Kennywood

Location	4800 Kennywood Boulevard, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Status	Operating
Opened	May 30, 1898; 126 years ago (May 30, 1898)[1][2]
Owner	Palace Entertainment (Parques Reunidos)
Slogan	"America's finest traditional amusement park!"
Operating season	April to December
Area	80 acres (32.4 ha)
Attractions
Total	45
Roller coasters	8
Water rides	2
Website	www.kennywood.com
Kennywood Park
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Pennsylvania state historical marker
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Location	West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
Coordinates	40°23′15″N 79°51′48″W / 40.38750°N 79.86333°W / 40.38750; -79.86333
Area	80 acres (32.4 ha)
Built	1899
Architect	George S. Davidson
NRHP reference No.	87000824
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	February 27, 1987[4]
Designated NHLD	October 9, 1960[5]
Designated PHMC	August 5, 1992[3]

Kennywood is an amusement park in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, just southeast of Pittsburgh. The park opened on May 30, 1898, as a trolley park attraction at the end of the Mellon family's Monongahela Street Railway.^[1][2]

It was purchased in 1906 by F. W. Henninger and Andrew McSwigan, both of whom later formed the family-owned Kennywood Entertainment Company. The company later sold Kennywood, along with four other parks, in 2007 to Parques Reunidos, an international entertainment operator based in Spain.^[6]

The amusement park features various structures and rides dating back to the early 1900s. Along with Rye Playland Park, it is one of two amusement parks in the United States designated as a National Historic Landmark. Kennywood is also one of thirteen trolley parks in the United States that remain in operation.

Kennywood is approximately 8 miles (13 km) from Downtown Pittsburgh, in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. The park is along Pennsylvania Route 837 (Green Belt), known as Kennywood Boulevard as it passes through the borough. The closest Interstate connection is Exit 77 (Edgewood/Swissvale) on Interstate 376.^[7] The Mon–Fayette Expressway will eventually go past Kennywood, which will prompt an expansion of the park when it is built.^[8]

Historically, the park is on the location of the July 9, 1755 Battle of the Monongahela, where British general Edward Braddock was mortally wounded, ending his expedition to capture the French Fort Duquesne during the French and Indian War. George Washington was a colonel to Braddock, and fought at the battle before they retreated.^[9] Later the land on the bluff above the Monongahela River was part of a farm owned by Anthony Kenny. Around the time of the American Civil War, the site was a popular picnic grove for locals, known as "Kenny's Grove".^[9]

A tree-filled portion of a farm overlooking the Monongahela River near Pittsburgh owned by Anthony Kenny, known as "Kenny's Grove", was a popular picnic spot for local residents during the American Civil War. In 1898, the Monongahela Street Railways Company, partially owned by prominent banker Andrew Mellon, seeking to increase fare profits on the weekends, leased the land from the Kenny family in order to create a trolley park at the end of their line.^[9] The company's chief engineer, George S. Davidson, designed the original layout of the park and served as its first manager. A carousel, casino hall, and dance pavilion were added in 1899. A bandstand was constructed in 1900, while the Old Mill was constructed in 1901, and the park's first roller coaster, the Figure Eight Toboggan, was added in 1902.^[10]

After less than a decade, the trolley company no longer wanted to manage the park. The standing manager, Andrew S. McSwigan, along with partners Frederick W. Henninger and A. F. Meghan, leased and operated the park as Kennywood Park Limited beginning in 1906.^[9]

From its origin as a working-class picnic entertainment destination, the park grew in the first half of the twentieth century into a popular attraction that combined thrill rides with recreation venues such as swimming pools and dance halls.

Kennywood ceased to be served by streetcar when Mon Street Railways successor Pittsburgh Railways Company converted the route serving it, the lengthy #68 Duquesne-McKeesport line, from trolley to bus on September 15, 1958.

On December 12, 2007, Kennywood Entertainment announced that it would be selling Kennywood Park, along with four other amusement parks in the Northeastern United States, to Parques Reunidos, a company based in Madrid, Spain.^[6]

Kennywood uses the slogans "Welcome to the family", "America's finest traditional amusement park", and "Make a new memory", although from the 1960s through the early 1990s the slogan was "The roller coaster capital of the world" (a title which is now used by Cedar Point). Kennywood features three wooden roller coasters still in working order (Jack Rabbit, Racer and Thunderbolt), along with three newer steel coasters (Phantom's Revenge, Sky Rocket and Steel Curtain) and one indoor coaster (Exterminator).

