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Elitch Gardensis return to old Denver waysBack before the turn of the century, Trocadero Ballroom once stood, along“THE SPLINTER” is the name of the new flume ride at Elitch Gardens, an amusement park located on the north side of Oenver.when the city of Denver was a comparative youngster, it was often thought of by those traveling the long road west as ar “oasis.'*To this very day. there l»s been an “oasis within the Denver “oasis** called Elitch Gardens, a unique amusement park that has served as a refreshment spot for Denveronians and travelers alike. Elitch Gardens is unique to that it has been owned and operated by only two families since its inception in 1890, when the late John Elitch converted it from a farm that was then on the city's outskirts.The current familial group, now into its fourth generation, has seen to it that the park has grown commensurate with the Mile High city, growing more modern with the passing years, but also retaining some of the invaluable old flavor, so that a short walk through the facility can provide the visitor a miniscule history of summertime Denver entertainment down through the years.ELITCH GARDENS was a theme park long before the word was treed in that context. Each year more than one million flower plantings used In the park in summertime are grown in the park’s own greenhouses.At the west end is the famed Etitch Theatre, opened in 1890, now a historical landmark, and still operating every summer, making it the oldest continually operating summer theater in the Umted States. The venerable theater,with its tum-of-the century gingerbread trim, opened on the park’s second day of operation with a vaudeville performance in which many of the audience were famous entertainers of theday, including P. T. Barnum.By 1897 the theater had begun its own productions. Famous names that have trod the boards include Sarah Bernhardt, Douglas Fairbanks Sr. and Jr. Grace Kelly, Ginger Rogers, Mickey Rooney, Sandy Dennis, Patty Dukeand Lynn Redgrave.Moving to the certler of the park you can see some of the modernizing that is ongoing, an area developed just fouryears ago. The area where the famedwith some other attractions, was cleared. Dirt was excavated to form a pond at one end and was used to build a mountain at the other end. A series of 12 waterfalls splash down the mountain, rush through a brook, which Is crossed by a curved footbridge and into the pond. The pond contains delicate water fountains, lighted at night and in the center stands an old fashioned gazebo. Groups of young entertainers perform free concerts there in the evenings.THE ENTIRE AREA is surroundedby beautiful flower plantings to ubiquitous hanging baskets. There are myriad comfortable benches all around the pond, inviting the visitor to pause and enjoy the surroundings.Another part of the Trocadero was used to build a sleek fast-food restaurant Squares of oak wood from the famous dance floor were used to make table tops, and old dance bills laminated into the tops, present a touch of nostalgia.A bit north of park center is another holdover wooden building. It has a quaint to reeled front and is an open air summer restaurant called The Orchard Cafe. It was built about the same time as the theater and was Intended, even as today, to provide sit-down dinners to theater patrons. It got its name because John Elitch built it right smack in the middle of an apple orchard. In 1979 the cafe becomes Dew the Beachcomber’s “summer satellite.” a welcome offshoot of Don’s downtown facility boused in the Plaza CosmopolitanHotel.A FEW STEPS west of the cafe isFryer Hill, covered with shade trees,pathways, and rock masonry picnic areas, each one named after a famous silver mine from the LearfvUIe, Colo.,mining boom.Fryer Hill overlooks a well-kept KW-dieland, featuring 12 special rides forthe pint-sized mob with close and easyaccess to the picnic area.Moving to the east end of the park you discover the latest and one of the most exciting rides in all of Elitch Gardens. It is one that is educational, aswell as fun, to ride, ft is a flume water ride called ‘ The Splinter”, and was built last summer at a cost of more than $2.5 million. The six-passenger boats, resembling logs, ride the quarter-mile-plus flume. There are 23boats, ensuring easy access, with a logdeparting about every 19 seconds.As they move along at about fourmiles an hour, passengers are treatedto a visual history of the lumbering industry In the old West. There are six major displays containing animatedmachinery, people and animals andcomplementary sound effects.AT THE END of the display the boatis pulled up a track, through one of thetwo roller coaster structures, to a point45 feet above ground level. It then plummets with a gut-clutching drop at 35 miles an hour into a landing pond,skipping along the water and throwinga high spray, then riding its own crestto the end.In order to build the flume, a formal garden and the bumper car ride had to be removed. A modern bumper car structure was built, and to contrast to any other, is totally round, the first of its kind in the world.The formal garden was movedslightly and the famous floral dock —long a fixture at Elitch's - also wasplaced there. It is an operating dock of floral plantings that depicts day and date, as well as time. Now it’s updatedwith tittle minute tights so that anyonetaking a picture will be able to toll, to the minute, as well as time and date, when the picture was taken.Elitch Gardens is located on the north side of Denver and is accessible from all of the city's major arterialroutes.
Newspaper Details
Arlington Heights Daily Herald Suburban Chicago
Arlington Heights, Illinois, US
Sun, Jul 08, 1979
Page 53
Full Page
Clipped by
Lachlan S.
0, GB 10 Jun 2020
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