Kearney Amusement Park
(aka Midway Amusement Park)
1. Building of the Park
March 1919 –
Destruction of cotton mill building 2nd floor and over half of 1st floor
Demolition of the tower
April, May, June
– Renovating remaining northeast corner of building (50’ x150’)
Dance
floor and restrooms - Remaining part of cottonmill building
Swimming pool – basement revealed when rest of building was dismantled
Brought in the manager of Krug Park in Omaha to manage the park
More
planned but this is what was done by July 1
2. Opening the
Park
July 2, 1919 – Opened with a dance featuring a
7-piece jazz band.
Note – July ads alternated between advertising the amusement park and
advertising for the need for carpenters
and laborers at the amusement park.
Dances were held regularly,
about twice a week – live music, of course
Various bands were featured.
Elks lodge held a midsummer dance at the amusement park in August
September 19 – End of first season (2 ½ months)
3. 1920 & 1921
Seasons
May 22, 1920 – Opening day, attended by “thousands”
Work on roads & walks continued as well as on other features
By end of June - Picnic area available for use
Pool opened; surface was paved; well put in to supply the
water
Not sure of water supply last summer, maybe the Kearney Canal
Roller Coaster completed & ready for use
Tower 100 feet high; electric lights can be seen in Odessa; 10 cars;
brought riders to brink of ravine formed by tailrace formed by water from
cottonmill
Kearney’s July 4 Celebration
(July 5th) – Amusement Park portion
Roller coaster, swimming pool & concessions open all day,
Dance followed by fireworks
A baseball diamond
was completed adding one more source of entertainment
Organizational activities during both seasons
Knights of Columbus all day picnic – roller coaster, pool & concessions
open; dancing, children’s races.
A Holdrege church Sunday School held its picnic at the Amusement Park
Elks again held their Midsummer Party
Chamber of Commerce Celebration picnic
American Legion post gala entertainment in Kearney
Amusement Park activities:
After the 10 am parade - a wrestling match between Charley Pesek and “Rube”
Pettijohn of Oxford
Evening - swimming races followed by a carnival ball with an “excellent
orchestra”
September 10, 1921 – Final dance of the season, sponsored by the Elks
4.
Financing
October 1919 – Incorporated – Shares of stock was then
offered for sale all winter.
But sales not as good as hoped for.
November 3, 1920 – Corporation filed for bankruptcy
Operated through the 1921 season but would not be able to continue after
that
Plans were being made for sale of the equipment and property
5. The Storm
Saturday night, March
18, 1922 – Rain, thunder & lightening, turned to snow
Resident west of town saw a giant flash of lightening, thought it hit their
barn;
they later saw glow of light between them and Kearney
After
10 pm when fire was reported, western sky was lit up
15 cars
got to Seedling Mile before skidding into ditch or stuck in snow drifts &
had to be towed out
Fire truck got within 2 blocks
of the Amusement Park before being stopped by downed power and telephone
lines.
But it was too late
anyway. The main building was gutted
Roller Coaster and other
smaller buildings were not damaged
Thus endeth the Kearney’s
Midway Amusement Park
6. Bankruptcy sale
April 22, 1922
–Notice of sale of Amusement Park property including:
A
roller coaster
A main entrance structure
1
concession building 120x35x10 feet & 2 smaller glass enclosed concession
buildings
4 small ticket offices and an electric ticket machine
3 large
tents & about 400 folding chairs
About
100 wire check baskets & a large quantity bathing suits, assorted sizes
April 26, 1922 – Sale of equipment and property.
J S
Donnell of Kearney purchased the roller coaster, main entrance structure, 3
concession buildings and the
property (approx. 14 acres).
Who was Donnell?
May 29, 1915 – Sale of property to Lincoln A Dennison
December 20, 2015 – Sale of property from Dennison to Donnell
He had been a partner with Dennison in ownership of the land.
[Like when the Kearney Event Center was sold at Sheriff’s Sale and holder of
mortgage, Wiens, bought it.]
Total
income from sales far short of total owed on claims
May 22, 1922 – Roller coaster was being dismantled. It had been
sold “to parties from Hastings.”
June 17, 1922
– Donnell sold property to Herb Kendall
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