Beach at Electric Park, Looking East, Kansas City, Mo. is the title of an old post card picturing a group of men and boys swimming in Electric Park Lake. The amusement park was located between the Paseo and Woodland and 45th and Brush Creek. It was opened May 17, 1907, to a crowd of 50,000 persons. The steel framework of the roller coaster, which circled the park, is seen in the background. Colorful umbrellas along the shore give swimmers a chance to rest in the shade. Street car fare to the park from anywhere in Greater Kansas City was 5 cents, admittance to the park was 10 cents and a dark cotton bathing suit, towel, dressing room and shower cost an additional 25 cents. Most of the swimmers rented their suits as a matter of convenience so they would not have to carry a wet suit with them after they had finished swimming. Today it is difficult to locate the exact site of the old lake. The 381 townhouses and apartments of Village Green now occupy 23 acres of old Electric Park. An A&P store and the Jackson County Service Center now occupy space on the Paseo where the street cars formerly circled at the impressive park entrance. Kansas City Times, July 19, 1975.
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