75 years ago: formal opening for Wichita's Joyland amusement park on S. Hillside

75 years ago on this afternoon (1949) was the formal opening of Wichita’s new amusement park, Joyland Hillside, at 2801 S. Hillside.

On the big day, the 1,200-car parking lot was full. Wichita mayor William Salome cut the tape on the roller coaster for its ceremonial opening. Newspaper accounts proclaimed the coaster was said to have the steepest drop of any in the country.

The owners said they planed to build a dance pavilion, swimming pool, miniature golf course, and baseball diamond within the next five years.

The previous Joyland location, near Central & Hydrualic, remained in operation as the new larger park opened in the south part of town.

[NOTE: ironically, it was 10 years ago on this day (2014) that workers removed the iconic Joyland sign along Hillside from the site of shuttered park, which had been closed for eight years.]