The park holds several events throughout the year, including Phantom Fall Fest,^[11]

For the past several years, Kennywood has been rated the "Favorite 'Dark Attraction Park'" by the Darkride and Funhouse Enthusiasts (DAFE).^[22] Kennywood ranked second to Cedar Point in the category of "Favorite Park" in Theme Park Magazine's 2004 Reader's Choice Awards.^[23]

The park was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1987.^[5][24]

• Kiddieland, featuring several child-oriented rides in a compact area located next to the edge of the cliff on the river-view side of the park. It was originally located next to the Jack Rabbit before moving to its current location in 1927.
• Lost Kennywood was added to the park in 1995. The area references Kennywood's long history, including its short-lived rival Luna Park (1905–1909) and the illusion of old and dangerous rides.
• Thomas Town, themed after Thomas the Tank Engine, opened as an extension of Kiddieland on July 27, 2018.
• Steelers Country is themed after the Pittsburgh Steelers and includes a roller coaster called Steel Curtain, which has the tallest inversion in the world and the most inversions in the United States. Steelers Country was introduced in 2019.
• Area 412 is an intergalactic-themed area. This section was officially established in 2023 with Spinvasion's debut, replacing the former Volcano Valley area.

• Volcano Valley was established in 2003, and featured several rides, as well as cement volcanoes that spewed smoke. Volcano Valley was removed in 2020.

Kennywood has made use of the hilly Pittsburgh terrain to create coasters with unique layouts. Thunderbolt and Jack Rabbit, both wooden coasters, place the lift chain in the middle of the ride, not at the beginning. In both cases, the car leaves the station and drops into a valley as its first drop. Phantom's Revenge uses the same valley as Thunderbolt, and its second drop passes through the supports of Thunderbolt's first drop, making Phantom's Revenge's second drop the longest and steepest drop in the ride.

Name	Year opened	Manufacturer/Designer	Type/Model	Description
Jack Rabbit	1920	Designed by Harry C. Baker; Built by John A. Miller	Wooden coaster	A wooden out-and-back roller coaster which is one of the oldest operating coasters in the world. Jack Rabbit is well-known for its double dip element, which is a drop that levels out midway before dropping again. It is also among the last roller coasters still in operation that restrain passengers with only a seatbelt.
Racer	1927	Designed by John A. Miller; Built by Charlie Mach	Wooden racing coaster	A wooden racing roller coaster built by John A. Miller. The track is a Möbius loop layout, in which there is one continuous track shared by both trains. After returning to the station, each train has traveled half the track and ends on the opposite side from which it began.
Thunderbolt	1968	Andy Vettel	Wooden coaster	A wooden roller coaster that originally opened as Pippin in 1924. Following a major renovation, it reopened as Thunderbolt in 1968. A unique characteristic involves its lift hill, which, instead of being located near the beginning of the ride, occurs towards the middle. No single riders are allowed on the ride due to the lateral forces riders experience on the ride's double helix.
Lil' Phantom	1996	Molina & Son's	Moli-Coaster [Low Park Model]	A kiddie coaster. The park describes the coaster as the "little cousin" of Phantom's Revenge. The ride was renovated before the 2007 season.
Exterminator	1999	Reverchon	Spinning Coaster	A spinning wild mouse roller coaster that also features dark ride elements and heavily themed scenery.
Phantom's Revenge	2001	D. H. Morgan Manufacturing	Hyper Coaster	A steel Hyper Coaster model originally named Steel Phantom and manufactured by Arrow Dynamics. It was later renovated by D. H. Morgan Manufacturing, transforming the ride into Phantom's Revenge. The coaster, which makes heavy use of the surrounding terrain, has an unusual characteristic where the second drop exceeds the length of the first.
Sky Rocket	2010	Premier Rides	Sky Rocket I	An LSM launch roller coaster that propels riders from 0 to 50 mph (0 to 80 km/h) in three seconds. It was the first coaster at the park since 1991's Steel Phantom to feature inversions and the first to have a launch since 1980's Laser Loop.
Steel Curtain	2019	S&S	Steel Looping Coaster	A record-breaking roller coaster themed to the Pittsburgh Steelers NFL football team. The 220-foot-tall ride (67 m) reaches a maximum speed of 75 mph (121 km/h) and features nine inversions – the most in North America and third most on any coaster in the Western Hemisphere. It also holds a world record for having the highest inversion at 197 feet (60 m).

