From Ferris wheels to roller coasters
to tunnels of love, everyone has a favourite amusement park memory.
For nearly 130 years, many of those memories have been made at
Maryland’s amusement parks. Today, only five exist, but throughout
history, nearly three dozen have been part of Maryland’s landscape.
Images of America: Maryland’s Amusement Parks offers a glimpse of
those parks and how they helped millions quench their thirst for
recreation. Maryland’s first recorded amusement park, Cabin John
Park in Montgomery County, opened in 1876, serving as a training
ground for such industry luminaries as Scenic Railway and roller
coaster pioneer LA Thompson and carousel carver Gustav Dentzel. More
than a century later, Maryland’s oldest park, Trimper’s Rides and
Amusements in Ocean City, is a virtual museum of amusement park
history with operating rides dating to 1902. Some favourite parks,
including Glen Echo, Gwynn Oak, Pen Mar, Tolchester Beach, and The
Enchanted Forest, did not last as long, but their memories live on
through more than 200 images in this volume.
About the author
Author Jason Rhodes, award-winning
journalist and photographer, is a lifelong resident of Maryland’s
Eastern Shore. His past works have included a travel guide and
visual history of his native Somerset County.
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