Traver Circle Swing Company: Difference between revisions

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[[Harry G. Traver]], Richard Garvey, and George E. Griffiths started the [[Traver Circle Swing Company]] in New York in 1903 with {{Tooltip |text = $100,000|tooltip = $3.63 million in 2025 dollars}} initial capital to make and sell amusement devices.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-union-state-capitol-news/152822990/ "State Capitol News."] ''Times Union (Brooklyn, New York).'' Nov. 3, 1903. Page 7. Accessed through Newspapers.com.</ref> The first Circle Swing was installed at Chutes Park in Los Angeles in 1902.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-leavenworth-times-new-thrill-for-vis/152821022/ "New Thrill For Visitors to Coney."] ''The Leavenworth Times (Leavenworth, Kansas).'' March 14, 1903. Page 7. Accessed through Newspapers.com.</ref> The ride gained popularity after patenting it in 1904.<ref name="times">Snedden, Jeffery. [https://www.timesonline.com/story/lifestyle/around-town/2016/05/24/harry-traver-took-beaver-county/18574055007/ "Harry Traver took Beaver County on thrilling roller coaster ride."] ''The Beaver County Times (Beaver County, Pennsylvania).'' May 24, 2016. Accessed on Aug. 8, 2024.</ref><ref name="smithsonian">Oswald, Alison. 2019. [https://invention.si.edu/swinging-amusement "A Swinging Amusement."] ''Smithsonian National Museum of American History.'' Sept. 20, 2019. Accessed on Aug. 5, 2024.</ref> At the time, their offices were located in the Manhattan Life Building, and the vice president was W. S. Wright, who was also the general manager of the North Beach Amusement Company on Long Island.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/buffalo-courier-transforming-athletic-fi/152827081/ "Transforming Athletic Field."] ''Buffalo Courier (Buffalo, New York).'' March 27, 1904. Page 24. Accessed through Newspapers.com.</ref> Thomas A. Fulton was the company's secretary in 1904.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sun-a-fulton-swing-for-a-dime/152843330/ "A Fulton Swing for a Dime."] ''The Sun (New York City, New York).'' July 5, 1904. Page 5. Accessed through Newspapers.com.</ref> The original company filed for bankruptcy in 1907 after a lawsuit regarding fraud.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-york-tribune-trouble-for-traver-swin/152902623/ "Trouble for Traver Swing Company."] ''New-York Tribune (New York City, New York).'' Oct. 19, 1907. Page 15. Accessed through Newspaper.com.</ref><ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle-declares-a-divi/152904272/ "Declares A Dividend."] ''The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York).'' Jan. 4, 1908. Page 2. Accessed through Newspapers.com.</ref>


[[Harry G. Traver]], Richard Garvey, and George E. Griffiths started the [[Traver Circle Swing Company]] in New York in 1903 with $100,000 ($3.5 million in 2024) initial capital to make and sell amusement devices.<ref>"State Capitol News." ''Times Union (Brooklyn, New York).'' 3 November 1903. Pg. 7. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-union-state-capitol-news/152822990/</ref> The first Circle Swing first installed at Chutes Park in Los Angeles in 1902.<ref>"New Thrill For Visitors to Coney." ''The Leavenworth Times (Leavenworth, Kansas).'' 14 March 1903. Pg. 7. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-leavenworth-times-new-thrill-for-vis/152821022/</ref> The ride gained popularity after patenting it in 1904.<ref name="times">Snedden, Jeffery. "Harry Traver took Beaver County on thrilling roller coaster ride." ''The Beaver County Times (Beaver County, Pennsylvania).'' Published 24 May 2016. Accessed 8 August 2024. https://www.timesonline.com/story/lifestyle/around-town/2016/05/24/harry-traver-took-beaver-county/18574055007/</ref><ref name="smithsonian">Oswald, Alison. "A Swinging Amusement." Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Published 20 September 2019. Accessed 5 August 2024. https://invention.si.edu/swinging-amusement</ref> At the time, their offices were located in the Manhattan Life Building and the vice president was W. S. Wright, who was also the general manager of the North Beach Amusement Company on Long Island.<ref>"Transforming Athletic Field." ''Buffalo Courier (Buffalo, New York).'' 27 March 1904. Page 24. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/buffalo-courier-transforming-athletic-fi/152827081/</ref> Thomas A. Fulton was the secretary of the company in 1904.<ref>"A Fulton Swing for a Dime." ''The Sun (New York, New York).'' 5 July 1904. Pg. 5. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sun-a-fulton-swing-for-a-dime/152843330/</ref>
The Novelty Machine Company of New York bought the assets and patents, and it continued to build and operate the swings.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/electricrailway331909newy/page/202/mode/2up "Progress of the Circle Swing."] ''Electric Railway Journal.'' Vol. 33. No. 5. Jan. 30, 1909. Page 202. Accessed through the Internet Archive.</ref><ref>[https://archive.org/details/sim_billboard_1908-09-26_20_39/page/12/mode/2up "Plan Big Things."] ''The Billboard.'' Vol. 20. Sept. 26, 1908. Page 13. Accessed through the Internet Archive.</ref>


