Oaks Amusement Park celebrates 105 years with classic carousel

Posted | Contributed by Jeff

While the planners at the Portland Electric Power Company — the City’s pioneer trolley line operator a century ago — hoped that an amusement park at Oaks Bottom would attract riders and land development, they probably didn’t guess that their Oaks Amusement Park would still be going strong 105 years later. Now run by the nonprofit Oaks Park Association, this family attraction celebrated its birthday on June 6th by taking the wraps off its fully-restored 1920’s-era Spillman Menagerie Carousel.

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Oaks Amusement Park

Nice to see this classic park still open...now if they could only bring back their Traver Zip, one of the famous Travel Triplets! More pics here.

Thanks for the link, Moosh. Looks about as scary as did the Crystal Beach Cyclone. Not that that would keep me from riding it.

The poster formerly known as 'Zcorpius.' Joined 2004

Hmmm...a quick look at Wikipedia and it seems the Oaks Zip was not one of the famed trio. The site lists Revere Beach Lightning, Cyclone in Fort Lee, NJ and the aforementioned Cyclone in Crystal Beach.

Last edited by Mamoosh,

The Zip was a one of variation of Traver's Cyclone formula, built mostly out over the Willamette River. It like a lot of his rides litteraly beat itself to death, combined with the river's penchent for flowing over it's banks lead to a life span of just ten years.

Oaks is worth a trip for the bumper cars alone...you can deliver a good beating in those things. ;)

Warning: Oaks contain what may very well be the worst dark ride installation I've ever experienced in Lewis and Clark Expedition. You must ride it.

Last edited by rollergator,

Can't be worse than the dark ride Jimvid and I encountered at Jolly Rogers in Ocean City, MD. Instead of bang-doors keeping the interior dark they had heavy black strips of plastic that would almost knock you out of the car. And inside the ride...? Not much of anything, lol.

We were just there. That Jolly Roger dark ride was so bad it was good.

We got just inside the big strip of plastic and came to a dead stop. I waited a few moments and was just about to get out and let the ride op know we weren't moving when he came pushing through the plastic. I was like, "We're stuck" and he pushed our car forward until we made contact with the track/power (however those rides work) and started moving again.

Total carny-level stuff.

coasterimage - lordgonchar

Good to hear. with so many small parks closing it's good to see an old time park still goign strong.

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