Shoot-the-Chutes: Difference between revisions

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The [[Shoot-the-Chutes]] or '''Shoot-the-Shoots''', sometimes stylized as '''Chutes''', was a water ride installed at the north end of Olentangy Park in 1909.<ref>"Olentangy Park, Founded in 1893, Long Was Amusement Mecca for Central Ohio." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch''. 1 April 1938. pg. 1, 6.</ref><ref>"Olentangy Park Opens April 25th." ''The Union County Journal (Marysville, Ohio).'' 22 April 1909. Pg. 3. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-union-county-journal-olentangy-park/152965546/</ref> The ride was planned for as early as 1905.<ref>''The Billboard.'' 7 October 1905. Vol. 17 Iss. 40. Pg. 25.</ref> The zoo elephant, Tandy, was trained to ride the chute.
The [[Shoot-the-Chutes]], sometimes stylized as '''Chutes''', was a water ride installed at the north end of Olentangy Park in 1909.<ref>"Olentangy Park, Founded in 1893, Long Was Amusement Mecca for Central Ohio." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch,'' April 1, 1938. Pages 1, 6.</ref><ref>"Olentangy Park Opens April 25th." ''The Union County Journal (Marysville, Ohio),'' April 22, 1909. Page 3. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-union-county-journal-olentangy-park/152965546/</ref> The ride was planned for as early as 1905.<ref>''The Billboard,'' October 7, 1905. 17 (40): 25.</ref> The zoo elephant, Tandy, was trained to ride the chute.


The ride took riders in a flat-bottomed boat up an incline pulled by a belt, rotated at the top, where the boat was allowed to slide down the other side of the incline to splash in the pond at the bottom.<ref>Barrett, Richard E. (2002). [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Columbus_Ohio/dl9ANHu511sC?hl=en&gbpv=0 ''Columbus Ohio 1898-1950 in Vintage Postcards''.] Arcadia Publishing. [http://olentangypark.com/wiki/index.php/Special:BookSources/0738519626 ISBN 0738519626].</ref>
The ride took riders in a flat-bottomed boat up an incline pulled by a belt, rotated at the top, where the boat was allowed to slide down the other side of the incline to splash in the pond at the bottom.<ref>Barrett, Richard E. 2002. ''Columbus Ohio 1898-1950 in Vintage Postcards,'' Arcadia Publishing. Accessed through Google Books https://www.google.com/books/edition/Columbus_Ohio/dl9ANHu511sC?hl=en&gbpv=0</ref>


The ride started to suffer from "nonsupport" by 1916.<ref>"Park in Full Operation." ''The Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' 1 May 1916. Pg. 16.</ref> The last ''Dispatch'' ad for the normal use of the ride was in June 1924. The pool remained until the park's closure, being used for water bicycles,<ref name="historian">Barret, Richard E. "Olentangy Park: Four Decades of Fun." ''Columbus and Central Ohio Historian.'' Vol. 1. April 1984. Pg. 11.</ref>, tug-of-war, and automobile events. Despite its unusable state, the structure remained standing and is visible in a photo about the park's closure in 1937.<ref>"$2,000,000 Housing Project to Replace Olentangy Park." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' 1 April 1938. Pg. 1.</ref>
The ride started to suffer from "nonsupport" by 1916.<ref>"Park in Full Operation." ''The Columbus Evening Dispatch,'' May 1, 1916. Page 16.</ref> The last ''Dispatch'' ad for the normal use of the ride was in June 1924. The pool remained until the park's closure, being used for water bicycles,<ref name="historian">Barret, Richard E. 1984. "Olentangy Park: Four Decades of Fun." ''Columbus and Central Ohio Historian No. 1,'' April 1984. Page 11.</ref>, tug-of-war, and automobile events. Despite its unusable state, the structure remained standing and is visible in a photo about the park's closure in 1937.<ref>"$2,000,000 Housing Project to Replace Olentangy Park." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch,'' April 1, 1938. Page 1.</ref>


