Kansas City's Coney Island: Electric Park

In the 1890s, brothers Joseph, Michael, and Ferd Heim built the Heim Brewery in the East Bottoms of Kansas City. To attract more customers, they built a streetcar line from downtown to the brewery.

Heim Brewery workers.

On June 3, 1900, the Heim Brother's opened Heim's Electric Park to entice people to use the streetcar line. Heim beer was also brought to the park via pipeline directly from the brewery.

Electric Park had two different locations during its history. The 1st park was located just north of the brewery at Rochester Ave. and Montgall Street from 1900-1906.

The twelve acre site contained a theater, a grand water display, and a German Village. Animal displays were added in 1905, like the Monkey Cage portrayed in this vintage postcard.

The 1903 Flood seriously damaged Electric Park, and the Heim Brothers began searching for a second location.

The new site for Electric Park was located at 45th and Lydia (now Paseo Boulevard.) May 19th, 1907 was opening day for the new park.

The "New" Electric Park.

The circle swing was a new attraction in 1907. The first season it was used, there was an accident and the giant swing toppled over. Eight people were injured, and the swing was not rebuilt.

In 1912, the swimming beach was reconstructed, and continued to be the largest attraction until the park closed.

Swimmers and divers from the early 1920s.

Swimmers enjoy the "shoots" water slides in the early 1920s.

Numerous vaudevillians, bands, and attractions performed inside the Electric Park Theater. New acts were booked every season to keep people coming back.

Eugenia Dennis, the "Wonder Girl from Kansas," was one such attraction. Raised in Atchison, Kansas, Eugenia made the vaudeville circuits as a psychic. She came to Electric Park in 1923.

Vaudeville act from Electric Park.

Electric Park performer.

John Philip Sousa also led band performances at Electric Park. He often remarked that the bandstand at Electric Park was the best in which his band had ever played.

By 1925, the rise of the automobile took it's toll on attendance to Electric Park. It was decided that 1925 would be the final season.

Unfortunately, on May 26 1925, a fire swept through Electric Park, destroying everything except for the swimming beach, dance hall, and band pavilion. This was the final death blow to the park.