Ride	Year opened	Manufacturer/Designer	Type/Model	Description
Aero 360	2000	Zamperla	Hawk 48	This ride is a modern, open-air version of the park's old Ranger ride and features the Kennywood arrows on the rotating arms. Seated on suspended seats with legs freely dangling, the arms swing back and forth in different directions – higher and higher with each pendulum motion. As momentum builds, the ride culminates by spinning riders the full 360 degrees 70 feet (21 m) through the air. After a few revolutions, the arms pause midair before they begin to spin opposite of their original directions. It is set to reopen in 2024 after undergoing renovations.
Auto Race	1930	Traver Engineering	Auto Train	Formerly known as the Auto Ride, this ride is the last of its kind and was designed by Harry Traver of the Traver Engineering Company. Electric cars run through a trough-like wooden track that twists and turns. When the ride opened in 1930, it had several small hills placed in the track, but these were soon removed to avoid rear-end collisions that were caused when cars could not get up and over them on rainy days. Again to avoid rear-end collisions, the ride was fully computer-automated and the cars slowed down for the 2014 season.
Black Widow	2012	Zamperla	Giant Discovery	The ride seats 40 people in a circle and swings riders back and forth like a pendulum while the disc spins, reaching speeds up to 68 miles per hour (109 km/h). The ride structure stands at 90 feet (27 m), and at the peak of the pendulum's swing height, riders will hang 146 feet (45 m) off the ground. The ride replaced the Pitt Fall drop tower ride.
Cosmic Chaos	2007	Zamperla	Mega Disk'O	The ride seats 24 people on a giant disk. Riders sit upon motorcycle-like pedestal seats with back restraints. Arms and legs are free from restraint and the passenger faces outward. To a top height of 50 feet (15 m), the disk begins its untamed flight along the 120 foot (37 m) concave track while its passengers spin around in a circle. The ride was repainted with a new color scheme in 2023 to coincide with the area being rethemed as Area 412 and the opening of Spinvasion.
Kangaroo	1962	John Norman Bartlett	Flying Coaster	The last ride of its kind; purchased and opened in 1962. Eight cars travel a circular track with a single steep hill. After "bouncing" off the top of the hill, the cars then make a slow descent in midair back down to the track, giving the sensation of flying. Its resemblance of a kangaroo's leap is what inspired its name. Kennywood announced on November 3, 2020, that Kangaroo would be removed.[25] The announcement was met with outrage from park guests and local media alike, and a petition was circulated to save Kangaroo from removal, which garnered more than 20,000 signatures.[26] On November 19, 2021, Kennywood announced the return of Kangaroo due to popular demand, in which it would be reconstructed for the 2022 season following a refurbishment.[27][28]
Merry-Go-Round	1927	William H. Dentzel	Carousel	The Merry-Go-Round is a Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmark and is Kennywood's third and largest carousel. Originally commissioned by the U.S. Government for the 1926 Philadelphia Sesqui-Centennial Exposition, it was not completed in time and was purchased by Kennywood instead. It is also the last carousel to have been built by William Dentzel. There are 50 jumping and 14 stationary horses. There are also a tiger and a lion. It is one of four rides at Kennywood with a ride start/stop bell that dates back to the origin of the ride. Music is provided by a 1916 Wurlitzer style #153 Military Band Organ, which is the oldest of its kind in existence.
Musik Express	1987	Mack Rides	Music Express	Musik Express is a circular ride that travels clockwise around an undulating track. The ride is themed to 1960s/1970s-era rock music.
Pirate	1982	Huss	Pirate Ship	This is a large pirate-themed boat suspended from an "A" frame structure mounted to a trailer. The trailer is hidden behind a retaining wall surrounded by landscaping. The boat swings back and forth until it achieves a height of 60 feet (18 m) and a 75-degree angle, giving riders the sensation of weightlessness.
Potato Smash	1973	Reverchon	Bumper Cars	Originally named Gran Prix, the ride was added as a replacement for the Skooter bumper car ride. It runs 40 two-passenger cars, one of which, #31, is painted black and gold in honor of Mike Logan of the Pittsburgh Steelers football team, who mentioned the park after the Steelers won Super Bowl XL. Riders steer their cars in any direction across the metal rectangular floor bumping other cars out of their way. In 2024, the ride will be refurbished with brand new cars. It will also be renamed the Potato Smash and feature a new theme inspired by the park's Potato Patch fries.[29][18]
Spinvasion	2023	Zamperla	Gryphon	This ride is the first Zamperla Gryphon to be built in the U.S. It is a modernized version of the park's former Swing Around ride. Riders are arranged single-file around a central wheel. As the wheel spins, the seats swing outward parallel to the ground in different patterns, turning the riders sideways. It is themed to an alien invasion and is located in the Area 412 section.
Swing Shot	2006	S&S Worldwide	Air-Launched Screamin' Swing	One of the first 32-passenger models of the S&S Screamin' Swing to debut. Two 16-passenger arms swing riders back and forth with pneumatic power, reaching a height of 90 feet (27 m) at a 120-degree angle and reaching speeds of 50 mph (80 km/h).
Turtle	1927	Traver Engineering Company	Tumble Bug	This is ride follows an undulating track with six cars that travel counter-clockwise on a circular track over a series of three hills and dips. Originally called the Tumble Bug, the ride featured bug-themed cars until it received new turtle-like exteriors in 1948. The Turtle is the only operating ride of its kind left in existence.
Wave Swinger	1984	Zierer	Wave Swinger 48	This ride is a trailer-mounted wicker swing ride.
Whip	1926	W.F. Mangels	16-Car Whip	The Whip is the oldest flat ride in the park and the last operating 16-car whip. Replacing a 1919 12-car model, the current ride's 16 cars travel along an oblong track and "whip" as they go around the bend at either end. In 2002, a park guest was killed when the ride's pavilion collapsed during a microburst. The pavilion was not rebuilt, and was instead replaced with a white wooden fence.

