Over-the-Top / The Racer: Difference between revisions

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The '''Over-the-Top''' roller coaster was built in 1917<ref>"Lavish Park Plans." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch,'' September 23, 1917. Page 56.</ref> and opened in [[1918 Season|1918]] at Olentangy Park, next to the [[Shoot-the-Chutes]].<ref>"Are You Going Over the Top?" ''Columbus Evening Dispatch,'' April 27, 1918. Page 12.</ref><ref name="sanborn1922">''Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio.'' Sanborn Map Company, - 1922 Vol. 3, 1922, 1922. Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn06656_008/.</ref> Originally named the '''Derby Racer''', manager Will D. Harris changed the name to "make it more appropriate to the present times and give it a name that would indicate more of the nature of the ride." Eighty-two feet from the ground, it was {{Tooltip |text = 1.25 miles|tooltip = 2 kilometers}} long.<ref>"Are You Going Over the Top?" ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' April 27, 1918. Page 12.</ref><ref>''General Map, The Olentangy Amusement Co., Columbus, Ohio,'' 1924.</ref> It cost more than {{Tooltip |text = $250,000|tooltip = $5.32 million in 2025 dollars}} to build.<ref>{{Cite news |articletitle = Quarter Million Spent|pub = Columbus Evening Dispatch|date = April 25, 1918|page = 24 }}</ref>
The '''Over-the-Top''' roller coaster was built in 1917<ref>"Lavish Park Plans." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch,'' September 23, 1917. Page 56.</ref> and opened in [[1918 Season|1918]] at Olentangy Park, next to the [[Shoot-the-Chutes]].<ref>"Are You Going Over the Top?" ''Columbus Evening Dispatch,'' April 27, 1918. Page 12.</ref><ref name="sanborn1922">''Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio.'' Sanborn Map Company, 1922 Vol. 3, 1922, 1922. Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn06656_008/.</ref> Originally named the '''Derby Racer''', manager Will D. Harris changed the name to "make it more appropriate to the present times and give it a name that would indicate more of the nature of the ride." Eighty-two feet from the ground, it was {{Tooltip |text = 1.25 miles|tooltip = 2 kilometers}} long.<ref>"Are You Going Over the Top?" ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' April 27, 1918. Page 12.</ref><ref>''General Map, The Olentangy Amusement Co., Columbus, Ohio,'' 1924.</ref> It cost more than {{Tooltip |text = $250,000|tooltip = $5.32 million in 2025 dollars}} to build.<ref>{{Cite news |articletitle = Quarter Million Spent|pub = Columbus Evening Dispatch|date = April 25, 1918|page = 24 }}</ref> More than 5,000 parkgoers rode the Over-the-Top on the opening day of the ride.<ref>"Park Open Three Days Weekly." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' May 5, 1918.</ref>


It was renamed to '''The Racer''' by 1926 and was described as "two rides in one."<ref>"Rides, Etc. at the Park." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch,'' July 31, 1927. Page 68.</ref> It was operational until the park closed in 1937.<ref>Franklin Survey Co. 1937. Map. ''City of Columbus, Franklin Co., Ohio,'' Vol. 1. Accessed through Ebay.com https://www.ebay.com/itm/235251834706</ref>
It was renamed to '''The Racer''' by 1926 and was described as "two rides in one."<ref>"Rides, Etc. at the Park." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch,'' July 31, 1927. Page 68.</ref> It was operational until the park closed in 1937.<ref>Franklin Survey Co. 1937. Map. ''City of Columbus, Franklin Co., Ohio,'' Vol. 1. Accessed through Ebay.com https://www.ebay.com/itm/235251834706</ref>

Revision as of 22:03, 16 June 2025

Over-the-Top / The Racer
Other Name(s) Derby Racer
Over-the-Top
The Racer
Type Roller Coaster
Track Ride
Park Section North
Built 1917
Opened 1918
Closed 1937 (park closure)
Materials Wood
Length 1.25 miles (2 kilometers)
Height 82 feet (25 meters)
Vehicle Type Cars
Inversions 0
Cost More than $250,000$5.32 million in 2025 dollars

The Over-the-Top roller coaster was built in 1917[1] and opened in 1918 at Olentangy Park, next to the Shoot-the-Chutes.[2][3] Originally named the Derby Racer, manager Will D. Harris changed the name to "make it more appropriate to the present times and give it a name that would indicate more of the nature of the ride." Eighty-two feet from the ground, it was 1.25 miles2 kilometers long.[4][5] It cost more than $250,000$5.32 million in 2025 dollars to build.[6] More than 5,000 parkgoers rode the Over-the-Top on the opening day of the ride.[7]

It was renamed to The Racer by 1926 and was described as "two rides in one."[8] It was operational until the park closed in 1937.[9]

The coaster was a "racer" type where two sets of cars "raced" around the tracks.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "Lavish Park Plans." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch, September 23, 1917. Page 56.
  2. ↑ "Are You Going Over the Top?" Columbus Evening Dispatch, April 27, 1918. Page 12.
  3. ↑ Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. Sanborn Map Company, 1922 Vol. 3, 1922, 1922. Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn06656_008/.
  4. ↑ "Are You Going Over the Top?" Columbus Evening Dispatch. April 27, 1918. Page 12.
  5. ↑ General Map, The Olentangy Amusement Co., Columbus, Ohio, 1924.
  6. ↑ "Quarter Million Spent." Columbus Evening Dispatch. April 25, 1918. Page 24.
  7. ↑ "Park Open Three Days Weekly." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. May 5, 1918.
  8. ↑ "Rides, Etc. at the Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch, July 31, 1927. Page 68.
  9. ↑ Franklin Survey Co. 1937. Map. City of Columbus, Franklin Co., Ohio, Vol. 1. Accessed through Ebay.com https://www.ebay.com/itm/235251834706
  10. ↑ "Park's Favorite Rides." Columbus Evening Dispatch, June 8, 1937. Page 18.


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