The company later moved to Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. In 1919, Traver grew the company by partnering with fellow Beaver Falls amusement manufacturer, [[J. W. Zarro]] and later, buying out his factory for $140,000 (over $2.5 million in 2024), expanding the factory and creating [[Traver Engineering Company]].<ref name="times" />
Traver later restarted his company in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. In 1919, he grew the company by partnering with fellow Beaver Falls amusement manufacturer [[J. W. Zarro]]. The next year, he bought out Zarro's factory for {{Tooltip |text = $140,000|tooltip = $2.24 million in 2025 dollars}}, expanding the factory and creating [[Traver Engineering Company]].<ref name="times" /><ref>[https://file.dos.pa.gov/search/business "Traver Engineering Co. (2542086)."] ''Pennsylvania Department of State Business Listings,'' Accessed on Aug. 9, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://file.dos.pa.gov/search/business "Traver Engineering Company, Incorporated (6129592)."] ''Pennsylvania Department of State Business Listings.'' Accessed on Aug. 9, 2024.</ref>


== Rides ==
== Rides ==
* [[Airplanes]]
* [[Airplanes]]
* [[Circle Swing]]
* [[Circle Swing]]
== Related Patents ==
* Amusement apparatus. (April 26, 1904)  U.S. Patent No. 758,341 [https://patents.google.com/patent/US758341 Google Patents] | [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WObAfTl9Ru5rtY2y8HYBe9Vb8RXTRrcK/view?usp=sharing PDF]
* Car for swings. (May 30, 1905) U.S. Patent No. 790,989 [https://patents.google.com/patent/US790989A Google Patents] | [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WHkH_-u0qxC1sh9uB4bSyGBveSdM1tEE/view?usp=sharing PDF]
* Circle-swing. (Sept. 11, 1906) U.S. Patent No. 830,687 [https://patents.google.com/patent/US830687A Google Patents] [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WO6lStAJSnBo3_6wyHWEoBVsyKoMI5Q9/view?usp=sharing PDF]
* Roundabout. (Sept. 11, 1906) U.S. Patent No. 830,688 [https://patents.google.com/patent/US830688A Google Patents] | [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WJaDlcT4oN-WoQhhAHdNBklLuqRJQSBC/view?usp=sharing PDF]


== See Also==
== See Also==
Line 15: Line 21:
==References==
==References==
<References />
<References />
{{#seo:|description=Harry G. Traver, Richard Garvey, and George E. Griffiths started the Traver Circle Swing Company in New York in 1903.}}
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{{Rides}}
[[Category:Manufacturers]]

Latest revision as of 22:09, 4 December 2025

Harry G. Traver, Richard Garvey, and George E. Griffiths started the Traver Circle Swing Company in New York in 1903 with $100,000$3.63 million in 2025 dollars initial capital to make and sell amusement devices.[1] The first Circle Swing was installed at Chutes Park in Los Angeles in 1902.[2] The ride gained popularity after patenting it in 1904.[3][4] At the time, their offices were located in the Manhattan Life Building, and the vice president was W. S. Wright, who was also the general manager of the North Beach Amusement Company on Long Island.[5] Thomas A. Fulton was the company's secretary in 1904.[6] The original company filed for bankruptcy in 1907 after a lawsuit regarding fraud.[7][8]

The Novelty Machine Company of New York bought the assets and patents, and it continued to build and operate the swings.[9][10]

Traver later restarted his company in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. In 1919, he grew the company by partnering with fellow Beaver Falls amusement manufacturer J. W. Zarro. The next year, he bought out Zarro's factory for $140,000$2.24 million in 2025 dollars, expanding the factory and creating Traver Engineering Company.[3][11][12]

Rides

See Also

References

  1. ↑ "State Capitol News." Times Union (Brooklyn, New York). Nov. 3, 1903. Page 7. Accessed through Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ "New Thrill For Visitors to Coney." The Leavenworth Times (Leavenworth, Kansas). March 14, 1903. Page 7. Accessed through Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Snedden, Jeffery. "Harry Traver took Beaver County on thrilling roller coaster ride." The Beaver County Times (Beaver County, Pennsylvania). May 24, 2016. Accessed on Aug. 8, 2024.
  4. ↑ Oswald, Alison. 2019. "A Swinging Amusement." Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Sept. 20, 2019. Accessed on Aug. 5, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Transforming Athletic Field." Buffalo Courier (Buffalo, New York). March 27, 1904. Page 24. Accessed through Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "A Fulton Swing for a Dime." The Sun (New York City, New York). July 5, 1904. Page 5. Accessed through Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Trouble for Traver Swing Company." New-York Tribune (New York City, New York). Oct. 19, 1907. Page 15. Accessed through Newspaper.com.
  8. ↑ "Declares A Dividend." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York). Jan. 4, 1908. Page 2. Accessed through Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Progress of the Circle Swing." Electric Railway Journal. Vol. 33. No. 5. Jan. 30, 1909. Page 202. Accessed through the Internet Archive.
  10. ↑ "Plan Big Things." The Billboard. Vol. 20. Sept. 26, 1908. Page 13. Accessed through the Internet Archive.
  11. ↑ "Traver Engineering Co. (2542086)." Pennsylvania Department of State Business Listings, Accessed on Aug. 9, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Traver Engineering Company, Incorporated (6129592)." Pennsylvania Department of State Business Listings. Accessed on Aug. 9, 2024.
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