== After Ride Closure ==
== After Ride Closure ==


There was a contest for automobile owners to climb the ride's incline during the 1910 North Side Chamber of Commerce outing, but no one signed up for it.<ref>"Thirty-five Accept." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' 9 May 1910. Pg. 10.</ref>
There was a contest for automobile owners to climb the ride's incline during the 1910 North Side Chamber of Commerce outing, but no one signed up for it.<ref>"Thirty-five Accept." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch,'' May 9, 1910. Page 10.</ref>


On 1934, on a day dubbed Plymouth Day, "Lucky" Teter and his troupe of "Hell Drivers" put on a show at the park.  A driver drove at least one car down the Shoot-the-Chutes into the lagoon during a $100,000 (over $2.3 million in 2024) show of Chrysler products at the park.<ref>"Plymouth's 'Hell Divers' Will Defy Death to Thrill Crowds at Olentangy." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' 17 June 1934. Pg. 20.</ref> Starting at 60 mph, the car leaped and hit the water at 90 mph, leaped a two-foot embankment, and purposely turned the car over in the dirt going 20 mph.<ref>"Hell Drivers Again to Appear at Park." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' 24 June 1934. Pg. 19.</ref><ref>Walkmeyer, Gene. "Daredevils Thrill Olentangy Audience." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' 25 June 1934. Pg. 16.</ref>
On 1934, on a day dubbed Plymouth Day, "Lucky" Teter and his troupe of "Hell Drivers" put on a show at the park.  A driver drove at least one car down the Shoot-the-Chutes into the lagoon during a $100,000 (over $2.3 million in 2024) show of Chrysler products at the park.<ref>"Plymouth's 'Hell Divers' Will Defy Death to Thrill Crowds at Olentangy." ''The Columbus Dispatch,'' June 17, 1934. Page 20.</ref> Starting at 60 mph, the car leaped and hit the water at 90 mph, leaped a two-foot embankment, and purposely turned the car over in the dirt going 20 mph.<ref>"Hell Drivers Again to Appear at Park." ''The Columbus Dispatch,'' June 24, 1934. Page 19.</ref><ref>Walkmeyer, Gene. 1934. "Daredevils Thrill Olentangy Audience." ''The Columbus Dispatch,'' June 25, 1934. Page 16.</ref>


== Injuries ==
== Injuries ==
Joseph Valkno, 17, was hit by a boat on the chute while working on the ride in September 1914. He broke his leg while trying to leap over the boat as it was diving into the pond.<ref>"Park Employe Injured." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch''. 6 September 1914. Pg. 3.</ref>
Joseph Valkno, 17, was hit by a boat on the chute while working on the ride in September 1914. He broke his leg while trying to leap over the boat as it was diving into the pond.<ref>"Park Employe Injured." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch,'' September 6, 1914. Page 3.</ref>


== Gallery ==
== Gallery ==
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{{Rides}}
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{{Park Sections}}
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[[Category:Added in 1909]]
[[Category:Added in 1909]]


{{#seo:|description=The Shoot-the-Chutes or Shoot-the-Shoots, sometimes stylized as Chutes, was a water ride installed at the north end of Olentangy Park in 1909.}}
{{#seo:|description=The Shoot-the-Chutes, sometimes stylized as Chutes, was a water ride installed at the north end of Olentangy Park in 1909.}}
{{#seo:|keywords=Shoot-the-Chutes, Shoot-the-Shoots, Chutes, Olentangy Park, water ride, track ride, log flume, amusement park, Columbus, Clintonville, amusement park history}}
{{#seo:|keywords=Shoot-the-Chutes, Shoot-the-Shoots, Chutes, log flume, Olentangy Park, Olentangy Amusement Park, Olentangy Park Columbus, Columbus amusement park, amusement park, Clintonville, defunct amusement park}}

Revision as of 01:27, 23 August 2024

Shoot-the-Chutes
Other Name(s) Chutes
Shoot-the-Shoots
Type Water ride
Track ride
Park Section North
Built 1909
Opened 1909
Closed 1924
Vehicle Type Boat

The Shoot-the-Chutes, sometimes stylized as Chutes, was a water ride installed at the north end of Olentangy Park in 1909.[1][2] The ride was planned for as early as 1905.[3] The zoo elephant, Tandy, was trained to ride the chute.

