Tours of the World
| Other Name(s) | Hale's Tours of the World |
|---|---|
| Type | Exhibition |
| Park Section | North |
| Built | 1906 |
| Opened | 1906 |
| Closed | 1907 (fire) |
| Fires | 1907 |
| Manufacturer | George C. Hale |
| Designer | George C. Hale |
| Frame | Wood |
| Number of Stories | 1 |
The Tours of the World exhibition opened at Olentangy Park in 1906.[1][2][3] It was one of the series of film-based exhibitions by George C. Hale where visitors entered a recreated train car. At the front, a motion picture device played scenes filmed in a "phantom ride" style, making visitors feel like they were traveling by rail in different locations. Staff would provide a rocking motion of the "car," and wind machines and sound effects added to the realism.[4][5]
At the end of the 1906 season, park management refused to increase the wages of the operators of the attraction, and they went on strike. An employee stole a lens from one of the machines, making it inoperable.[6]
The following year, a fire that started in the Motion Picture Building in July 1907 spread to the Tours of the World and other attractions, and the attraction was "burnt to ashes." The fire department estimated the damage at $3,000 ($100,385 in 2024).[7]
References
- ↑ "Olentangy Park Opens on April 29." Columbus Evening Dispatch, April 15, 1906. Page 7.
- ↑ Long, W. C. 1906. "Columbus, Ohio." The Billboard, May 12, 1906. 18 (19): 20.
- ↑ "Olentangy Park." The Democrat-Sentinel (Logan, Ohio), June 14, 1906. Page 2. Accessed through Newspapers.com Clip 1 | Clip 2
- ↑ "Hale's Tours of the World," InspiredByEarth.info, Accessed on July 22, 2022. https://www.inspiredbyearth.info/history-over-100-years-ago
- ↑ "Hale's Tours of the World." Wikipedia.org, Last modified on February 10, 2022. Accessed on July 22, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hale%27s_Tours_of_the_World
- ↑ "Striker Cripples Scenic Railway by Taking Lens." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, September 2, 1906. Page 1
- ↑ "Boy Leads His Two Sisters Out of a Fire at Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch, July 5, 1907. Page 13.