75 years ago (1949): the planned Grand Opening for Wichita's Joyland got pushed back

75 years ago on this day (1949) it was Memorial Day, the planned Grand Opening day of Wichita's new location for Joyland amusement park at 2801 S. Hillside.

The park was run by the Ottaway Amusement Company, a Wichita concern of L.A. "Lester" Ottaway and his sons Herb and Harold, founded in 1934.

The new location consited of 40 acres on S. Hillside, touting a capacity for 10,000 people, parking for 1,200 cars, and a picnic area with 100 tables.

However, the featured attraction, the roller coaster, was not yet finished, and the formal opening for the new amusement park was pushed back to later in June.

The Joyland amusement park site east of Central & Hydraulic also continued to operate. The Hillside location would be the third and largest location for the park; it originally opened in the Planeview neighborhood in 1943, then moved to the second location on E. Central.