Park History
The history of Joyland Amusement Park begins with the Ottaway family, who had a long-standing passion for entertaining both the young and old in Wichita, Kansas. In the late 1930s, Herb Ottaway operated a small but successful amusement park called Playland in Planeview, a district that thrived due to the Boeing Company’s presence. As men worked in Boeing’s production plant, their families sought entertainment, and Playland became a popular destination. Playland featured a few simple rides, such as a Tilt-A-Whirl, a Ferris wheel, and a Merry-Go-Round.
Around the same time, Herb’s father, Lester Ottaway, recognized the potential of amusement parks and purchased a steam engine train after seeing the success of Playland. He envisioned a larger park and acquired land on East Central Avenue to create what would become the first iteration of Joyland. The Ottaway family operated both Playland and Joyland for a year before consolidating Playland’s rides at Joyland’s new location.
By the 1940s, Joyland’s Central Avenue location flourished, though it wasn’t without challenges. World War II presented its own set of obstacles. The park was denied electricity by the local utility company and had to rely on a manually started generator each time it opened. Nevertheless, the Ottaway family, known for their creativity and resilience, continued to enhance their guests’ experiences by adding new attractions.
In 1948, Lester Ottaway hired famed designer Herbert Paul Schmeck of the Philadelphia Toboggan Coaster Company to create a roller coaster for the park’s new location on South Hillside. John Allen and Frank Hoover oversaw the construction of the 75-foot-tall wooden coaster, a project that took approximately four months. The new Joyland, complete with its thrilling roller coaster, a 60-foot Ferris wheel, octopus ride, miniature train, and live ponies, officially opened on May 30, 1949.
After Lester’s passing in the 1950s, his sons Herbert, Harold, and Eddie Ottaway took over the park’s operations. During their tenure, they added “Frontier Town,” a themed area that opened on June 19, 1960. Harold Ottaway particularly enjoyed the performances of the Joyland Park Gunfighters, a group of actors he hired to perform Old West-style gunfights, and they became a staple at the park until 1976.
In 1975, the Ottaway family sold Joyland to Stanley Nelson and his wife Margaret, who had worked with the family for years. Under the Nelsons’ ownership, Joyland continued to grow and expand its offerings. Popular new rides such as the Wacky Shack, the Log Jam, Dodge’m, the Sky Coaster, and an updated Tilt-A-Whirl became iconic attractions. One of the park’s most cherished features was the Fairground organ, a Wurlitzer Style Organ purchased in 1950, accompanied by Louie the Clown, an automated organist who entertained guests near the Merry-Go-Round.
Despite its success, Joyland closed in 2004 due to financial difficulties and deterioration. Though it briefly reopened in 2006 under the T-Rex Group’s lease, the park faced continued problems with vandalism, theft, and fires. Ultimately, Margaret Nelson decided to donate the carousel to Wichita’s Botanica Gardens and sell several historic pieces, including the iconic parking lot sign, to local preservation organizations. Though Joyland is no more, the Ottaway family continues their legacy of amusement through their traveling carnival, keeping the spirit of Joyland alive for future generations of Kansans.
Around the same time, Herb’s father, Lester Ottaway, recognized the potential of amusement parks and purchased a steam engine train after seeing the success of Playland. He envisioned a larger park and acquired land on East Central Avenue to create what would become the first iteration of Joyland. The Ottaway family operated both Playland and Joyland for a year before consolidating Playland’s rides at Joyland’s new location.
By the 1940s, Joyland’s Central Avenue location flourished, though it wasn’t without challenges. World War II presented its own set of obstacles. The park was denied electricity by the local utility company and had to rely on a manually started generator each time it opened. Nevertheless, the Ottaway family, known for their creativity and resilience, continued to enhance their guests’ experiences by adding new attractions.
In 1948, Lester Ottaway hired famed designer Herbert Paul Schmeck of the Philadelphia Toboggan Coaster Company to create a roller coaster for the park’s new location on South Hillside. John Allen and Frank Hoover oversaw the construction of the 75-foot-tall wooden coaster, a project that took approximately four months. The new Joyland, complete with its thrilling roller coaster, a 60-foot Ferris wheel, octopus ride, miniature train, and live ponies, officially opened on May 30, 1949.
After Lester’s passing in the 1950s, his sons Herbert, Harold, and Eddie Ottaway took over the park’s operations. During their tenure, they added “Frontier Town,” a themed area that opened on June 19, 1960. Harold Ottaway particularly enjoyed the performances of the Joyland Park Gunfighters, a group of actors he hired to perform Old West-style gunfights, and they became a staple at the park until 1976.
In 1975, the Ottaway family sold Joyland to Stanley Nelson and his wife Margaret, who had worked with the family for years. Under the Nelsons’ ownership, Joyland continued to grow and expand its offerings. Popular new rides such as the Wacky Shack, the Log Jam, Dodge’m, the Sky Coaster, and an updated Tilt-A-Whirl became iconic attractions. One of the park’s most cherished features was the Fairground organ, a Wurlitzer Style Organ purchased in 1950, accompanied by Louie the Clown, an automated organist who entertained guests near the Merry-Go-Round.
Despite its success, Joyland closed in 2004 due to financial difficulties and deterioration. Though it briefly reopened in 2006 under the T-Rex Group’s lease, the park faced continued problems with vandalism, theft, and fires. Ultimately, Margaret Nelson decided to donate the carousel to Wichita’s Botanica Gardens and sell several historic pieces, including the iconic parking lot sign, to local preservation organizations. Though Joyland is no more, the Ottaway family continues their legacy of amusement through their traveling carnival, keeping the spirit of Joyland alive for future generations of Kansans.