SoakZone, Ligonier, Pennsylvania

Idlewild & SoakZone, Ligonier, Pennsylvania

Six Flags New England, Agawam, Massachusetts

This popular New England park began life in the 1870s and has had several identity changes over its 150-plus-year history. It started off as a quiet 'picnic park' named Gallup’s Grove, before morphing into Riverside Grove, so named for its scenic location beside the Connecticut River. Eventually, as rides began to populate the park in the late 19th century, the owners settled on Riverside Park. Family-friendly attractions like the dodgems were sure crowd-pleasers.
Six Flags New England, Agawam, Massachusetts

Six Flags New England, Agawam, Massachusetts

Eventually the site was snapped up by theme park giant Six Flags and today it’s got all the white-knuckle rides you’d expect from a spot in its portfolio. Pictured is popular Superman: The Ride, a mind-bending steel roller coaster that zips riders over 5,400 feet (1,646m) of rippling track and includes a 221-foot (67m) drop. Spring 2023 saw the arrival of Dino Off Road Adventure, a family-friendly ride perfect for dinosaur fans and tiny thrill seekers.
Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio

Only Connecticut’s Lake Compounce is older than this attraction-packed park on the shores of Lake Eerie. It opened as a quaint destination in the 1870s, drawing sunseekers to the lakeside with its little beach, bathhouse and beer garden. Soon the park began to cater to thrill seekers, with roller coasters populating it by the end of the 19th century – a favourite was the now-defunct Cyclone (pictured here).
Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio

Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio

With 70 rides to its name including 18 roller coasters, the theme park is tipped to be the 'Roller Coaster Capital of the World' for good reason. Stomach-churning rides like the Corkscrew (pictured) – a triple-inversion coaster whose thrill level is rated as 'aggressive' – have modern visitors in a spin, while there are plenty of gentler options for little ones too. Slated to open in summer 2024 is Top Thrill 2, tipped to be the world's tallest and fastest triple-launch strata coaster. It will immerse riders in three 'free-fall' moments, including a 120 miles per hour (193km/h) blast into the air.
Lake Compounce, Bristol, Connecticut

Lake Compounce lays claim to the title of the oldest continuously operating amusement park in the country, having its roots way back in 1846. It was the brainchild of local man Gad Norton, who allowed eccentric scientist Samuel Botsford to conduct a series of explosive science experiments on his property. The pyrotechnics ultimately attracted a slew of curious visitors and Norton was inspired to turn his land into a public park (captured here later in 1914).
Lake Compounce, Bristol, Connecticut

Initially, Norton’s efforts were humble – he built a path around the lake here and set up picnic tables on its shores. He encouraged boating and swimming, and he constructed a little pavilion for musical performances. Soon, the crowds began to come. Later, he populated the park with rides, from the rollicking Green Dragon (pictured previous slide) to the head-spinning Wildcat (pictured here), debuted in 1927. Tipped as the oldest coaster in New England, it’s still dizzying visitors today and will reopen with a new track in 2024 after a restoration project.
Lake Compounce, Bristol, Connecticut

The cheerful amusement park is still going strong, with plenty of thrilling additions to boot. There’s Boulder Dash (pictured), a well-loved wooden roller coaster completed in 2000 which has a new track for 2024, and Venus Vortex, a spine-tingling water slide with a near-vertical drop. The local craft beer served across the park is a treat too.
Now marvel at incredible vintage images of America's most historic attractions
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