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 $100,000 ($3.5 million in 2024) initial capital to make and sell amusement devices.<ref>"State Capitol News." ''Times Union (Brooklyn, New York),'' November 3, 1903. Page 7. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-union-state-capitol-news/152822990/</ref> The first Circle Swing was installed at Chutes Park in Los Angeles in 1902.<ref>"New Thrill For Visitors to Coney." ''The Leavenworth Times (Leavenworth, Kansas),'' March 14, 1903. Page 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. 2016. "Harry Traver took Beaver County on thrilling roller coaster ride." ''The Beaver County Times (Beaver County, Pennsylvania),'' May 24, 2016. Accessed on August 8, 2024. https://www.timesonline.com/story/lifestyle/around-town/2016/05/24/harry-traver-took-beaver-county/18574055007/</ref><ref name="smithsonian">Oswald, Alison. 2019. "A Swinging Amusement." ''Smithsonian National Museum of American History,'' September 20, 2019. Accessed on August 5, 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),'' March 27, 1904. Page 24. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/buffalo-courier-transforming-athletic-fi/152827081/</ref> Thomas A. Fulton was the company's secretary in 1904.<ref>"A Fulton Swing for a Dime." ''The Sun (New York, New York),'' July 5, 1904. Page 5. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sun-a-fulton-swing-for-a-dime/152843330/</ref> The original company filed for bankruptcy in 1907 after a lawsuit regarding fraud.<ref>"Trouble for Traver Swing Company." ''New-York Tribune (New York, New York),'' October 19, 1907. Page 15. Accessed through Newspaper.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-york-tribune-trouble-for-traver-swin/152902623/</ref><ref>"Declares A Dividend." ''The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York),'' January 4, 1908. Page 2. Accessed through Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle-declares-a-divi/152904272/</ref>
[[Harry G. Traver]], Richard Garvey, and George E. Griffiths started the [[Traver Circle Swing Company]] in New York in 1903 with $100,000 ($3,634,080 in 2025) initial capital to make and sell amusement devices.<ref>"State Capitol News." ''Times Union (Brooklyn, New York),'' November 3, 1903. Page 7. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-union-state-capitol-news/152822990/</ref> The first Circle Swing was installed at Chutes Park in Los Angeles in 1902.<ref>"New Thrill For Visitors to Coney." ''The Leavenworth Times (Leavenworth, Kansas),'' March 14, 1903. Page 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. 2016. "Harry Traver took Beaver County on thrilling roller coaster ride." ''The Beaver County Times (Beaver County, Pennsylvania),'' May 24, 2016. Accessed on August 8, 2024. https://www.timesonline.com/story/lifestyle/around-town/2016/05/24/harry-traver-took-beaver-county/18574055007/</ref><ref name="smithsonian">Oswald, Alison. 2019. "A Swinging Amusement." ''Smithsonian National Museum of American History,'' September 20, 2019. Accessed on August 5, 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),'' March 27, 1904. Page 24. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/buffalo-courier-transforming-athletic-fi/152827081/</ref> Thomas A. Fulton was the company's secretary in 1904.<ref>"A Fulton Swing for a Dime." ''The Sun (New York, New York),'' July 5, 1904. Page 5. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sun-a-fulton-swing-for-a-dime/152843330/</ref> The original company filed for bankruptcy in 1907 after a lawsuit regarding fraud.<ref>"Trouble for Traver Swing Company." ''New-York Tribune (New York, New York),'' October 19, 1907. Page 15. Accessed through Newspaper.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-york-tribune-trouble-for-traver-swin/152902623/</ref><ref>"Declares A Dividend." ''The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York),'' January 4, 1908. Page 2. Accessed through Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle-declares-a-divi/152904272/</ref>


The Novelty Machine Company of New York bought the assets and patents, and it continued to build and operate the swings.<ref>"Progress of the Circle Swing." ''Electric Railway Journal,'' January 30, 1909. Vol. 33. No. 5. Page 202. Accessed through the Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/electricrailway331909newy/page/202/mode/2up</ref><ref>"Plan Big Things." ''The Billboard,'' September 26, 1908. Vol. 20. Page 13. Accessed through the Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/sim_billboard_1908-09-26_20_39/page/12/mode/2up</ref>
The Novelty Machine Company of New York bought the assets and patents, and it continued to build and operate the swings.<ref>"Progress of the Circle Swing." ''Electric Railway Journal,'' January 30, 1909. Vol. 33. No. 5. Page 202. Accessed through the Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/electricrailway331909newy/page/202/mode/2up</ref><ref>"Plan Big Things." ''The Billboard,'' September 26, 1908. Vol. 20. Page 13. Accessed through the Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/sim_billboard_1908-09-26_20_39/page/12/mode/2up</ref>


