Posted in Washington
April 14, 2020
Most Washingtonians Have No Idea This Amusement Park In Seattle Ever Existed
If you grew up in Washington, you know that it was a bittersweet day when the Seattle Center’s amusement park, the Fun Forest, closed down in 2009. Plenty of us can recall spending many a day dragging our families through the entertainment area, begging for one more ride or game.
But Washingtonians who are a little older might recall a different amusement park in Seattle, one that had a 31-year run before a series of unfortunate events shut it down forever. Allow us to introduce you to Playland.

But while it's populated now, it was once a rural community that was home to a bustling amusement park.

Bitter Lake was not officially a part of the city at that time.

The park was constructed for $750,000, which was not a small amount at the time. But even though the United States had entered the Great Depression, the business proceeded as planned. And when the under-capitalized Washington Amusement Company failed after just a year, the amusement park was saved by Carl E. Phare, a Pacific Northwest local who built roller coasters for a living. He and his business partners kept the park going for another 30 years.

The Dipper was a state-of-the-art roller coaster that would send riders soaring 85 feet into the air and through a virtual somersault. Other popular attractions included a merry-go-round, a Penny Arcade, and the Canals of Venice ride, which took people through a long, dark tunnel (and was the site of many a first kiss).

It was eventually rebuilt, but in 1953, more of Playland caught on fire, including The Dipper itself.

Most of the park was rebuilt in its off-season. But by then, interest was fading, and the city of Seattle had annexed Bitter Lake. The park was officially condemned in 1961. Carl Phare died the next year.

During troubled times of the Great Depression, World War II, and more, it brought people of all ages a welcomed distraction and a lot of joy.
Had you ever heard of Seattle’s Playland? While it had a long run, it actually wasn’t the city’s first amusement park. Check out Luna Park’s story.
Address: Seattle, WA, USA