Tours of the World
| Other Name(s) | Hale's Tours of the World |
|---|---|
| Type | Exhibition |
| Park Section | North |
| Built | 1906 |
| Opened | 1906 |
| Closed | 1907 (fire) |
| Fires | 1907 |
| Manufacturer | George C. Hale |
| Designer | George C. Hale |
| Frame | Wood |
| Number of Stories | 1 |
The Tours of the World exhibition opened at Olentangy Park in 1906.[1][2][3] It was one of the series of film-based exhibitions by George C. Hale where visitors entered a recreated train car. At the front, a motion picture device played scenes filmed in a "phantom ride" style, making visitors feel like they were traveling by rail in different locations. Staff would provide a rocking motion of the "car," and wind machines and sound effects added to the realism.[4][5]
At the end of the 1906 season, park management refused to increase the wages of the operators of the attraction, and they went on strike. An employee stole a lens from one of the machines, making it inoperable.[6]
The following year, a fire that started in the Motion Picture Building in July 1907 spread to the Tours of the World and other attractions, and the attraction was "burnt to ashes." The fire department estimated the damage at $3,000 ($94,556 in 2022).[7]
References
- ↑ "Olentangy Park Opens on April 29." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 15 April 1906. Pg. 7.
- ↑ Long, W.C. "Columbus, Ohio." The Billboard. Vol. 18. Issue 19. 12 May 1906. Pg. 20.
- ↑ "Olentangy Park." The Democrat-Sentinel (Logan, OH). 14 June 1906. Pg. 2. Clip 1 | Clip 2
- ↑ Hale's Tours of the World. https://www.inspiredbyearth.info/history-over-100-years-ago
- ↑ "Hale's Tours of the World." Wikipedia.org. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hale%27s_Tours_of_the_World
- ↑ "Striker Cripples Scenic Railway by Taking Lens." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 2 September 1906. Pg. 1
- ↑ "Boy Leads His Two Sisters Out of a Fire at Park." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 5 July 1907. Pg. 13.