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 (over $2.5 million in 2024), expanding the factory and creating [[Traver Engineering Company]].<ref name="times" /><ref>"Traver Engineering Co. (2542086)." ''Pennsylvania Department of State Business Listings,'' Accessed on August 9, 2024. https://file.dos.pa.gov/search/business</ref><ref>"Traver Engineering Company, Incorporated (6129592)." ''Pennsylvania Department of State Business Listings,'' Accessed on August 9, 2024. https://file.dos.pa.gov/search/business</ref>
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 ($2,238,593), expanding the factory and creating [[Traver Engineering Company]].<ref name="times" /><ref>"Traver Engineering Co. (2542086)." ''Pennsylvania Department of State Business Listings,'' Accessed on August 9, 2024. https://file.dos.pa.gov/search/business</ref><ref>"Traver Engineering Company, Incorporated (6129592)." ''Pennsylvania Department of State Business Listings,'' Accessed on August 9, 2024. https://file.dos.pa.gov/search/business</ref>


== Rides ==
== Rides ==

Revision as of 04:05, 30 May 2025

Harry G. Traver, Richard Garvey, and George E. Griffiths started the Traver Circle Swing Company in New York in 1903 with $100,000 ($3,634,080 in 2025) 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 ($2,238,593), expanding the factory and creating Traver Engineering Company.[3][11][12]

Rides

See Also

References

  1. ↑ "State Capitol News." Times Union (Brooklyn, New York), November 3, 1903. Page 7. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-union-state-capitol-news/152822990/
  2. ↑ "New Thrill For Visitors to Coney." The Leavenworth Times (Leavenworth, Kansas), March 14, 1903. Page 7. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-leavenworth-times-new-thrill-for-vis/152821022/
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Snedden, Jeffery. 2016. "Harry Traver took Beaver County on thrilling roller coaster ride." The Beaver County Times (Beaver County, Pennsylvania), May 24, 2016. Accessed on August 8, 2024. https://www.timesonline.com/story/lifestyle/around-town/2016/05/24/harry-traver-took-beaver-county/18574055007/
  4. ↑ Oswald, Alison. 2019. "A Swinging Amusement." Smithsonian National Museum of American History, September 20, 2019. Accessed on August 5, 2024. https://invention.si.edu/swinging-amusement
  5. ↑ "Transforming Athletic Field." Buffalo Courier (Buffalo, New York), March 27, 1904. Page 24. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/buffalo-courier-transforming-athletic-fi/152827081/
  6. ↑ "A Fulton Swing for a Dime." The Sun (New York, New York), July 5, 1904. Page 5. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sun-a-fulton-swing-for-a-dime/152843330/
  7. ↑ "Trouble for Traver Swing Company." New-York Tribune (New York, New York), October 19, 1907. Page 15. Accessed through Newspaper.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-york-tribune-trouble-for-traver-swin/152902623/
  8. ↑ "Declares A Dividend." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York), January 4, 1908. Page 2. Accessed through Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle-declares-a-divi/152904272/
  9. ↑ "Progress of the Circle Swing." Electric Railway Journal, January 30, 1909. Vol. 33. No. 5. Page 202. Accessed through the Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/electricrailway331909newy/page/202/mode/2up
  10. ↑ "Plan Big Things." The Billboard, September 26, 1908. Vol. 20. Page 13. Accessed through the Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/sim_billboard_1908-09-26_20_39/page/12/mode/2up
  11. ↑ "Traver Engineering Co. (2542086)." Pennsylvania Department of State Business Listings, Accessed on August 9, 2024. https://file.dos.pa.gov/search/business
  12. ↑ "Traver Engineering Company, Incorporated (6129592)." Pennsylvania Department of State Business Listings, Accessed on August 9, 2024. https://file.dos.pa.gov/search/business


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