Idora Park was a victorian era trolley park in North Oakland, California from the 1890's until the late 1920's. What began as a pleasure ground in a rural setting for Sunday picnics and an Opera House evolved over time into the finest amusement park in the part of the San Francisco Bay Area known as the East Bay. In the United States, trolley parks, which started in the 19th century, were picnic and recreation areas at the ends of the trolley lines, created by the trolley companies to give people a reason to use their services on weekends. ... View of downtown Oakland looking west across Lake Merritt. ... Six Flags New England, an amusement park in Springfield, Massachusetts. ... USGS Satellite photo of the San Francisco Bay Area. ... The East Bay, in the northern part of the U.S. state of California, lies on the east shores of the San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay, and includes Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. ...

Located on Telegraph Avenue between 56th and 58th streets, Idora Park was famous for its Opera house and 5 cent rides such as the scenic railway, the first roller coaster in California, a circle swing, the Barrel-of-fun, Toboggan, Helter-Skelter, Minature Railroad, Haunted Swing, Touring cars, circle wave, the tickler, a merry-go-round and a miniature auto course. On a normal day, street vendors line Telegraph Avenue near the UC Berkeley campus. ...

Roller coasters were: A typical roller coaster The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. ...

• The Big Dipper, 1922-1928.
• Figure 8 Toboggan, 1906-1916.
• L.A. Thompson Scenic Railway, 1906-1921.
• Race Thru The Clouds, dates unknown.
• Skyrocket, 1927-1928.

Idora Park had animal shows, a dance hall, racetrack, the largest roller skating rink in California and a bear grotto. In 1904 a ballpark with a 3000 seat double deck grandstand was erected. Vaudeville performers used Idora Park stages; famous stars who emerged from Oakland included Hobart Bosworth, a widely known leading man in the early days of film, Fatty Arbuckle and Lon Chaney. Jack London's daughter Becky describes trips to Idora Park with her father (link below). Vaudeville was a style of multi-act theater which flourished in North America from the 1880s through the 1920s. ... Roscoe Conkling Arbuckle (1887-1933) in 1919 Roscoe Conkling Arbuckle (March 24, 1887 – June 29, 1933) was an American silent film comedian. ... There were two famous American actors named Lon Chaney, both known for their work in horror movies. ... It has been suggested that Oyster pirate be merged into this article or section. ...

Late in life, Idora Park was eclipsed by Neptune Beach in Alameda, California. In 1929, Idora Park was razed and a variety of storybook houses and apartment blocks were constructed on the 17 acre site. This was said to be the first neighborhood with undergrounded utilities in the west. There is an Idora Park near Youngstown, Ohio and it is thought that perhaps the owners of that park ran Oakland's park as a concession. The city of Alameda highlighted within Alameda County Alameda is a city located in Alameda County, California. ...

References

• Clippings file, Oakland History Room, Oakland Public Library, 125 14th Street Oakland CA 94612

External links

• picture postcards of Idora Park
• roller coaster database
• Becky London's memories
• Oakland History room