Loop-the-Loop
| Type | Roller Coaster |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1908 |
| Designer | Lena Beecher |
| Vehicle Type | Car |
| Number of Vehicles | 1 |
| Riders per Vehicle | 4 |
| Inversions | 1 |
The Loop-the-Loop, was a looping steel roller coaster installed at Olentangy Park in 1908.[1] Designed by inventor Lena Beecher in 1904, up to four riders would ride on a single track down a slope fast enough to do a single inversion (upside-down loop).[2] It was one of the first operating looping coasters in North America and its teardrop shape was adapted from a shape pioneered by Edwin Prescott. The shape helped lower the excessive g-forces it put on its riders in comparison to past versions like the Flip Flap Railway, but the ride still caused many neck injuries and repeat riders were rare.[3]
It was built near the Circle Swing, Fair Japan, and the Dancing Pavilion.[4]
This steel ride was built after a few successful similarly named Loop-the-Loop bicycle stunts done by Diavolo (played by either Conn Baker or G.F. Matthiessen) and Leaping-the-Gap.[5]
Injuries
The ride caused many neck and back injuries. In July 1908, when the ride was new, Luther Liggett rode the Loop-the-Loop during a Methodist picnic and suffered neck injuries that lead to over a week of a swollen neck with fears of a serious injury.[1][6]
Gallery
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Vintage postcard (c. 1908-1911) showing the Loop-the-Loop. -
Vintage postcard (c. 1908-1915) showing the Circle Swing and the Loop-the-Loop at Olentangy Park. -
Panoramic photo (c. 1908-1911) of the Circle Swing and Loop-the-Loop.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Neck was Injured." The Union County Journal (Marysville, OH). 23 July 1908. Pg. 2. Retrieved from Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/80090314/neck-was-injured-on-loop-the-loop-in/
- ↑ "Loop the Loop." Roller Coaster Database. https://rcdb.com/3159.htm Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- ↑ Francis, David W.; Francis, Diane DeMali (2003). The Golden Age of Roller Coasters. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0738523380.
- ↑ Francis, David W.; Francis, Diane DeMali (2002). Ohio's Amusement Parks in Vintage Postcards. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0738519979.
- ↑ "How bicycle daredevil Diavolo looped the loop back in the early 1900s." Click America. https://clickamericana.com/topics/culture-and-lifestyle/entertainment-culture-and-lifestyle/bicycle-daredevil-diavolo-loops-the-loops-1902-1905
- ↑ Barrett, Richard E. (2002). Columbus Ohio 1898-1950 in Vintage Postcards. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0738519626.