The ride took riders in a flat-bottomed boat up an incline pulled by a belt, rotated at the top, where the boat was allowed to slide down the other side of the incline to splash in the pond at the bottom.[4]

The ride started to suffer from "nonsupport" by 1916.[5] The last Dispatch ad for the normal use of the ride was in June 1924. The pool remained until the park's closure, being used for water bicycles,[6], tug-of-war, and automobile events. Despite its unusable state, the structure remained standing and is visible in a photo about the park's closure in 1937.[7]

After Ride Closure

There was a contest for automobile owners to climb the ride's incline during the 1910 North Side Chamber of Commerce outing, but no one signed up for it.[8]

On 1934, on a day dubbed Plymouth Day, "Lucky" Teter and his troupe of "Hell Drivers" put on a show at the park. A driver drove at least one car down the Shoot-the-Chutes into the lagoon during a $100,000 (over $2.3 million in 2024) show of Chrysler products at the park.[9] Starting at 60 mph, the car leaped and hit the water at 90 mph, leaped a two-foot embankment, and purposely turned the car over in the dirt going 20 mph.[10][11]

Injuries

Joseph Valkno, 17, was hit by a boat on the chute while working on the ride in September 1914. He broke his leg while trying to leap over the boat as it was diving into the pond.[12]

  • The Shoot-the-Chutes ride during its construction in 1909.
    The Shoot-the-Chutes ride during its construction in 1909.
  • A panoramic photo of new rides nearing completion in the Columbus Sunday Dispatch on March 28, 1909. Rides and attractions shown: Whirlwind, Shoot-the-Chutes, the Midway including the original Ye Olde Mill and Dancing Pavilion.
    A panoramic photo of new rides nearing completion in the Columbus Sunday Dispatch on March 28, 1909. Rides and attractions shown: Whirlwind, Shoot-the-Chutes, the Midway including the Temple of Mirth, original Ye Olde Mill, and second Dancing Pavilion.
  • A vintage postcard (postmarked 1916) showing the Whirl Wind and Shoot-the-Chutes. Photo from around 1909-1910.
    A vintage postcard (postmarked 1916) showing the Whirlwind and Shoot-the-Chutes. Photo from around 1909-1910.

References

  1. ↑ "Olentangy Park, Founded in 1893, Long Was Amusement Mecca for Central Ohio." Columbus Evening Dispatch, April 1, 1938. Pages 1, 6.
  2. ↑ "Olentangy Park Opens April 25th." The Union County Journal (Marysville, Ohio), April 22, 1909. Page 3. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-union-county-journal-olentangy-park/152965546/
  3. ↑ The Billboard, October 7, 1905. 17 (40): 25.
  4. ↑ Barrett, Richard E. 2002. Columbus Ohio 1898-1950 in Vintage Postcards, Arcadia Publishing. Accessed through Google Books https://www.google.com/books/edition/Columbus_Ohio/dl9ANHu511sC?hl=en&gbpv=0
  5. ↑ "Park in Full Operation." The Columbus Evening Dispatch, May 1, 1916. Page 16.
  6. ↑ Barret, Richard E. 1984. "Olentangy Park: Four Decades of Fun." Columbus and Central Ohio Historian No. 1, April 1984. Page 11.
  7. ↑ "$2,000,000 Housing Project to Replace Olentangy Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch, April 1, 1938. Page 1.
  8. ↑ "Thirty-five Accept." Columbus Evening Dispatch, May 9, 1910. Page 10.
  9. ↑ "Plymouth's 'Hell Divers' Will Defy Death to Thrill Crowds at Olentangy." The Columbus Dispatch, June 17, 1934. Page 20.
  10. ↑ "Hell Drivers Again to Appear at Park." The Columbus Dispatch, June 24, 1934. Page 19.
  11. ↑ Walkmeyer, Gene. 1934. "Daredevils Thrill Olentangy Audience." The Columbus Dispatch, June 25, 1934. Page 16.
  12. ↑ "Park Employe Injured." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, September 6, 1914. Page 3.


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