Ride	Year opened	Manufacturer/Designer	Type/Model	Description
Paddle Boats	1981		Pedal Boats	The park's only remaining human-powered attraction. Riders paddle through the park's lagoon in any path they choose.
Skycoaster	1994	Sky Fun 1	Skycoaster	A 180 feet (55 m) tall giant swing, allowing one to three riders at a time to free-fall approximately 75 mph (121 km/h) above the park's lagoon. This was the first Skycoaster model to be permanently installed in an amusement park. When Skycoaster opened, it was the world's tallest model of the ride.[30] The ride has been standing but not operating since 2019.

Ride	Year Opened	Manufacturer/Designer	Type/Model	Description
4-D Theater	2015	SimEx Iwerks	4-D Theater	A traditional 4-D Theater housed in what was once the park's Playdium Arcade building. It features various 4-D movies, sometimes themed to certain events taking place at the park. Due to COVID-19, the theater has been closed since 2020.
Ghostwood Estate	2008	Halloween Productions/ETF Ride Systems	Trackless interactive dark ride	An interactive dark ride in which riders can use "ghost blasters" to defeat various creatures throughout the ride.
Noah's Ark	1936	Herbert Paul Schmeck of the Philadelphia Toboggan Company	Noah's Ark	A walk-through dark attraction. This ride, the last operating of its kind in the world, was remodeled in 1996.
Old Mill	1901	Kennywood Park/The ScareHouse	Old Mill	This is the oldest ride at Kennywood, originally constructed in 1901. It has gone through numerous major theme and structural changes throughout its existence. Various names have accompanied the different themes over the years, including the "Panama Canal", "Tour Around the World", "Hardheaded Harold's Horrendously Humorous Haunted Hideaway", and "Garfield's Nightmare".

Ride	Year Opened	Manufacturer/Designer	Type/Model	Description
Pittsburg Plunge	1995	Hopkins Rides	Shoot-the-Chutes	The centerpiece attraction in Lost Kennywood, this is a Shoot-the-Chutes ride named for the brief period in the 1890s when Pittsburgh dropped the "h" from its name. The ride has three 20-passenger boats, though only two usually operate at a time. Each boat is lifted to the top of the ride by a lift hill before making a 180-degree turn and descending the 50-foot drop and splashing down into a landing pool. The wave created by the boat's splashdown soaks both the passengers as well as nearby onlookers with water.
Raging Rapids	1985	Intamin	River Rapids	This ride was opened in 1985 and simulates a white-water rafting trip through canyons and beneath waterfalls. Three pumps are constantly filling the cement trough with 93,000 gallons of water each minute. During the first season, the first holding pool had an operating wave machine. Since 1986, wooden guide rails have sent rafts continuously through the former wave pool without stoppage. This ride reopened in 2023 after some time of refurbishing.

Thomas Town opened in 2018 as an expansion of Kiddieland. The Olde Kennywood Railroad has also become part of this area, re-themed as Journey With Thomas.

• On April 24, 1961, the 64-year-old bandstand burned to the ground, hours after the park opened for the season.^[36]
• On May 17, 1968, a 15-year-old boy died on Thunderbolt after falling out of the train.^[37]
• On June 19, 1975, Ghost Ship burned to the ground. The fire was later found to be caused by an electrical malfunction.^[38]
• The 1986 arrest of a park visitor for drug possession went all the way to the Pennsylvania Superior Court in 1988, which ruled in favor of the park's security force. The defendant had unsuccessfully attempted to have the evidence suppressed.^[39]
• On July 11, 1999, 30 guests were taken to local hospitals when an operator of Thunderbolt failed to brake an incoming train, resulting in a collision with a train further along in the station. ^[40]
• On May 31, 2002, a macroburst hit Kennywood, leaving one person dead. The storm, with winds up to 80 mph, knocked the roof off the wooden pavilion which housed The Whip.^[41]
• On September 24, 2022, three people were injured during a shooting inside the park during Phantom Fall Fest.^[42]

Kennywood's world-renowned reputation and nationwide popularity has led to its mention and appearance in many forms of media, including TV shows, movies, books, records, and has even warranted a reason to film a documentary about the park's history.

