7/2/2023 0 Comments Log flume ride physics![]() ![]() The Log Flume Ride, the only such amusement ride on the West Coast at the time, was perhaps the best-known attraction. The track required some 46,000 pounds of rail, and the train reportedly used 700 pounds of coal and 300 gallons of water each operating day. Little Pixie-a three-car, 1890s-style steam locomotive originally named Little Toot-took passengers on a mile-long ride atop the dike that surrounded the park. Scones were sold at Fisher’s Scone, a round building topped with a Scottish tam made of fiberglass and measuring thirty-two feet in diameter. In addition to the Darigold Barn, where ice cream was sold, attractions included Arcade Amusements, the Blue Bell Opera House, the Phillips Candy Kitchen, and the Franz Rest Bread Hut, where visitors could watch the Log Flume Ride. Governor Tom McCall dedicated the park on June 28, and a plaque reading “Dedicated to the families of Oregon” was erected on the park’s main street. Pixieland, which Parks described as a “Fairytale Story of Oregon,” opened on May 15, 1969. The final cost of the park was an estimated $2 million. To finance the project, Parks received a $250,000 Small Business Administration loan and offered 500,000 shares of stock at a dollar a share, which sold out in an in-state offering in three weeks. He hired two people who had worked at Disneyland to help design and build the park and to oversee its operation. ![]() In 1966, he told the Lincoln City News Guard that Pixieland would include “pioneer-type buildings,” train rides, and a larger restaurant. He purchased 57 acres of Salmon River wetlands in 1964 and spent $300,000 diking, draining, and filling the land. The Pixie Kitchen was so popular that Jerry Parks decided to build an amusement park. The restaurant’s slogan was “Heavenly Food on the Oregon Coast.” Placemats folded into pixie hats, the menus had pixies scampering over the page, and there were surprise candy treats for children. Funhouse mirrors framed the entrance, and the dining room’s large windows looked out on the Pixie Garden, a fantasyland of pixies in a motorized diorama. Under the Parks’ management, the restaurant became a well-known coastal eatery that focused on affordable meals and a fairytale-themed décor. Gallagher, who had opened it in 1948 as Pixie Pot Pie, a take-home pie service. Jerry and Lu Parks opened the restaurant on May 21, 1953, purchasing it from T.C. Pixieland grew out of the success of the Pixie Kitchen, a seafood restaurant on Highway 101 in Wecoma Beach (now part of Lincoln City). The park, which operated from 1969 to 1975, was a major regional tourist attraction known for its colorful décor, fun rides, and other amusements that catered to children. However, many took note of the log’s slow-moving trail throughout the mountain ranges and saw there was potential to “re-invent the wheel,” so to speak - specifically, the engineering company Arrow Development, a company dedicated to developing amusement park attractions.Pixieland was a short-lived but popular amusement park on the Oregon Coast northeast of Lincoln City, between the Salmon River and Highway 18. Thus the seeds for this timeless American attraction were planted.Īs technology continued to advance, the need for these flume systems quickly diminished. They stated this was to provide constant inspections on their progress, however, it is rumored that there was a minor thrill element involved in this as well. In fact, many of these workers would hop into a log themselves and give the flumes a proper ride-through. Developed in the late 1800s, lumberjacks created a complex system of wooden flumes that used a steady flowing stream of water to deliver the wood to the proper sawmill. ![]() This need for innovation inspired America’s first log flume system. Even the brawliest of the lumberjacks would have a difficult time making constant treks to deliver said timber on a daily basis. A popular contender during these times was the lumber industry, which often relied on the lush ecosystem in the western mountains.ĭue to the rough and steep terrain, it was nearly impossible for lumber workers to transport large amounts of wood back and forth. Thus, many had to take a cold hard look towards new industries to make a profit. Where some settlers found bountiful fortunes, others were left with nothing but the scraps. However, the sheer demand for gold was outweighed by the vast amount of settlers competing for a slice of the action. ![]() Interestingly enough, the history of these attractions doesn’t come from the minds of theme park engineers, but from the rustic frontier of America’s booming lumber industry.ĭuring one of America’s most notable moments in history, the Gold Rush inspired thousands of pioneers to flock to California. ![]()
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