The roller skating rink of Carnival Park in Kansas City, Kansas, with crowds of onlookers is pictured on an old post card, published in color in Leipzig, Germany. The skating rink was the largest in the West when it was built in 1907. Carnival Park, located between 14th and 16th, Barnett and Minnesota, on a 13 1/2 acre plot, was named with the idea of a genuine Southern carnival time, when confetti and flowers, reasonable license and fun mingled. There were the usual amusement features such as a large scenic railway, shoot the chutes over a waterfall, merry-go-round, billiards, bowling, a moving stairway to great heights and, being in historic Wyandotte County, Indian dances and games. A popular restaurant in the park was called the Wigwam Cafe. Picnic areas were scattered among the tall trees and there were colorful flower gardens and daily free band concerts.In a recent history, Great American Amusement Parks by Gary Kyriazi, Carnival Park is pictured. Today the bleachers, stadium and football field of Ward High School cover the area, leaving not a trace of the park, which was one equal to any amusement park in the West, and rivaled only by New York's Coney Island. Kansas City Star, September 11, 1976.
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