Loop-the-Loop
| Type | Roller Coaster Track ride |
|---|---|
| Park Section | Center |
| Opened | 1908 |
| Closed | 1914 |
| Designer | Lina Beecher |
| Materials | Steel, Wood |
| Vehicle Type | Car |
| Number of Vehicles | 1 |
| Riders per Vehicle | 4 |
| Inversions | 1 |
The Loop-the-Loop, was a looping steel[1] roller coaster installed at Olentangy Park in 1908.[2][3] Designed by inventor Lina Beecher[1][4][5] in 1904, up to four riders[6] would ride on a single track down a slope fast enough to do a single inversion (upside-down loop).[1] It was one of the first three operating looping coasters in North America[6] and its teardrop shape was adapted from a shape pioneered by Edwin Prescott.[4] The shape helped lower the excessive g-forces it put on its riders in comparison to past versions like the Flip Flap Railway. However, the ride still caused many neck injuries, and repeat riders were rare.[7] The ride remained in operation until at least 1914.[8]
It was built near the Circle Swing and the Dancing Pavilion.[9]
This steel ride was built after a few successful similarly named Loop-the-Loop bicycle stunts by Diavolo (played by Conn Baker or G. F. Matthiessen) and Leaping-the-Gap.[10] After its run, the term "Loop-the-Loop" often referred to doing loops with airplanes or in motor vehicle stunts.
The Famous Bickett Family gave open-air performances within the circle of the Loop-the-Loop the week of July 6, 1908.[11]
The Loop-the-Loop was the only of its kind in the United States in 1913[12] and 1914.[8]
A bill introduced by Representative John J. Shanley of Portage in 1913 required that the state inspectors of shops and factories inspect amusement park rides. If a ride was found to be dangerous, it was not to be used until it was fixed and confirmed as safe by the state officer. If the ride continued to be used in a dangerous state or without a certificate, a fine ranging from $50 ($1,594 in 2024) to $100 ($3,189) would be imposed.[13] The Ohio House of Representatives passed the bill unanimously in March 1913.[14][15] This could be why there are no mentions of the "Loop-the-Loop" after that season.
Injuries
The ride caused many neck and back injuries. In July 1908, when the ride was new, Luther Liggett rode the Loop-the-Loop during a Methodist picnic and suffered neck injuries that lead to over a week of a swollen neck with fears of a serious injury.[2][16] A visitor from 1908 saying, "Myself and two others went around the Loop-the-Loop. Once was enough."[4] Dewey Oberlin, 10, described the ride as "the neck-breaker" in 1913.[17]
Gallery
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Vintage postcard (c. 1908-1910) showing the Loop-the-Loop.
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Vintage postcard (c. 1908-1910) showing the Loop-the-Loop.[16]
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Vintage postcard (c. 1908-1911) showing the Circle Swing and the Loop-the-Loop at Olentangy Park.
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Panoramic photo (c. 1908-1910) of the Circle Swing and Loop-the-Loop.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Loop the Loop." Roller Coaster Database. https://rcdb.com/3159.htm Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Neck was Injured." The Union County Journal (Marysville, OH), July 23, 1908. Page 2. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80090314/neck-was-injured-on-loop-the-loop-in/
- ↑ "Loop Coasters In The Early 1900s." National Roller Coaster Museum. Accessed on January 9. 2025. https://rollercoastermuseum.org/blog/loop-coasters-in-the-early-1900s
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Francis, David W. and Diane DeMali Francis. 2003. "The Roller Coaster's Early Years 1884-1909." In The Golden Age of Roller Coasters: In Vintage Postcards. Page 27. Arcadia, 2003.
- ↑ "American Pioneers of Amusement, Part 2." Off the Leash. Published July 10, 2016. Accessed on May 5, 2024. https://offtheleash.net/2016/07/10/american-pioneers-of-amusement-part-2/.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Barrett, Richard E. 1985. "More on Olentangy Park." Columbus and Central Ohio Historian No. 3. May 1985. Page 37.
- ↑ Francis, David W. and Diane DeMali Francis. 2003. The Golden Age of Roller Coasters. Arcadia Publishing. 2003. ISBN 0738523380 Accessed through Google Books https://books.google.com/books?id=4d9oXyOZubIC.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Olentangy Park." The Daily Journal-Herald (Delaware, Ohio), May 13, 1914. Page 7. Accessed through the Deleware County Historical Society via OhioMemory.org https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p16007coll56/id/12199/rec/6
- ↑ Francis, David W. and Diane DeMali Francis. 2002. Ohio's Amusement Parks in Vintage Postcards. Arcadia Publishing. 2002 ISBN 0738519979. Accessed through Google Books https://books.google.com/books?id=T1H_lzFYRngC
- ↑ "How bicycle daredevil Diavolo looped the loop back in the early 1900s." Click America. https://clickamericana.com/topics/culture-and-lifestyle/entertainment-culture-and-lifestyle/bicycle-daredevil-diavolo-loops-the-loops-1902-1905
- ↑ The Columbus Evening Dispatch, July 7, 1908. Page 14.
- ↑ "Olentangy Park State Fair Bill." The Daily Journal-Herald (Delaware, Ohio), August 27, 1913. Page 8. Accessed through the Deleware County Historical Society via OhioMemory.org https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p16007coll56/id/42210/rec/3
- ↑ "Would Ensure Safety of Amusement Devices." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, February 9, 1913. Page 1.
- ↑ "Observations: One Legislator's Way." Columbus Evening Dispatch, March 10, 1913. Page 6.
- ↑ "Bills are Defeated." The Marion Star (Marion, Ohio), March 18, 1913. Page 3. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-marion-star-bills-are-defeated/160959974/
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Barrett, Richard E. 2002. Columbus Ohio 1898-1950 in Vintage Postcards. Arcadia Publishing. 2002. ISBN 0738519626. Accessed through Google Books https://www.google.com/books/edition/Columbus_Ohio/dl9ANHu511sC?hl=en&gbpv=0
- ↑ Oberlin, Dewey. "Dewey Oberlin Aged Ten Tells of Seeing State Fair." The Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, Ohio), September 8, 1913. Page 14. Retrieved from Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80089842/dewey-oberlin-calls-the-loop-the-loop/