• Kennywood was mentioned in an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation entitled "Turn of the Screws", which focused on a Las Vegas roller coaster derailment. CSI Supervisor Gil Grissom, who is a roller coaster enthusiast, tells the park engineer that he holds the marathon riding record on Steel Phantom.
• Kennywood was mentioned on an episode of Without a Trace. It was shown in the episode and referred to by a different name.
• After the Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl XL in 2006, Steelers safety Mike Logan, a native of McKeesport near Kennywood, made a humorous riff on the "I'm going to Disney World!" advertising campaign usually associated with the Super Bowl, saying, "Forget Disney World, I want them to open up Kennywood!"
• Singer and actor Micky Dolenz, former drummer for The Monkees, often fondly tells audiences at his live shows that Kennywood was the location of his first ever public performance. He appeared at Kennywood with an elephant in the 1950s when he was in Circus Boy. The television series featured Dolenz as Corky, a boy who grows up on the road in a circus.
• A shot of Kennywood can be seen in the Nickelodeon TV program Zoey 101 in the episode "Roller Coaster". A sign reading "Spine Twister" can be seen on the lift hill of Phantom's Revenge.
• The park appears in a season 2 episode of Shipping Wars in which shippers Christopher Hanna and Robbie Welsh were hired to transport the giant black widow spider figure that adorns the entrance of Black Widow from a theming company in New Jersey to Kennywood a few days prior to the ride's opening day. The ending scene of the episode shows Chris and Robbie riding the attraction.
• Kennywood was featured on the July 29, 2022, episode of CBS's Secret Celebrity Renovation featuring Billy Gardell, who goes to Kennywood while renovating his best friend's mother's house.

• In the 1993 film Striking Distance, a poster for Kennywood's Fraternal Order of Police picnic day is visible inside a Pittsburgh Police station.
• Footage of Kennywood's Musik Express was shown in the beginning of the 1994 film Only You. Wonder Wheel was also featured in this movie.
• The 2009 film Adventureland was filmed at Kennywood.
• Parts of the 2022 film Dear Zoe were filmed at Kennywood.

• Kennywood served as the inspiration for "Joyland Park" in LJ Smith's teen horror novel The Forbidden Game: The Kill.
• Kennywood served as the main inspiration for Jennifer Cruise and Bob Mayer's novel Wild Ride. The writers acknowledged the park by thanking "Kennywood for giving us a place to start thinking about Dreamland".

• In 1899, Kennywood commissioned the "Kennywood Park Waltz" from Margaretha Scandroll. Kennywood would sell the sheet music in the park. It has only been professionally recorded once, for the 2007 documentary "Welcome Back Riders". It was performed by the Bulgarian Tosheff Piano Duo.
• In 1987, rock singer Freddy Cannon recorded a remade version of his 1962 hit "Palisades Park" called "Kennywood Park", featuring attractions at Kennywood. The song was released on a limited-edition 45 vinyl pressing and sold as a $1.99 fundraising item for Pittsburgh's Children's Hospital through the now-defunct National Record Mart.^{[43][deprecated source]}

• On September 28, 1988, the local PBS station, WQED, aired Kennywood Memories, a one-hour documentary about Kennywood, narrated by Rick Sebak. Although many of the rides featured in the documentary have since been removed, the historic information about the park is still accurate.
• Kennywood was featured in the 2007 documentary "Welcome Back Riders".
• Kennywood was featured in the YouTube documentary channel Defunctland in a video on the history of Garfield's Nightmare.

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
• Incidents at independent amusement parks

• Futrell, Jim (2002). Amusement Parks of Pennsylvania. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-2671-9.
• Hahner, Jr., David P. (2004). Kennywood. Images of America. Foreword by Carol O. Hughes. Portsmouth, NH: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0-7385-3563-X. OL 5740387W.

• Official website
• Kennywood at the Roller Coaster DataBase
• Phantom Fright Nights Official Website Archived February 2, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
• Kennywood Park Records, Detre Library & Archives, Heinz History Center
• Kennywood Park Records digital collection, Detre Library & Archives, Heinz History Center